Uttarakhand Tunnel Collapse Highlights: Rescue op to resume in ‘next 24 to 36 hours’, focus on vertical drilling to bring out trapped workers, says NDMA

A landline facility has been set up at the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi to keep trapped workers connected with their family members, officials said on Saturday.

The facility has been set up by the BSNL and a handset will be given to the workers trapped inside the partially collapsed tunnel for the past 13 days, they said.

"We have set up a telephone exchange. We will give them a phone connected with the line via the pipe being used for sending food. This phone will have incoming and outgoing facilities. They can talk to their family," DGM, BSNL, Rakesh Chaudhary told PTI.

The exchange has been set up 200 metres away from the Silkyara tunnel, Chaudhary said. (PTI)

(Express Photos by Chitral Khambhati)

The fourteenth day of the rescue operation to save 41 construction workers trapped in the under-construction Silkyara-Barkot tunnel witnessed what rescuers believe is a significant setback, when the auger joint of the drilling machine broke inside the rescue pipes and blocked the passage.

The plan so far has been to drill through the roughly 60 metres of debris using a large machine with an auger (a spiral-shaped tool used to drill holes), insert pipes that are welded together in the space that’s created, and get the men out through those.

Now, according to officials, they need to manually cut the auger blades and clear the pipes, which could take a while. (Avaneesh Mishra writes...)

BSNL's DGM today said that they are all set to send a telephone into the Silkyara tunnel which would enable the trapped workers to speak to the administration and their families. 

"We are all set to send this device (telephone) into the tunnel through the pipe, enabling workers to make and receive calls to both the administration and their families," said Rakesh Choudhary, DGM, BSNL.

VIDEO | Uttarkashi tunnel rescue UPDATE: "We are all set to send this device (telephone) into the tunnel through the pipe, enabling workers to make and receive calls to both the administration and their families," says Rakesh Choudhary, DGM, BSNL.

(Full video available on PTI… pic.twitter.com/OScPCfYccq

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 25, 2023

Stating that the operation to rescue 41 workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi "will take time", the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Saturday said the focus was now on vertical drilling. According to NDMA, 86 meters of vertical drilling was needed to reach the tunnel's crust. Meanwhile, a 47-meter drilling has been done so far and efforts are on to retrieve the broken part of the auger machine, it added.

NDMA member Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain has said that a manual approach of excavation is being undertaken as the drilling was put on hold after the auger machine experienced multiple obstacles.

Addressing media on the latest hurdle in the operation to rescue 41 workers trapped in the Uttarkashi tunnel, NDMA member Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain said a manual approach of excavation is being undertaken as the drilling was put on hold after the auger machine experienced multiple obstacles.

VIDEO | Uttarkashi tunnel rescue UPDATE: "Since yesterday, several obstacles have come in the way of auger machine, so there has been no progress and it has been put on halt. Now the manual approach of excavation is being taken," says Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain, NDMA member… pic.twitter.com/l77bTal35N

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 25, 2023

Even as efforts continued to rescue 41 construction workers trapped inside a collapsed tunnel in far-off Uttarakhand, family members of five of the labourers hailing from Bihar watched the unfolding of events with bated breath.

According to the state disaster management department, the construction workers from Bihar stranded in the Himalayan state were identified as Saba Ahmed, Sonu Sah, Virendra Kisku, Sushil Kumar and Deepak Kumar.

Deepak Kumar's mother Usha Devi told reporters at her home in Muzaffarpur district, "I feel numb with the trauma we have been going through ever since we first got the news. For close to two weeks, we have been hearing my child will be rescued today. That today never comes." Notably, a portion of the under-construction tunnel in Uttarkashi district, part of the Narendra Modi government's ambitious 'Char Dham' project, caved in a fortnight ago.

