Life support pipe inserted for workers inside Silkyara tunnel
Shishir Prashant
PrashantNews
As the Silkyara tunnel crisis in Uttarakhand continued on Monday, rescuers said the work on the multi-drilling strategy was in full swing in order to evacuate 41 trapped workers and that a life support pipe has also been inserted to send food and other essential items.
The central agencies working on the rescue plans had chalked out a strategy to drill the tunnel from all the five sides so as to make safe passage for the trapped labourers. Since then, the rescuers have pressed JCB machines and other heavy equipments to make platforms and roads for the drilling process. In the meanwhile, the centre has also roped in top companies like ONGC, SJVN, RVNL and THDCIL having expertise in the underground works in the rescue operation.
In a significant development, the rescuers on Monday successfully inserted a 6-inch life support pipe through which food and other essential items are being sent for workers. The food would be in form of cereal on the recommendations of doctors. Workers would also be provided with chargers and mobiles. After the pipe was inserted, officials said the workers are now feeling happy. “We can feel that workers are happy now,” said Anshu Manish Khalko, Director NHIDCL, the implementing agency of the tunnel. Earlier, a four inch pipe line was being used for supplying oxygen, light food, medicines and water for workers.
Union Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari visited Silkyara on Sunday and said the government would utilize all its resources for the early evacuation of the trapped workers.
In the early morning of November 12, a portion of the Silkyara tunnel had collapsed that trapped 41 workers inside. There were no escape passages in the tunnel when the mishap occurred.
Till Friday, only 22 meter drilling work to push four MS steel pipes had been completed. The drilling process was halted on Friday when the fifth MS pipe was being inserted due to some technical problem when confronted with a hard rock.
After the tunnel collapse, 60-meter long debris piled up inside the 4.531 km long tunnel which blocked it completely trapping the 41 workers inside on November 12. The tunnel is being built with a cost of Rs 1383.78 crore under the Rs 12000 crore Chardham pariyojana.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talk with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to enquire about the progress of the evacuation operation at Silkyara. Ends