Fresh debris and muck falling from the roof Silkyara-Barkot tunnel continued to hamper rescue work as authorities faced challenges to reach the 40 trapped labourers since Sunday morning.
On Wednesday early morning, the rescuers involved in the operation started removing the fresh debris using the JCB machines to again set the auger machine on a platform to push the large diameter pipes through the debris.
On Tuesday evening, the rescuers had started the drilling using the auger machine and were able to successfully drill through the debris for 2 metres but a boulder came in the way of the machine.
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“The machine is facing a technical problem now, we have now asked for a new machine, said Devendra Patwal, Uttarkashi Disaster Disaster Management Officer (DDMO).
He said, “On Tuesday evening, the fresh debris fell where the auger machine had been placed to drill holes in the piled up debris to set in the large diameter pipes. Then, again, when the rescuers started drilling through the auger machine a boulder in the debris blocked its way. The teams have been facing many technical challenges in Plan B too [The new plan was to push through 900-mm diameter sections of mild steel pipes -- one after the other -- into the rubble using drilling equipment and create an escape passage for the workers, who officials say are safe and being provided with oxygen, water, food packets and medicines through tubes].”
For the first two days, the rescuers removed the piled debris in nearly 55 metre stretch of the tunnel using heavy excavator machines and prevent more debris from falling using the “shotcrete method,” but faced the same challenge of fresh debris falling from the roof of the collapsed portion. After they faced hurdles in Plan A, they switched to Plan B (to create escape passage using auger machine and fitting in large diameter pipes). Earlier on Tuesday, the teams brought huge steel pipes to the site, which engineers hoped to drill through the debris for the workers to come out safely.
{{/usCountry}}For the first two days, the rescuers removed the piled debris in nearly 55 metre stretch of the tunnel using heavy excavator machines and prevent more debris from falling using the “shotcrete method,” but faced the same challenge of fresh debris falling from the roof of the collapsed portion. After they faced hurdles in Plan A, they switched to Plan B (to create escape passage using auger machine and fitting in large diameter pipes). Earlier on Tuesday, the teams brought huge steel pipes to the site, which engineers hoped to drill through the debris for the workers to come out safely.
{{/usCountry}}“The auger machine (spiral shaped) will penetrate through the debris and simultaneously carry it backward to the entry pit,” Vijay Dangwal, a geologist from Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, told HT on Tuesday.
Uttarakhand disaster management secretary Ranjit Sinha on Tuesday said, “Once it begins, the process to insert the pipes through the debris could take approximately 24 to 30 hours. The rib of the tunnel that collapsed could come in the way of auger machine. We have also begun the process of removing the rib.”
The fresh falling of debris also injured two workers involved in the rescue operation on Tuesday.
The injured workers were rushed to the makeshift health facility established on the accident site to attend to the trapped workers.
It’s been over 72 hours since the construction workers were trapped inside the tunnel after a portion of it fell at around 5:30am on Sunday.
Some labourers also complained of vomiting and headaches with officials saying that they are being provided with medicines through a pipe.
A part of the tunnel being built between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri National Highway — part of the Char Dham all-weather road project — caved in around 5:30am on Sunday following a landslide, trapping 40 workers from various parts of the country.
The collapsed section is 270 metres from the mouth of the tunnel from the Silkyara side, officials said.