Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: BIG NEWS underway as rescuers enter collapsed tunnel, 41-bed hospital ready

The distance between the rescue team and the workers is approximately 12 meters, as this section is filled with stones and rubble.

Rescue and relief operations are underway after a section of a tunnel under construction between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri National Highway in Uttarkashi district collapsed. (PTI photo)

Uttarakhand Tunnel Collapse: There is good news from the under-construction Silkyara Tunnel in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, in which 41 workers have been stuck since November 11. According to the latest reports received on Wednesday evening, the distance between the rescue team and the workers is only about 12 meters as this section is filled with stones and debris. Rescue officials who rushed to save them said “big news” was expected around midnight after the US drill drilled another six meters into the hillside.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel have entered the tunnel and ambulances are on standby to take them to a 41-bed makeshift hospital in Chinyalisour.

“I am pleased to announce that we have progressed another six meters. It is expected that in the next two hours as we prepare for the next phase, we may (finish) the remaining work,” said Bhaskar Khulbe, Special Officer-in-Charge, Uttarakhand Tourism Department, while addressing the media speech.

Earlier on Wednesday, Mahmood Ahmed, a senior official in the Uttarakhand Road and Transport Department, said the drill (or earth boring machine) that was switched on at 12.45 pm had drilled 18 meters so far.

“I am very pleased to announce that 39 meters of drilling has been completed. Estimates indicate that workers are trapped 57 meters underground, so there is only 18 meters left,” said Mahmood Ahmed, adding that the most time-consuming process in a rescue attempt, now in its eleventh day, is welding pipes is that need to be pushed. in the drilled holes to provide an escape route for the workers.

“Welding is the most important thing. This takes time. It doesn’t take much time to drill. Due to this, it has taken almost 15 hours from late night to dispatch 18 meters of pipeline i.e. three sections,” he added.

“An additional 800mm pipe has also been pushed 21 meters into the tunnel. If there are no obstacles, big news could come tonight or tomorrow morning. An iron bar was also found with the rubble. We are happy that this (rod) has not caused any problems for us.”

“This is very happy news for us, that we are making progress at a rapid pace,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Tuesday issued an advisory to the television channels not to sensationalize the ongoing rescue operation in Silkyara, Uttarakhand and not to post live messages/videos from the vicinity of the tunnel location where the rescue operations are taking place. are underway and ensuring that the human life-saving activities of the various agencies are not disrupted or disrupted in any way by the presence of cameramen, reporters or equipment near or around the operation site.