Uttarkashi tunnel collapse | Doing everything possible to rescue trapped workers: Gadkari

Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday (November 19) visited the Uttarakhand tunnel collapse site with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and conducted an on-site inspection of the ongoing relief and rescue work as efforts were still underway to rescue 41 workers trapped in Uttarakhand’s Silkyara tunnel, a part of which collapsed a week ago.

The minister for road transport and highways said, “Whatever is required to save the 41 trapped workers will be done and keeping the morale of workers and their family members high should be everyone's collective responsibility.” He said the rescue operation is challenging as the soil strata in the Himalayan region is not uniform. It is soft at some places and hard at other places which makes any mechanical operation difficult, he said.

“We are working on six options simultaneously. The PMO is also closely monitoring the operation. Our biggest priority is to save all those who are trapped and as soon as possible. Whatever is needed will be done,” he said.

Experts from different fields have been pooled in and asked to suggest whatever methods can be applied to ensure the safe and early evacuation of the trapped workers, Gadkari said. Preparations are on to start vertical drilling through the hill above the tunnel, he said, adding every possible method is being tried for their speedy evacuation.

Dry fruits for trapped workers

As the rescue mission to evacuate 41 workers trapped in the debris of the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi enters its eighth day on Sunday, the government is sending multi-vitamins, anti-depressants and dry fruits to the trapped workers, road, transport and highways secretary Anurag Jain said.

“Fortunately, there is light inside because the electricity is on. There is a pipeline, and thus water is available. There is a 4-inch pipe, which was used for compression. Through that, we are sending food from day 1,” he said.

Jain, in a video brief update on the Uttarkashi tunnel collapse rescue operation, further said there is water and electricity in two km portion inside the tunnel, which is the finished part of the 4.531-kilometre two lane bi-directional tunnel at Silkyara in Uttarkashi.

New rescue plans

Meanwhile, as the rescue mission enters its eighth day to the dismay of relatives of the workers, the administration is mulling newer ways to reach out to them.

Reports said, officials plan to conduct vertical and perpendicular drilling of the tunnel if rescuers are unable to drill it horizontally. Larger diameter pipes have also been inserted up to a length of 42 metres through the debris this morning to provide enough food and other essentials to the trapped workers, said a control room set up at the site.

Besides, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is expected to complete building a new road leading up to the tunnel by Sunday afternoon. This would resume the rescue mission which was stalled on Friday after workers hit an obstacle while drilling the tunnel.

Five different exit plans

“The experts were one in their view that rather than working on just one plan we should work at the same time on five plans to reach the trapped workers as early as possible,” said Bhaskar Khulbe, OSD in Uttarakhand government, at a press conference.

These plans include drilling from one end to the other on both Silkyara and Barkot sides, vertical drilling from the top of the tunnel and perpendicular drilling.

Efforts to build a platform to start vertical drilling through the top of the tunnel have begun already, he said. “We are trying to make a vertical track from the top of the tunnel. A point at the top of the tunnel has been identified from where drilling will start soon.”

Centre holds high-level meeting

The Union government also held a high-level meeting on Saturday where the five options to rescue the workers were discussed with different agencies assigned with specific alternatives to work on, sources said.

NHIDCL MD Mahmood Ahmed has been made in-charge for coordination with all the central agencies and has been stationed in Silkyara, sources said. The ONGC, RVNL, Satluj Jal Vikas Nigam Ltd, the BRO and the state PWD besides the NHIDCL will be the agencies carrying out different responsibilities to establish early access to the trapped workers, he said.

Agonising wait for families

Notwithstanding government assurances, it was an agonising wait for the families keeping vigil outside, despairing as the hours and days rolled on inexorably. Their voices are getting weaker, their strength seemingly dimming, family members said after speaking to some of the workers.

Rescue operations stalled around 2.45 pm on Friday. During the positioning of a fifth pipe, a big cracking sound was heard in the tunnel upon which rescue operation was suspended immediately, a statement from the NHIDCL tasked with the construction of the tunnel said in a statement on Friday night.

(With inputs from agencies)