Rat-hole mining specialists have been engaged in rescuing 41 workers trapped in the collapsed Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi.
On Monday, manual drilling was initiated through the debris, and the drilling is near breakthrough, with the workers expected to be out anytime soon. The rescue operation has entered its 17th day, and the alternative drilling approach was adopted after a large auger machine became stuck on Friday.
सिलक्यारा टनल में चल रहे रेस्क्यू ऑपरेशन में बड़ी सफलता मिली है, पाइप पुशिंग का कार्य मलबे के आर-पार हो चुका है। अब श्रमिकों को सुरक्षित बाहर निकालने की तैयारी शुरू कर दी गई है। pic.twitter.com/wCMZrWSRSn
— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) November 28, 2023
Approximately 40% of the necessary 86-meter vertical drilling has been completed.
The rescue operation is in its final stage, and the evacuation efforts are intensifying. The situation is being closely monitored, and efforts are being made to expedite the rescue process.