‘Some big news may be received tonight or tomorrow morning’; Rescue teams make headway in efforts to save the 41 workers in Uttarakhand Tunnel Collapse

The rescue of the 41 workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand's Silkyara is impeded by a barrier of rocks and debris spanning less than 20 meters. Emergency service personnel are actively engaged in a swift rescue mission to extract these individuals from the dire situation. Additional Secretary Technical, Road and Transport, Mahmood Ahmed said "some big news" was expected in the next 24 hours.

"We started drilling using an auger machine at 12:45 am and I am happy to share that we have drilled 39 meters and also inserted pipe of 800mm. We are progressing well. We are also doing horizontal drilling from Barkot side and have entered till 7.9 meters," said Additional Secretary Technical, Road and Transport, Mahmood Ahmed. "If there are no obstacles, some big news may be received tonight or tomorrow morning. An iron rod has also come with the debris. We are happy this (rod) did not create any problems for us...This is very happy news for us, that we are moving forward at a fast pace," he added.

Mahmood Ahmed has stated that the remaining section poses the most significant challenge in the ongoing rescue mission. The efforts to retrieve the trapped workers have been hampered by falling debris and frequent breakdowns of heavy-drilling machinery. Last week, drilling operations were halted for over three days due to a machine encountering boulders, leading to concerns about the tunnel's structural integrity.

ONGC, SJVNL, RVNL, NHIDCL, and THDCL, have been roped to the continuous efforts being made to rescue the 41 workers who are trapped. Both the state and central governments have dedicated their resources to the speedy evacuation of those trapped inside. However, they have refrained from providing a definite timeframe for the rescue, citing potential changes due to technical complications, the difficult terrain, and unforeseen emergencies. The rescue of the workers could occur at any point within a window ranging from 60 hours to 15 days, notifying the authorities.

The tunnel under construction that links Silkyara to Barkot collapsed on November 12. In a recent development on Tuesday, rescue workers successfully deployed an endoscopy camera into the tunnel, providing the first visuals of the trapped workers.

"The rescue operation is going really well. A good horizontal drill is happening... According to my knowledge, we are very close to victims now... It's difficult to give a time frame, but it's time-consuming... The situation of the trapped worker is fine. They were given the morning breakfast. Communication is well established. They are talking nicely to their family members. Their morale is high," said Ravi S Badhani, NDRF Officer.​