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PremiumUttarkashi Tunnel Collapse LIVE News Updates: Bhaskar Khulbe, a former advisor to the Prime Minister's Office on Friday said that the rescue operation to free the 41 trapped laborers in the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi will recommence shortly.
An under-construction tunnel collapsed on November 12 in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi leaving 41 workers trapped. Falling debris blocked the tunnel from Silkyara to Barkot end over a 60-meter stretch on the Silkyara side.
After the installation of 44 meters pipe inside tunnel via horizontal drilling, there were expectations of some good news by Friday. However, the rescue operation faced another setback after the auger drilling machine stopped working again on Thursday night.
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami will remain at the site throughout the night to monitor the rescue operation. The drilling work is likely to begin at 9:00 am on Friday.
A total of 41 ambulances are stationed at the Silkyara tunnel site, with 31 from '108' and 10 provided by the administration, PTI quoted Mukesh Nautiyal, the project manager of the Operation 108 Ambulance initiative as saying.
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A member of the National Disaster Management Authority, Lt General (Rtd) Syed Ata Hasnain, said on Friday that by using ground penetrating radar, it has been detected that there is no obstacle in the next 5 metres at Uttarkashi's Silkyara tunnel, where 41 workers remain trapped.
The NDMA member said that after the augor is moved to 5 metres, the ground-penetrating radar will be used again to detect obstacles in the next 5 metres.
Drilling at the collapsed Silkyara tunnel to rescue 41 men trapped inside for 12 days was halted again on Friday, officials said.
Officials said the auger drilling machine faced a hurdle, apparently a metal object, soon after drilling resumed Thursday, a day after officials had put the operation on hold following a technical snag.
That snag was set right earlier in the day and the 25-tonne auger machine was restarted. But after a brief while the operation had to be stopped again in the second setback in two days.
The drilling through the debris will restart "shortly" to rescue 41 workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel in Uttrakhand, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Friday evening.
The drilling process was stopped on Thursday due to obstructions, and the repair work is being done to restart the drilling by auger machine, NDMA member Lt Gen (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain said while briefing media on the progress of the rescue operations.
"Since yesterday, there has been no progress in terms of movement of the pipe into the tunnel through the debris... We hope that shortly, the auger machine will start working," he said.
Drilling at the collapsed Silkyara tunnel to evacuate 41 workers trapped inside for 12 days was yet resume Friday evening, a day after it was put on hold following a snag.
Officials said in the afternoon that technical issues have been sorted and the drilling was set to resume in a couple of hours. But till evening there was no announcement that the auger machine had begun drilling through the remaining stretch of about 12 metres.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday said that the rescue operation to extricate 41 workers trapped in a portion of the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi, which collapsed over a week ago, is "in its final stage," adding that both the central and state government agencies are working together.
CM Dhami said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking all the updates regarding the rescue operation being carried out at the Silkyara tunnel.
India's aggressive infrastructure push into the ecologically fragile Himalayan mountains has been given a "wake-up call" by the collapse of a road tunnel that trapped 41 men, environmental experts say.
The partial cave-in of the under-construction Silkyara road tunnel in northern Uttarakhand state nearly two weeks ago -- with the desperate men still awaiting rescue on Friday -- was only the latest disaster in the geologically unstable region.
Added to that are the challenges caused by rising global temperatures unleashing a cascade of extreme weather that scientists warn will get worse.
-AFP
Director General of the National Disaster Response Force, Atul Karwal Thursday said that the multi-agency rescue operations to provide a safe passage to 41 workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakashi will be completed by the end of the day.
DG NDRF, who reached the Silkyara Tunnel collapse site on Thursday, said while speaking to ANI," "The auger machine has started operating again. We are estimating to send 2-3 pipes of 6 metres inside. Hopefully, by the end of the day, if we do not encounter any obstacles, the rescue operation will be completed..."
No progress in movement of pipe through debris in Silkyara tunnel since Thursday: NDMA
As the ongoing operation to rescue 41 workers trapped in a collapsed portion of the Uttarkashi tunnel entered the 13th day, the director ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation), who is present at the site, asserted the labourers will be rescued by Friday.
Speaking to media persons, ONGC director Sanjay Bhatt said, " We are hopeful that the rescue operation will be concluded and the workers brought out safely by today. As of now, there is no major hindrance to the operation and everyone is hopeful that the workers will be rescued by this evening."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on the phone and sought information about the ongoing rescue operation of 41 workers trapped at the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi since November 12.
According to the Uttrakhand government, PM Modi also inquired about the condition of the workers and gave some important instructions to CM Dhami.
"Information was taken about the rescue operation...The PM also inquired about the condition of the workers trapped inside the tunnel and the food and daily routine items provided to them. Information was also taken about the condition and safety of the personnel engaged in relief and rescue work..." the Department of Information and Public Relations of Uttarakhand said. (ANI)
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel on Friday carried out a demonstration of the movement of wheeled stretchers through the pipeline inserted to extricate 41 workers trapped in a portion of the Silkyara tunnel of Uttarkashi, which collapsed over a week ago.
