Silkyara saga: Full timeline of Uttarkashi Tunnel Rescue

By Vivek Dubey

CNBC-TV18.com

Published Nov 29, 2023

In an intense 17-day operation, 41 workers trapped in Uttarkashi's Silkyara Tunnel were successfully rescued. Explore the full timeline of the rescue mission in Uttarakhand:

Nov 12, 2023: Tunnel Tragedy

Silkyara Tunnel in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, collapses, trapping 41 workers. Rescue ops kick off immediately.

Nov 13: CM on Site

CM Pushkar Dhami visits. Communication established. Supplies sent through pipes. Excavation begins, hindered by falling debris.

Nov 14: Auger Intervention

Steel pipes and auger machine arrive for horizontal excavation. Drilling starts, aiming to create a crawlable passage.

Nov 15: Tech Upgrade

American-made drilling equipment airlifted for faster progress. Efforts to speed up hindered by debris toughness.

Nov 16: Midnight Drilling

Assembled equipment begins drilling at midnight. Progress: 24m through 57m rubble. Operation temporarily halted due to an obstacle.

Nov 17: Obstacle and Suspension

Machine encounters obstacle, causing concern. Operation suspended. Another auger brought in. Crack sound prompts immediate stop.

Nov 18: Evacuation Plans

Drilling halted. PMO officials and experts pursue five evacuation plans, including exploring vertical drilling.

Nov 19: Minister's Optimism

Drilling remains halted. Minister Gadkari favours horizontal boring, anticipating breakthrough in 2.5 days.

Nov 20: Meal Pipeline

Rescuers send meals through a pipeline to trapped workers, pushing through the rubble. Drilling yet to resume.

Nov 21: Insightful Visuals

Endoscopic camera reveals trapped workers. First glimpse through the food pipeline pushed in on Nov 20.

Nov 21: Vertical Shaft Progress

First machine for vertical shaft construction reaches the tunnel. Three vertical shafts planned alongside tunnel rubble drilling.

Nov 22: Horizontal Hurdle

Horizontal drilling nears completion but halted at 45m by iron rods. Late setback challenges the auger machine.

Nov 23: Iron Obstacle Cleared

Morning clearance of iron rods. Progress resumes, reaching 48m before halting again due to platform cracks.

Nov 24: Auger Breakdown

Drilling restarts but halts as machine encounters metal girder, leading to breakdown.

Nov 25: Expert Advice

Tunnelling expert Arnold Dix suggests exploring alternatives. Consideration of vertical and manual drilling begins.

Nov 26: Hill Drilling Initiated

Drilling into hilltop starts above Silkyara-Barkot tunnel. Equipment bores down to 19.5m by evening.

Nov 27: Manual Drilling Resumes

“Rat miners” manually resume horizontal drilling through the existing pipe, extracting debris using hand tools.

Nov 28: Triumph

Final debris cleared. All 41 workers successfully rescued. Breakthrough in the intense 17-day rescue operation.

Nov 29: Healthcare

Rescued workers admitted at a community health centre at Chinyalisaur after their successful evacuation.