Usha Devi's torment is shared by Misbah Ahmed, a resident of Bhojpur district, who anxiously stares at his mobile phone screen to get updates on the rescue operation on which hinges the well-being of his only son Saba. "We were crestfallen when we first got the news from another family member working on the same project who was lucky not to be in the affected portion of the tunnel," said Misbah. (PTI)

Addressing a press conference outside the Silkyara tunnel, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said: "Everyone is working, from the Central government to the state government and all the agencies. Everyone is putting in their full efforts. PM Modi is concerned about the situation and the condition of the workers. We are expecting and hoping that the operation is completed as soon as possible..."

Speaking on the development in the rescue operation, Dhami said the auger machine's blades were stuck inside the rubble and that a plasma cutter was needed to remove it.

The fourteenth day of the rescue operation to save 41 construction workers trapped in the under-construction Silkyara-Barkot tunnel witnessed what rescuers believe is a significant setback, when the auger joint of the drilling machine broke inside the rescue pipes and blocked the passage.

The plan so far has been to drill through the roughly 60 metres of debris using a large machine with an auger (a spiral-shaped tool used to drill holes), insert pipes that are welded together in the space that’s created, and get the men out through those.

Read the full on-ground report

"No one has been hurt, everyone is well. At the moment everything is fine. You will not see the augering anymore, auger (machine) is finished, is broken. It is irrepairable, no more work from auger," says micro tunneling expert Arnold Dix on #UttarakhandTunnelRescue. pic.twitter.com/WtDkTAavie

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 25, 2023

"The drilling, augering has stopped. It's too much for the auger (machine), it is not going to do anything more. We are looking at multiple options, but with each option we are considering how do we make sure that 41 men come home safe and we don't hurt anyone. The mountain has again resisted the auger, so we are rethinking our approach. I am confident that the 41 men are coming home by Christmas," International tunneling expert Arnold Dix says.

VIDEO | "The drilling, augering has stopped. It's too much for the auger (machine), it is not going to do anything more. We are looking at multiple options, but with each option we are considering how do we make sure that 41 men come home safe and we don't hurt anyone. The… pic.twitter.com/tFvg0hCemb

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 25, 2023

"The is taking detailed information every day about the well-being of the workers and the ongoing relief and rescue operations in Silkyara tunnel. Central agencies, state administration and teams of international experts are working together and soon we will be successful in safely evacuating our brothers," says Uttarakhand CM PS Dhami on ongoing rescue efforts.

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???????? ?????????, ?????? ??????? ???…

— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) November 25, 2023

The workers are in a built-up two-kilometre stretch of the tunnel. The trapped workers are being sent food, medicines and other essentials through the six-inch wide pipe.A communication system has been set up, using the pipe, and the workers' relatives have spoken to them. An endoscopic camera was also pushed through this pipe, allowing rescue workers to see the condition inside

Auger reassembly completed and all augers were reinserted by 2.30 pm Friday.

Pushing for 10th Pipe started at 4.25 pm and a length of 2.2 m was inserted up to 5.15 pm.

After a new obstruction was observed, pushing of pipes had to be stopped.

Pulling back of auger started. After pulling back of 15m length of Auger, the joint got broken. Manual cutting of auger blades has been started inside the pipe to pull out the Augers. 

Further pushing of pipe can only to be taken up after removal of obstruction.

The last food consignment was sent at 9 pm. It includes 200 rotis, 15 litres of daal, 23 litres of water, and 40 bottles of sabzi.

The option of manual drilling will be considered to cut through the debris that separates rescuers from the 41 trapped workers in the collapsed portion of the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi, officials say.

Drilling at the collapsed portion of the tunnel to rescue the trapped men was halted again on Friday night, in yet another setback to the multi-agency effort.

An official said the auger drilling machine faced a hurdle, apparently a metal object, a little after drilling resumed Friday, a day after officials had put the operation on hold following technical problems.

The Odisha government is sending family members of three of the five Odia workers who were trapped inside the collapsed under-construction tunnel in Uttarakhand for 13 days, an official said on Friday.