The ongoing efforts to rescue the workers, who have been trapped for the last 12 days after a portion of the under-construction tunnel on the Char Dham route collapsed on November 12, cutting off its exit, is said to be on its last legs. (ANI)
Uttarakhand: Rescue teams intend to offer board games and playing cards to the 41 workers stuck inside the Silkyara tunnel for 12 days, as the ongoing evacuation efforts face numerous setbacks and delays.
As reported by PTI, Dr Rohit Gondwal, one of the psychiatrists at the rescue site, said, “We are planning to provide ludo and chess boards and playing cards to help them (trapped labourers) relieve stress. The operation is getting delayed and it appears that it will take some more time." Read the complete story here.
As the Uttarkashi tunnel rescue operations reaches a critical stage on Friday, the kin of trapped labourers pray for the safe return of their loved ones.
A brother of a trapped labourer said that he wishes his brother to return as soon as possible. Speaking to ANI, Haridwar Sharma, brother of a stranded labourer Sushil Sharma said that “This morning we talked to him through walkie talkie. During the conversation, we inquired about his well-being and my brother was also asking about the other members of the family. Everything like food, drink, clothing is being available to them inside the tunnel. I just wish that he returns safely". (ANI)
Drilling through the rubble to prepare an escape route for the 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel was set to resume on Friday morning, a day after another snag hit the rescue efforts, an official said.
Former advisor to the prime minister's office Bhaskar Khulbe said the operation might successfully be completed by Friday evening if everything went well. (PTI)
13 days after an under construction tunnel collapsed at Silkyara in Uttarkashi there appears to be some headway made in the rescue operation to evacuated 41 trapped workers.
A 25-tonne platform mounting the Heavy American Auger machine being used to drill through the debris has been strengthened using an accelerating agent for rapid hardening of concrete, and the rescue operations is expected to resume shortly. (ANI)
Uttarakhand: Rescue teams intend to offer board games and playing cards to the 41 workers stuck inside the Silkyara tunnel for 12 days, as the ongoing evacuation efforts face numerous setbacks and delays.
As reported by PTI, Dr Rohit Gondwal, one of the psychiatrists at the rescue site, said, “We are planning to provide ludo and chess boards and playing cards to help them (trapped labourers) relieve stress. The operation is getting delayed and it appears that it will take some more time." Read the complete story here.
Union Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways, General (retd) VK Singh, reached the Silkyara tunnel site on Friday to take stock of the ongoing efforts to rescue 41 trapped workers.
The workers have now been trapped for 13 days on the opposite end of a portion of the under-construction tunnel, which collapsed on November 12.
The rescue operations entered its final phase on Thursday, with officials saying that only a few metres were left to be drilled for the rescuers to reach the trapped workers. (ANI)
A 25-tonne platform mounting the auger machine being used to drill through the debris in the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand has been repaired, and rescue operations to evacuate 41 workers trapped inside is expected to resume soon, a top-level official said on Friday morning.
The platform on which the equipment was mounted had developed some cracks when the rescue operation was underway on Thursday, and the process of horizontal drilling through the debris had to be paused. (ANI)
Former advisor to the Prime Minister's Office, Bhaskar Khulbe on Friday said that the rescue operation to evacuate the 41 trapped labourers inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi will resume soon as the technical snag has been fixed.
Speaking to ANI here on Friday morning, Khulbe said that the platform on which the Augur drilling machine had developed some cracks on Thursday and has been revamped now.
"The situation is much better now. Last night, we had to work on two things. First, we had to revamp the platform of the machine... Parsons Company had done the ground penetration radar, through which we got to know that for the next 5 meters, there is no metallic obstruction. This means that our drilling should be smooth. When we were taking out the debris, we got two mangled pipes..." Khulbe said, adding that the trapped worker may be evacuated by today. (ANI)
Rescuers plan to provide board games and playing cards to the 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel for 12 days as the operation to evacuate them continues to get disrupted by multiple delays, an official said.
Late on Thursday, boring through the rubble of the collapsed tunnel was put on hold again, apparently after cracks appeared in the platform on which the drilling machine rests.
Dr Rohit Gondwal, one of the psychiatrists at the rescue site, told PTI, “We are planning to provide ludo and chess boards and playing cards to help them (trapped labourers) relieve stress. The operation is getting delayed and it appears that it will take some more time." (PTI)
Drilling through the rubble to prepare an escape route for the 41 workers trapped at the Silkyara tunnel remained stalled on Friday morning, a day after another snag hit the rescue efforts, an official said.
The platform on which the drilling machine stands was being stabilised by shot creting, the official said.
Boring through the rubble was put on hold again Thursday apparently after cracks appeared in the platform on which the drilling machine rests, in a fresh hurdle to the rescue of workers trapped inside for 12 days. (PTI)
The rescue effort to free 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara-Barkot under-construction tunnel in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, which collapsed on November 12 is nearing completion, and officials anticipating a breakthrough by late Thursday or Friday. Read the complete story here.
The rescue effort to free 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara-Barkot under-construction tunnel in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, which collapsed on November 12 is nearing completion, and officials anticipating a breakthrough by late Thursday or Friday. Read the complete story here.
