Uttarkashi Tunnel Rescue Faces Delays as Drill Stalls; Manual Drilling to Resume in last 6-9 Meters
National Disaster Management Authority Assures Continued Efforts as Challenges Persist in Uttarakhand Rescue Mission
Uttarkashi Tunnel Rescue Latest News: In a challenging rescue operation that has entered its 14th day, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) announced on Saturday that progress in drilling efforts to rescue 41 workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand has been halted since Friday night. The NDMA, however, assured the public that the restart of auger machine is imminent to overcome obstacles encountered during the drilling process.
Despite the temporary suspension of drilling on Friday due to technical challenges, the NDMA remains committed to restarting the operation soon, utilizing advanced technology. Lt. General (retired) Syed Ata Hasnain, a member of the NDMA, stated that all means are being employed to ensure the safe rescue of the trapped workers. Approximately 15 meters of drilling remains before reaching the trapped individuals.
Syed Ata Hasnain explained that the use of an auger machine, capable of drilling 4-5 meters per hour, is in the pipeline, provided there are no further impediments. He cautioned against speculating on the timeframe for completing the rescue operation, emphasizing the complexity and challenges of the ongoing mission.
"All workers are safe," reassured Hasnain, mentioning that their relatives, including Union Minister V.K. Singh and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, have been in contact. The rescue efforts involve various central agencies and state governments actively participating in the operation.
As per the news sources, the manual drilling process is anticipated to resume in the last 6-9 meters after extracting the auger machine from the tunnel pipeline. A senior official involved in the rescue operation expressed optimism about potential positive outcomes from the new drilling approach, although refraining from providing a specific timeframe.
Mukesh Nautiyal, the project manager of the Operation 108 Ambulance initiative, informed that a total of 41 ambulances, including 31 from '108' and 10 provided by the administration, are stationed at the Silkyara tunnel site, ready to assist as soon as the rescue operation reaches its successful conclusion.
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