Rescuers take cautious approach at Silkyara

Rescuers take cautious approach at Silkyara
Shishir Prashant
PrashantNews
The intense efforts to end the ordeal of the 41 trapped workers were continuing with a cautious approach on Thursday at Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand.
After the auger drilling machine hit a steel girder/bar due to which the operation was halted last evening, the rescuers said they were taking a cautious approach to avoid any technical obstacle which might come in the way. “The tunnel operation is just like a war and the Himalayan geology is the enemy”, said Sayed Atta Hasnain, member of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in a press briefing on the Silkyara operation.
Last night, the rescuers managed to cut and clear the girder and other steel pieces which had come in the way of the rescue opeation. The rescuers on Thursday again expressed optimism that the workers would be evacuated in the next few hours. A team of experts from New Delhi also arrived in Uttarkashi to provide logistic help in the rescue operation.
Union Minister of state for Transport and Highways Gen (retd) V K Singh and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami flew to Uttarkashi to see the operation. The Chief Minister Dhami also said there were some hurdles in the rescue operation but expressed optimism that the workers will be rescued shortly. Dhami also visited the site and talked to the trapped workers.
As the rescue operation was being accelerated, the rescuers continued to drill more deep into the tunnel from Silkyara side with the help of the top-of-the-line auger machine. By last evening, the drilling in the tunnel has already reached 47 meter deep. Now only, 10-12 odd meter of more drilling in the debris is left, said the official.
After the video of well-being of the 41 trapped workers brought cheers for their family members on Tuesday, the rescuers sent food items like khichari, rice, dal and roti for the trapped workers inside the tunnel. Earlier, the rescuers had inserted an endoscopic camera through the life support pipe to see the well-being of all the 41 workers who are trapped inside the collapsed Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand.
The workers, who are trapped since November 12, were seen standing inside the tunnel in good condition. A couple of these workers were also seen even expressing happiness. The photograph of Saba, a worker, who was peeping through the pipe, also went viral. This acclaimed picture was captured by the endoscopic camera.
The trapped workers started getting more food through the bigger 6 inch pipe which was inserted on Monday. Rescuers said food and other essential items are being sent for workers regularly. Ends