The kin of the two other labourers are already in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district where the incident occurred.

Besides, Labour Commissioner N Thirumala Naik said, one more official of the department will travel to the site where two others are camping and providing all updates about the rescue operation to the government.

A total of 41 workers were trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel as the operation to evacuate them continued to get disrupted for one reason or another.

"While family members of two workers are already in Uttarkashi, family members of another three workers will travel there on Saturday morning," Labour Commissioner N Thirumala Naik told PTI. (PTI)

#WATCH | Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) tunnel rescue | Geophysicist, GPR survey team member B Chendhoor says, "We were called because something got stuck in the auger machine. GPR helps us know how far the metallic object is...GPR basically scans, therefore two people are needed one… pic.twitter.com/32HDnQceXa

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2023

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 multi-agency rescue effort began November 12 when a portion of the under-construction tunnel on Uttarakhand's Char Dham route collapsed, trapping workers who were still inside. (PTI)

An under-construction tunnel on the Yamunotri National Highway in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district collapsed at dawn on Sunday, trapping 40 workers inside. While an official report is awaited, Manoj Garnayak, a former project director at L&T and an expert in underground construction, explains how it could have happened — and how it could have been prevented. Read more

Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) Tunnel Rescue | Rescue team faces a technical glitch once again. Auger machine is being brought out once again. Drilling halted. Details awaited.

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2023

Uttarakhand CM PS Dhami takes stock of Silkyara tunnel rescue operation in Uttarkashi and directs the officials that the last phase of the rescue operation should be conducted at a fast pace and with complete caution pic.twitter.com/aCjI8sGkr8

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2023

VIDEO | Uttarkashi tunnel collapse UPDATE: "Overall, the operation is going on very well. We are hopeful that we will be in a much better position tomorrow morning," says Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain, NDMA member on Uttarakhand tunnel rescue operation.… pic.twitter.com/1l0EJB72Ze

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 24, 2023

All post-evacuation arrangements are in place at Silkyara tunnel in Uttrakhand: NDMA

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 24, 2023

NDMA during a press briefing today informed that about 15 metres are still to be covered to reach trapped workers in Silkyara tunnel. NDMA says central agencies, several state governments are involved in rescue operations at Silkyara tunnel and all resources are being used to rescue workers trapped. By any means, we will bring out brave workers trapped in Silkyara tunnel, said NDMA member Lt Gen (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain. Drilling by auger machine is likely to start soon, informed NDMA which comes after a senior official said on Friday morning that a 25-tonne platform supporting the auger machine employed for drilling through the debris in the Silkyara tunnel has undergone repairs.  (PTI)

No progress in movement of pipe through debris in Silkyara tunnel since Thursday: NDMA

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 24, 2023

No progress in movement of pipe through debris in Silkyara tunnel since Thursday: NDMA

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 24, 2023

VIDEO | Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami arrives at Silkyara helipad to visit the tunnel collapse site, where operation to rescue 41 trapped workers is underway. pic.twitter.com/vl51uW4mkn

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 24, 2023

#WATCH | Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) tunnel incident | The brother of a trapped worker, Haridwar Sharma says, "My younger brother, Sushil Sharma, is inside. I had a conversation with him this morning around 8 am... Everyone is fine inside, and there are facilities. I asked him if… pic.twitter.com/Cb1AoXYzK9

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2023

#WATCH | On Silkyara tunnel rescue, Additional Secretary Technical, Road and Transport Mahmood Ahmed says, 'The auger drilling machine has been reassembled. A new pipe will be put in after the welding which process will take two hours. After two hours, we will push the pipe in… pic.twitter.com/grOJKgXkTR

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today, discussing the ongoing rescue operation for the workers trapped in the under-construction Silkyara Tunnel in Uttarkashi. During the conversation, crucial instructions were issued to the Chief Minister, according to the Department of Information and Public Relations of Uttarakhand Government.

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— Uttarakhand DIPR (@DIPR_UK) November 24, 2023

Union Minister General VK Singh has arrived at the Silkyara Tunnel site to supervise the ongoing efforts to rescue 41 trapped workers.

VIDEO | Union minister @Gen_VKSingh reaches #SilkyaraTunnel site to oversee the ongoing operation to rescue 41 workers trapped inside.#UttarakhandTunnelRescue pic.twitter.com/ASFPrLGqad

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 24, 2023

The NDRF on Friday conducted a rehearsal of how it would take its wheeled stretchers through the chute being prepared to rescue the 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel, news agency PTI reported.

An NDRF personnel went through the passage, pushing a wheeled stretcher tied to a rope at the end of the tunnel and was pulled back up after completing the stretch.

A passage has been made using 800 mm diameter steel pipes through the rubble at the tunnel to rescue the workers who have been trapped inside for the past 12 days.

An NDRF personnel who went into the passage was lying on the wheeled stretcher facing downwards.

The NDRF showcases the deployment of wheeled stretchers within the pipeline to facilitate the rescue of 41 workers who are currently trapped inside the Silkyara Tunnel. This process will be initiated once the horizontal pipe reaches the opposite side.

VIDEO | NDRF demonstrates movement of wheeled stretchers through the pipeline, for rescue of 41 workers trapped inside #SilkyaraTunnel once the horizontal pipe reaches the other side. @NDRFHQ #UttarakhandTunnelRescue #UttarakhandTunnelCollapse pic.twitter.com/ubAojLsRXJ

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 24, 2023

Experts in manual cutting and drilling inside the pipe have arrived at the location. Manual work will commence until the machine operation is completed. 

Following the manual removal of the deformed pipe from the entry point in small sections, rescue workers will proceed to introduce augers. Subsequently, two to three additional pipes will be welded and advanced using a jack drill and pushing method.

The entire process is estimated to take approximately 4 to 5 hours, ensuring the completion of the rescue operation by evening, Colonel Deepak Patil, the rescue operation in-charge, said. He further said that each pipe welding phase requires approximately 1.5 to 2 hours.

? 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 boring through the rubble with an auger is likely to resume by 11.30 am and the operation might successfully be completed by the evening if everything goes well.

? Citing the data scanned by a ground penetrating radar, he said that there is no metallic obstruction up to five metres beyond the 46-metre point through the rubble, news agency PTI reported.

? The drilling machine's platform has been revamped and strengthened by shotcreting through the night, Khulbe told reporters at Silkyara.

Haridwar Sharma, brother of Sushil Sharma - one of the 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel, reassured that the trapped workers are in good health.

"They are in good health. I talked to my brother, he said there is no problem. Breakfast was being provided now. Doctors have been talking to them also," he said.

VIDEO | "They are in good health. I talked to my brother, he said there is no problem. Breakfast was being provided now. Doctors have been talking to them also," says Haridwar Sharma, brother of Sushil Sharma - one of the 41 workers trapped inside the #SilkyaraTunnel, Uttarkashi,… pic.twitter.com/8g4YcUORn6

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 24, 2023

A day after the drilling work was halted following a technical snag in the Auger drilling machine on Thursday, former advisor to PMO, Bhaskar Khulbe said, "We hope that we will start the drilling by 11-11:30 am. Ground penetration radar study has shown that there is no metallic obstruction in the next 5 metres." 

#WATCH | Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) tunnel rescue | Former advisor to PMO, Bhaskar Khulbe says, "We hope that we will start the drilling by 11-11:30 am. Ground penetration radar study has shown that there is no metallic obstruction in the next 5 metres," pic.twitter.com/pKVUq5k2QU

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2023

#WATCH | On Silkyara tunnel rescue operation, International Tunneling Expert, Arnold Dix says, "We are only just metres away from finding passage to have the men back. But the men are safe. The auger machine has broken down, it is being repaired and it should be back up tomorrow.… pic.twitter.com/dtX8JtdU61

— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2023

Uttarkashi tunnel rescue | Drilling work halted after technical snag in the Auger drilling machine. Till now, rescuers have drilled up to 46.8 meters in the Silkyara tunnel

(Visual from earlier today) pic.twitter.com/6wGEZHe4HS

— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2023

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International expert Arnold Dix on Thursday evening said the auger machine drilling through the rubble of the collapsed Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand is experiencing “some difficulties” again.

