With Silkyara tunnel rescue operation over; another challenge for govt: How to remove cumbersome machines from site

After the rescue of the 41 workers from inside the Silkyara tunnel, the administration in Uttarkashi is now facing a new challenge of removing the heavy machines from the site and has for now deployed police in the area to prevent theft of costly equipment till arrangements are made to send the machines back to the respective states.

Dehradun (Uttarakhand): With rescuers safely evacuating all the 41 workers from inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi, the administration is now facing another challenge-removing the cumbersome machines procured during the rescue operation. To rescue the people trapped in the tunnel, not only experts were called from all over the world, but machines were also brought to Uttarkashi from different corners of the country.

With the help of Air Force, these heavy machines were handy in expediting the rescue operation. But there are many machines which could not be used and were brought to Uttarkashi as an alternative. The question is now arising as to how these heavy machines will be sent to the place from where they were procured.

Among the machines are advanced horizontal and vertical drilling machines and their accessories. An offifcial said that altogether, about nine cumbersome machines are still lying around the tunnel of Uttarkashi. At the time the machines were transported to Uttarkashi, a green corridor was built from Rishikesh to Uttarkashi to facilitate the transporation.

There are many machines which reached Uttarkashi in 4 to 5 days and got stuck several times at many places on the Gangotri and Yamunotri National Highways, but the administration made every effort to take the machines to the tunnel site. The vertical drilling machine is the biggest, which cannot come down easily.

Along with this, the parts of the auger machine had reached Uttarkashi by air. Uttarkashi District Magistrate Abhishek Rohilla said that these machines will be brought down gradually one by one and discussions are currently being held on how all the machines will reach different states from where they were brought.

“Our priority was to save 41 people, now the priority is to make all these arrangements. At present, police personnel have been deployed around the entire tunnel, because government equipment is lying there. There is also a fear that someone might try to enter the tunnel and take a look. At present the work on the tunnel will remain closed till further orders,” Rohilla said.