Bhaskar Khulbe, a former advisor to the Prime Minister’s Office on Friday said that the rescue operation to free the 41 trapped laborers in the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi will recommence shortly.
An under-construction tunnel collapsed on November 12 in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi leaving 41 workers trapped. Falling debris blocked the tunnel from Silkyara to Barkot end over a 60-meter stretch on the Silkyara side.
After the installation of 44 meters of pipe inside the tunnel via horizontal drilling, there were expectations of some good news by Friday. However, the rescue operation faced another setback after the auger drilling machine stopped working again on Thursday night.
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami will remain at the site throughout the night to monitor the rescue operation. The drilling work is likely to begin at 9:00 am on Friday.
A total of 41 ambulances are stationed at the Silkyara tunnel site, with 31 from ‘108’ and 10 provided by the administration, PTI quoted Mukesh Nautiyal, the project manager of the Operation 108 Ambulance initiative as saying. (Live Mint)