The remark came just hours after drilling to evacuate 41 trapped workers resumed, following a six-hour setback Wednesday night as the American machine encountered an iron girdle.

It was cut by experts, working in a confined environment, before drilling resumed Thursday.

Earlier, drilling was put on hold from Friday afternoon to Tuesday night when the machine encountered a hurdle.

“Right now the auger machine is experiencing some difficulties, for the third time,” Dix to PTI. “We have seen this happen before,” he reminded. (PTI)

As the rescue operation to free 41 workers trapped inside the under-construction Silkyara-Barkot tunnel reaches its last leg, rescuers are navigating through some last-minute hurdles.

On Thursday, officials involved in the rescue operation confirmed that a day earlier, an auger machine that has been drilling through the debris hit a mesh of lattice girders, which broke some parts of the machine.

#WATCH | Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) tunnel rescue operation | International Tunneling Expert, Arnold Dix says, "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… pic.twitter.com/wSHvTXYI8C

— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2023

#WATCH | Delhi: Silkyara tunnel rescue operation | Member of the National Disaster Management Authority, Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain says, "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… pic.twitter.com/rGbq74Kf7q

— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2023

National Disaster Management Authority on Thursday said there could be a "success" in bringing out 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand in the next few hours or by Friday.

Briefing media about the ongoing rescue operations, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) member Lt Gen (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain, also added that it would not be fair to speculate on the timeline for rescue operations as it is just like fighting a war.

He also said that rescue work had stopped and is likely to start again shortly.

The NDMA member also said that the horizontal drilling to rescue workers may face 3-4 more hurdles. (PTI)

Uttarakhand | In view of the Silkyara tunnel rescue operation, a temporary Chief Minister Camp office has been set up in Matali, Uttarkashi. Today morning, CM Dhami took stock of the tunnel rescue operation and also consulted with the experts present here. https://t.co/K397CIwHQN

— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2023

A total of 41 ambulances have been arranged at the spot of Uttarkashi's Silkyara tunnel where 41 workers remain trapped, an official said on Thursday.

Mukesh Nautiyal, the Project Manager of Operation 108 Ambulance initiative said that out of 41 ambulances, 31 ambulances are of '108' while the other 10 have been provided by the administration.

"There are 41 ambulances where 31 ambulances are of '108' while the other 10 have been provided by the administration. Out of 31, 7 are ALS, while others are BLS. ALS stands for Advanced Life Support, and BLS is Basic Life Support. 27 ambulances are here, and there are 5 ambulances near the tunnel. All the ambulances are well equipped, it's like a mini emergency," Nautiyal told ANI.

In this regard, Narendra Badoni, District Program Officer of 108 Ambulance said that all the ambulances will be numbered and serious patients will be shifted to 'Advanced Life Support' ambulance. (ANI)

#WATCH | Union minister Gen. VK Singh (Retd) along with a few senior officials enter Uttarkashi's Silkyara tunnel where the operation to rescue trapped workers has intensified pic.twitter.com/jHmaOeJGnc

— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2023

Once the rescue pipe breaks through the debris at the Silkyara tunnel, NDRF personnel plan to pull out the trapped workers one by one with the help of wheeled stretchers tied to ropes, a senior official said on Thursday.

Rescue operations to evacuate 41 workers trapped in the tunnel resumed on Thursday morning after an iron mesh that had come in the path of the auger machine drilling an escape path was removed.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Director General Atul Karwal, who was present at the site, said the force is fully ready for the evacuation.

