Producer: Mehak Pal Editor: Aparna Singh
The operation to rescue all 41 highway construction workers, who have been trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel collapse site for over 10 days, has entered into its final stages.
A 15-member NDRF team simulated a drill to demonstrate traversing through the pipes to reach the other side of the debris where the trapped labourers are located.
Medical professionals have been stationed within the tunnel, and ambulances are on standby to ensure the safe transfer of the rescued individuals.
A total of seven pipes (four of 900 mm diameter and three of 800 mm diameter) have been inserted through the rubble so far, said former Advisor to PM and Officer on Special Duty (Tourism) Bhaskar Khulbe.
On November 20, 2023, the rescue team pushed through a six-inch-wide pipeline through the rubbles of the collapsed Silkyara-Barkot tunnel to supply larger quantities of food and other essentials to 41 workers.
The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) and Indian Railways (IR) have collaborated to operate a special train transporting equipment from Karambeli in Gujarat to Rishikesh. This initiative aims to support the rescue efforts for the trapped workers in the Uttarkashi tunnel collapse incident.
A 41-bed hospital was established at the Chinyalisaur Community Health Centre on November 22, 2023, to provide medical care for the 41 trapped laborers once they are rescued from the Silkyara tunnel.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren voiced concern on Wednesday regarding the delayed evacuation of workers from the under-construction Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand.