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Big pipe being pushed into tunnel to provide solid food to workers: Gadkari
Union minister Nitin Gadkari said the 41 trapped workers would be rescued in the next two to three days, if the auger machine deployed in the tunnel works properly
Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said the rescue teams were inserting an additional big size pipe through the debris to provide the 41 workers trapped in the collapsed under-construction tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi with solid food items like ‘roti’, ‘sabji’ and ‘rice’. It is already 42 metres inside, he said.
While addressing a press conference at the tunnel site, the minister said there was constant communication with the trapped workers, and they were safe inside. “Their morale is high. An additional pipe, which is big in size, is being put in to provide them staple food ‘roti’, ‘sabji’ and ‘rice’. It is already 42 metres inside,” he said.
Gadkari said an in-depth analysis of satellite imagery of the terrain, including imagery of structures beneath the terrain, was being carried out and the use of robotics was also being considered for helping in rescue operation.
“Our priority is to save the lives of the trapped workers. We have been exploring all options……..if the auger machine drilling works properly, we can rescue the trapped workers in the next two to three days,” the minister added.
“When the auger machine was working. Some hard material came in its way and stopped the machine from working. When the machine was exerting further pressure to push further, it increased the vibrations. They (experts) have found a solution to the problem,” Gadkari said, adding that he believed the auger machine has a high chance of making a passage in the less possible time to take out the trapped men.
He said there was constant communication with the trapped workers and they were safe inside. “Their morale is high. An additional pipe, which is big in size, is being put in to provide them with staple food- ‘roti’, ‘sabji’ and ‘rice’. It is already 42 metres inside,” he added.
The minister said, “The drilling (vertical) will be done at the lowest point (86 metres) in the hill so that the process can be completed in minimum time. The machine will drill for 40 metres, then the second machine will be put in use.”
On a question about no escape route in the Silkyara tunnel, Gadkari said, “In India and across the world, escape tunnels have hardly come to use….this incident has happened all of a sudden. At the technical level, all things will be looked into. It will take some time to find out reasons for the collapse of the portion of the tunnel.”
“Rescue teams have been facing challenges due to the nature of rocks in the Himalayan region. We have been working on six different options. The responsibility for the rescue operation has been given to different agencies from the central government. PMO (prime minister’s office) and senior officials of the state government have been monitoring the situation. Every available technology is being put into use,” he said.
The drilling into the debris block using the high-power US-made auger machine has not been able to make any progress since 9am on Friday and remained stalled at 22 metres.
The machine was pressed into service on Thursday at around 10.30am after the previous machine was rendered useless and got damaged after a boulder came its way. It was able to make progress of 3 metres in half an hour of its operation, 9 metres in the first six hours, 12 metres in nine hours, and 21 metres in 20 hours.
An additional machine, of the same capacity and specifications, was called in from Indore but that too couldn’t be used due to a “strong possibility of further collapse”.
Gadkari took a meeting of officers from multiple agencies involved in the rescue operation and discussed the possible ways to take out the trapped men. The minister also met the kin of the trapped construction workers and assured them of the immediate rescue of their loved ones.