The men have been trapped for 11 days after a portion of the under-construction tunnel on the Uttarakhand Char Dham route collapsed, cutting off its exit.

The NDRF men will go in through the pipe and once they reach the workers, they will use their equipment to start sending them out of the tunnel one by one, Karwal said. (PTI)

#WATCH | Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami had a conversation with Gabbar Singh Negi and Saba Ahmed, the workers trapped in the tunnel under construction in Silkyara, Uttarkashi, to inquire about their well-being and also informed them about the rescue operation going on at a… pic.twitter.com/uBqGQMppVV

— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2023

VIDEO | Uttarkarshi tunnel collapse UPDATE: Preparations underway at AIIMS Rishikesh, where beds have been reserved for the workers, who are stuck inside the Silkyara tunnel. pic.twitter.com/l031XdhhEl

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 23, 2023

#WATCH | Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) tunnel rescue | Former advisor to PMO, Bhaskar Khulbe says "...We have reached 45 metres. The hurdle that caused an issue last night, has already been removed. It takes 4 hours to push a 6-metre pipe, so to reach 18 metres, it will take us around… pic.twitter.com/7zwpPxd88B

— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2023

"The rescue operation is underway in full swing, but could not be completed yesterday because of a small hurdle. After drilling 45 metres, we faced a hurdle in the form of a girdle, which damaged a spare part of the auger machine," says Uttarakhand Secretary Neeraj Khairwal.

VIDEO | "Our team didn't concede despite the hurdle and managed to remove the entire rubble, and the assembly line of the auger machine was reestablished," says Uttarakhand Secretary Neeraj Khairwal. pic.twitter.com/YsrkSN5W3L

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 23, 2023

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami reached Silkyara Tunnel (Uttarakashi) and offered prayers at a temple that has been built at the main entrance of the tunnel where rescue operations to bring out the trapped workers are underway.

The rescue of 41 construction workers from a collapsed highway tunnel in northern India could happen later Thursday after nearly two weeks of digging and delays.The drilling of the final stretch resumed following a six-hour delay after blades on the drilling machine were damaged by a metal object in the debris.

"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..." The workers are trapped in a 2 km-built portion, which is complete including concrete work that provides safety to the workers. 

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi called today and took information about the ongoing rescue operation to safely rescue the workers trapped in the tunnel under construction in Silkyara, Uttarkashi," says Uttarakhand CM Pushkar SIngh Dhami about his telephonic conversation with the PM about the on-ground relief operation situation.

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?? ????? ?????? ???????????? ?? ?? ???????? ?????????, ?????????????? ?????????? ??? ?????? ???????…

— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) November 23, 2023

#WATCH | Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) tunnel rescue | Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami reaches the Silkyara tunnel site where a rescue operation is underway to bring out 41 workers trapped inside. pic.twitter.com/lGFuTQxPy3

— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2023

An iron mesh which came in the way of the auger machine drilling through the rubble at Silkyara tunnel to create an escape passage for the trapped workers has been removed, officials said on Thursday. Former advisor to the prime minister's office Bhaskar Khulbe said it would take 12 to 14 hours more to complete the drilling and reach the trapped workers.

VIDEO | Uttarakhand CM @pushkardhami leaves from ITBP camp in Matli for Silkyara tunnel site. The efforts to rescue 41 workers trapped inside the collapsed tunnel are in the final stage, officials said earlier. pic.twitter.com/3k9fXGDcb0

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 23, 2023

'The obstruction was a lattice girder that was at the mouth of the pipe that we had thrusted till 45 metres. That obstruction has been successfully removed. The entire work is now focussing on the reassembling of the pipe for a fresh push of 6 metres, which takes, including the assembly, welding, and pushing roughly around 4 hours,' Khulbe. 

He said that it was at the mouth of the pipe that the lattice girder had come, and the auger had been repaired to the extent it could be, and that they have taken corrective measures to improve the movement of the auger inside.