Uttarkashi tunnel collapse: The drone cameras are being used to monitor the situation of the rescue operation to evacuate 41 workers trapped under the Silkyara tunnel that collapsed on November 12, said officials on Friday. A 15-member NDRF team, led by a commandant, has been assigned the rescue mission. Here are the top 10 updates on the Uttarkashi tunnel collapse.
1) Speaking to ANI, Managing Director and CEO of Squadron Infra and Mining Pvt Limited, Cyriac Joseph said, “We are here to support the team and we are working effortlessly. Our priority is the safety of the trapped labourers so that's why we have got a drone so that we can monitor their situation." Read the complete story here.
New Delhi: A rescue effort to free 41 workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, is nearing completion, with officials anticipating a breakthrough by Thursday evening or Friday.
The Silkyara tunnel, stretching 4.5km, caved in on 12 November, with workers trapped inside. On the 12th day of efforts, the rescue team is close to reaching the workers after successfully inserting an 800-mtr pipe through the debris. Read the complete story here.
Uttarkashi tunnel rescue: After swinging between hope and despair for more than 12 days, the 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel may get a little more time to be rescued. Uttarkashi District Magistrate Abhishek Ruhela said on Thursday that rescuers have breached through the debris of the collapsed portion of the tunnel and a “little more work is left for the completion of the rescue operation".
Ruhela said he is taking advice from experts and skilled persons, some of whom are also called to the spot. "It is not possible to say when will the rescue end but the work is continuously going on and it is being monitored by the state and the central government," the DM added. Read the complete story here.
On the matter of 41 workers being trapped in the Silkyara tunnel for 12 days, Medical experts have expressed concern about the health condition of the 41 workers.
On November 12, a section of the under-construction tunnel from Silkyara to Barkot collapsed, trapping 41 labourers in debris on the Silkyara side. The trapped workers are in a 2 km-built portion, complete with concrete work for their safety. (ANI)
After the drilling work to create a passage to rescue workers stopped at night, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami is will stay overnight at the site.
"Currently, the machine is being repaired, which will take a few hours. If no other problem arises, the rescue operation will possibly resume tomorrow morning after 9 am," said an official.
After the tunnel rescue program faced another setback on Thursday, International Tunneling Expert Arnold Dix said that the team is just metres away from finding passage to have the men back.
“The men are safe. The auger machine has broken down, it is being repaired and it should be back up tomorrow. The drilling machine has broken down three times," he told ANI.
The drilling was put on hold again on Thursday after the platform on which the equipment is mounted developed some cracks, reported PTI.
The rescue workers will “stabilise" the platform on which the 25-tonne auger machine is mounted before drilling is resumed, officials said.
Drilling to evacuate trapped workers inside Uttarkashi's Silkyara tunnel halted again on Thursday, reported PTI.
Amid the ongoing rescue operation of 41 workers trapped inside Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi, Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary D Raja said that proper reasoning and explanation for the tunnel collapsed must be ascertained.
"People across the country are praying for a smooth and successful rescue operation in the Uttarkashi tunnel collapse incident. I, along with several other Indian citizens, pray that each one of them is rescued in a safe and sound manner," he told ANI.
"We need to rescue our people and then draw lessons as to why such a collapse takes place and what preventive measures or steps must be taken or planned. We must also look into how it could have happened and how it could have been prevented. All such questions need to be addressed in the coming days," said the CPI leader.
The rescue team is all ready to start vertical drilling for the execution of alternative plan, but all the different access routes to the workers are interconnected, said International Tunneling Expert, Arnold Dix on Thursday.
“The vertical drilling is all prepared, as in all the sites prepared, the access roads prepared, everything's prepared, and decisions being taken shortly about what to do with the vertical drilling. But all of the different access routes, they affect each other. So while we're doing Augering, we have to be very careful and that includes being careful about vertical drilling. So we're ready for vertical drilling. It's just a question of when the decision is made whether to do it or not to do it," he told ANI.
As the rescue operation reaches its final stage, Member of the National Disaster Management Authority, Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain said, "If no hindrance comes in the way and the auger machine continues to function at its speed of 4-5 meters per hour, then I can say that maybe tomorrow during the day, you can receive the good news."
Rescue operations like this are like wars, in this case, our biggest enemy is Himalayan geology, stressed Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain, Member of the National Disaster Management Authority.
He also said that the hope of rescue within two hours can put pressure on the workforce deployed in the rescue operation.
"On the progress in the Silkyara tunnel rescue operation, Member of the National Disaster Management Authority, Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain says, “This is challenging work. To keep expecting that rescue will be done in the next two hours, it puts pressure on the workforce. This is wrong. In this situation, both the trapped workers and the rescue team are at risk. We have to cater for the safety of both," said Lt General Hasnain at a press conference on Thursday.
If the operation continues without any hindrance and auger machine continues to function at its speed of 4-5 metres per hour, there is a hope of some good news by tomorrow during the day, said Member of the National Disaster Management Authority, Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain on Thursday.
