Uttarkashi Tunnel Rescue: Complete Timeline Of Silkyara Tunnel Rescue Operation
Producer: Mehak Pal
After an intense 17-day rescue operation, all 41 workers trapped in the partially collapsed Silkyara Tunnel in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district were rescued on November 28, 2023.
Here's a complete timeline of Uttarkashi Tunnel rescue operation.
November 12, 2023The 41 labourers got trapped in a landslide at the Silkyara-Dandalgaon tunnel on the Brahmkhal-Yamunotri highway in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi. A rescue operation was initiated to free them.
November 13, 2023 Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the site and established communication with the trapped workers using an oxygen supply pipe.
November 14, 2023800- and 900-millimetre steel pipes were used for horizontal digging with an auger machine. Supplies of essential items like food, water, and medicine were ensured for the trapped workers.
November 15, 2023Rubble caused minor injuries to two workers, hindering the rescue process. The National Handloom Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) requested an advanced auger machine from Delhi, airlifting it to expedite the rescue process.
November 16, 2023The operation commenced past midnight after the new drilling machine was assembled.
November 17, 2023The drilling machine reached around 24 metres through the rubble stretch but halted after the fifth pipe encountered an obstacle. Another auger machine was airlifted from Indore to aid the rescue efforts.
November 18, 202323 Officials from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and experts devised five evacuation plans.
November 19, 2023Drilling activities remained suspended. Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari emphasised the potential success of horizontal drilling with the auger machine.
November 20, 2023023Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Chief Minister Dhami to assess the tunnel rescue operation. He also highlighted the importance of maintaining morale among rescuers.
November 21, 2023Rescuers released the first video of trapped workers in the Silkyara tunnel, featuring them receiving supplies and communicating through the pipeline. The drilling resumed at the Balkot end for an alternative tunnel on the Char Dham route.
November 22, 2023Horizontal drilling progressed to about 45 metres, with around 12 metres of debris remaining. In the evening, iron rods obstructed the auger machine's progress.
November 23, 2023The obstruction caused by iron rods was removed and the drilling was resumed. Officials reported that after reaching the 48-meter mark, the drilling was paused due to cracks appearing in the machine's resting platform.
November 24, 2023Drilling at the collapsed tunnel stopped as the auger machine encountered a hurdle.
November 25, 2023International tunneling expert Arnold Dix reported the auger machine used for drilling had malfunctioned.
November 26, 2023Rescuers commenced drilling into the hill above the Silkyara-Barkot tunnel. They were required to drill 86 meters to reach the tunnel. The equipment had drilled approximately 19.5 meters by the evening.
November 27, 2023 A group of 12 rat-hole mining specialists arrived at the site. The manual drilling and excavation process was initiated to clear the final 10- to 12-metre stretch of debris.
November 28, 2023Following the manual drilling, rescuers inserted a pipe into the tunnel, reaching the breakthrough point. It enabled the evacuation of the first worker with all the other trapped workers emerging in good health.