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Uttarakhand tunnel collapse Highlights: Drilling at tunnel to evacuate workers halted again
Uttarakhand tunnel collapse Highlights: The rescue operation has been ongoing for the past 10 days. Today is expected to be its last day.
Uttarakhand tunnel collapse Highlights: After more than a week's endeavour to reach the 41 workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand, the rescue and relief operation has entered its last stage after rescuers managed to place broad pipes up to a depth of 45 metres through the debris via horizontal drilling. Further drilling is underway....Read More
On Wednesday night, a senior official expressed his confidence that rescuers would reach workers and complete the operation today.
The team found steel rods embedded in the debris which caused some hindrance in the drilling process, however, the officials said they managed to remove all the pieces of steel and carry out the final process to insert the last bit of pipeline through the rubble.
Earlier on Wednesday, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel entered the tunnel, an official statement issued by Uttarakhand Chief Minister's Office said.
An ambulance is also deployed inside the tunnel and a team of doctors is also put on stand-by for health check-ups of the workers, it said.
Meanwhile, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will undertake a safety audit of all 29 under-construction tunnels across the country to ensure safety and adherence to the highest quality standards, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said on Wednesday.
Uttarakhand tunnel collapse Live: After Uttarkashi mishap, NHAI to conduct safety audits of all under-construction tunnels in country
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will undertake a safety audit of all 29 under-construction tunnels across the country to ensure safety and adherence to the highest quality standards, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said on Wednesday.
“NHAI officials along with a team of experts from Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) as well as other tunnel experts will inspect the ongoing tunnel projects and will submit a report within seven days,” the ministry said. Read more
Uttarakhand tunnel collapse Live: 15-member NDRF team tasked to take out workers
A 15-member team of NDRF personnel has been tasked to carry out the last stage of the evacuation process. They will take the men, trapped for 10 days, one by one through the wide pipes which will be finished inserting today.
Uttarakhand tunnel collapse Live: Pieces of steel embedded in debris were cut, drilling continues
One of the members of the rescue operation team said the pieces of steel that came on the way of drilling have now been cut and removed. Personnel are further boring through the debris to reach the workers.
"Rescue operation is almost in the last stage, I hope the result will come in 1-2 hours...pipeline is being inserted to take out the workers...the steel pieces that were stuck in the debris were cut and removed," the rescuer said.
Uttarakhand tunnel collapse Live: Ambulance, team doctors on standby
A team of doctors are kept on standby at the site for carrying out preliminary health check-ups of the workers as soon as they are evacuated from the tunnel. An ambulance has also been deployed inside the tunnel, including 30 others at the spot to cater to emergency services if needed.
Uttarakhand tunnel collapse Live: Jharkhand govt to airlift worker from its state
The Jharkhand government earlier announced to airlift workers belonging to the state who were among the 41 people trapped in the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand after their rescue. A total of 15 workers from Jharkhand were trapped in the tunnel.
