Officials to logistics: How PMO moved wheels, kept Uttarakhand tunnel rescue ops on track
As soon as the information about the collapse of a portion of an under-construction tunnel on Yamunotri national highway in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, was received at the PMO on November 12, Mishra informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, officials said.
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Before talking to rescued men over the phone, the PM said in a social media post: ‘I salute the spirit of all the people associated with the rescue operation’. From Deputy Secretary Mangesh Ghildiyal to Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Dr P K Mishra, officials of the Prime Minister’s Office were involved in Silkyara tunnel rescue operations – on the site and from Delhi.
As soon as the information about the collapse of a portion of an under-construction tunnel on Yamunotri national highway in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, was received at the PMO on November 12, Mishra informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, officials said.
The PMO officials have since been monitoring the rescue operation. On November 27, Mishra visited the spot and took stock of the situation. He also interacted with trapped workers through the communication line and assured them of their safe rescue.
The sources further said that Mishra directed Mangesh Ghildiyal, Deputy Secretary, PMO, to visit the spot and take stock of the situation. Ghildiyal was stationed in Uttarkashi till the successful completion of the rescue operation on November 28, the sources added.
The rescued workers speak to the PM over the phone
Additionally, Bhaskar Khulbe, former advisor to the PM, was also requested to visit the spot and he has been camping there and monitoring the day-to-day situation since then.
According to a source, “At the instance of the PMO, apart from the civil engineering and tunnelling related mobilisation of experts and equipment from RVNL, ONGC, SJVNL, THDC and DRDO, many technologies and related innovative solutions such as use of drones, robots and endoscopic camera were mobilised with the active support of DST, DRDO and many private start-ups and companies.”
“All the relevant ministries/organisations such as Army, Air Force, BRO, NDRF, NDMA, Uttarakhand government, Uttarkashi district administration and private entities were also contacted when needed. A ‘whole government approach’ was adopted,” the source said.
“A coordination meeting with all the agencies working at the site was chaired by the Principal Secretary to the PM on November 20 wherein the heads of organisations were instructed to monitor the operations personally, on an hourly basis. Union Home Secretary and Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), were instructed to ensure a green corridor for equipment and machinery which were being transported to the spot from various places across the country. Member, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), was directed to do media briefing at regular intervals,” the source said.
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