On the 17th day of the rescue operation, all the 41 trapped workers have been safely evacuated from the Silkyara tunnel. As per media reports, the workers were rescued from the tunnel, authorities at the spot said. Initially, there were reports that workers had started coming out of the tunnel, but it was later revealed that during mock drill, there had been a minor bend in some pipe which somewhat delayed their exit from the tunnel.
Moments before the successful evacuation, a team of health experts went inside the tunnel to check on the vital health parameters of the rescued workers. Additionally, Union Minister General VK Singh (Retd), former advisor of PMO Bhaskar Khulbe, and former Engineer-In-Chief and BRO DG Lieutenant General Harpal Singh (Retd) had also entered inside the tunnel to keep the morale of the trapped workers high and ensure that the rescue operation is in final leg. They had also brought 41 garlands to greet the rescued workers.
Earlier, the Uttarakhand Chief Minister delivered the much-awaited great news that all the 41 trapped workers would soon be safely evacuated. He noted that the work of laying pipes inside the tunnel to rescue workers has been completed and they could be evacuated anytime soon.
He tweeted, “As a result of the immense grace of Baba Baukh Nag Ji, prayers of crores of countrymen and the tireless work of all the rescue teams engaged in the rescue operation, the work of laying pipes in the tunnel to take out the workers has been completed. Soon all the labor brothers will be taken out.”
बाबा बौख नाग जी की असीम कृपा, करोड़ों देशवासियों की प्रार्थना एवं रेस्क्यू ऑपरेशन में लगे सभी बचाव दलों के अथक परिश्रम के फलस्वरूप श्रमिकों को बाहर निकालने के लिए टनल में पाइप डालने का कार्य पूरा हो चुका है। शीघ्र ही सभी श्रमिक भाइयों को बाहर निकाल लिया जाएगा।
— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) November 28, 2023
#WATCH | Family members of the trapped workers who are expected to be rescued soon from the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi say, "We are happy that they will be rescued soon. We will welcome them in a nice way. We had told them that the rescue team would reach them soon." pic.twitter.com/sRmEz5Dp64
— ANI (@ANI) November 28, 2023
The rescue operation had been ongoing since 12th November when the debris fell in the 60-metre stretch on the Silkyara side of the tunnel trapping 41 labourers inside the under-construction structure. To make the rescue operation a success, the officials had inserted pipes to provide essentials like food, water, medicine, and sufficient oxygen supply for the trapped workers. They had also sent communication devices and maintained regular communications with the trapped workers to keep their morale high.
On a regular basis, their family members were allowed to talk with their trapped relative and communicate about the rescue efforts.
The operations saw a major breakthrough on the 16th day of the rescue mission hours after the rescue team had started rat hole mining.
After many efforts and 25-tonne Auger machines repeatedly facing technical snags, the officials decided to deploy the rat hole mining technique. A team of 6 specialists reached the site to undertake the manual drilling work. They had to go inside the 800 mm pipe of the tunnel to remove the debris manually. The team included engineers from the Indian Army’s Madras Engineering Group as well as civilians.
In this, Rat-hole mining experts manually drilled through the remainder of a 10-12-metre stretch of debris and cleared it.
Rat miners are specialists in digging and drilling manually in narrow passages, including tube mines, who mostly work in mines and have the experience of drilling for hours. The rat hole mining technique is generally used in coal mining, especially in regions that have difficult terrain.
In the final leg of the mission, the last pipe was pushed through and welded, before trapped workers were evacuated safely.
#WATCH | Uttarkashi tunnel rescue | NDRF personnel at the entrance of the Slikyara tunnel. As per the latest update, the pipe has been inserted up to 55.3 metres and one more pipe has to be welded and pushed in. pic.twitter.com/i1AsTRfXfT
— ANI (@ANI) November 28, 2023
During the last phase, a team of NDRF personnel could be seen at the entrance of the Slikyara tunnel while stretchers, ambulances, and mattresses were taken inside the tunnel, media reported.
