"Verticle drilling of 19.2 meters completed...": NHIDCL MD on Uttarkashi tunnel rescue ops

UTTARKASHI: National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) Managing Director Mahmood Ahmad on Sunday informed that a total of 19.2 meters of vertical drilling has been completed at Uttarkashi's tunnel where 41 workers remained trapped.

Addressing a press conference in Uttarkashi, NHIDCL MD Ahmad said, "We have completed around 19.2 meters of drilling. We have to drill around 86 meters to be done within four days that is by November 30. Hopefully, there will be no further hurdles and the work will be completed on time."

Neeraj Khairwal who is Secretary in the Uttarakhand Government and also the nodal officer in the rescue operation said that the pace of work has fastened to remove the stuck auger machine from the tunnel.

"With the arrival of plasma cutting machines and other machines, the work is going on at a very fast pace. No hurdle has come so far, the timeline to remove it cannot be told. We are removing the broken auger faster than before. It cannot be told how much time will be taken to remove it, after it is cleared, we will do manual drilling inside. The Army's Engineering Regiment will also prepare a plan as to how to work further," he said.

"Today's relief is that the remaining part inside the auger is about 8.15 meters yet to be removed. There is no hurdle till now & we are heading towards a positive sign," he added.

The drilling of an 8-inch pipeline has been done for about 70-80 meters and has been put on hold. Whereas drilling of a pipeline with a diameter of 1.2 meters has been done for about 20 metres, officials said.

National Disaster Management Authority Member, Lt General (Rtd) Syed Ata Hasnain on Sunday said that 86 meters of vertical drilling is required to reach the crust of the Uttarkashi's tunnel where 41 workers remained trapped adding that 17 meters of the drilling has already taken place.

Addressing a press briefing in New Delhi, NDMA Member Syed Ata Hasnain said," Our Plan 2 has been currently adopted. The drilling machine reached yesterday. Vertical drilling started at around 12 noon today and 86 meters of vertical digging is required to reach trapped workers.17 metres of drilling has already taken place. We have done geological studies and studies are suggesting that there might be no obstruction. We are checking the stability."

NDMA member further informed that Plan 3 of the sideways drilling has not been started yet.

"Our plan 3 (Perpendicular, covering 170 metres) has still not been adopted. The machine for sideways drilling is expected to reach the Silkayra tunnel rescue site during the night," he said.

The member also mentioned that the condition of the workers is stable and safe.

"All of them (workers) have been getting their sustenance, food, and medicine. Medical and psycho-social experts are there and doing their work. All precautions are being taken for the safety of all," Hasnain said.

Also, the drone cameras are being used by experts to monitor the rescue operation that is underway here to bring out the 41 trapped workers.

Meanwhile, Union Minister General VK Singh reached the Silkyara tunnel site on Sunday where the rescue operation is underway to bring out the trapped workers.

A unit of Madras Sappers, an engineer group of the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army has been called in at Uttarkashi's Silkyara tunnel for manual drilling at the site where 41 workers have remained trapped for the past 15 days.

30 personnel of the engineer regiment have arrived at the spot to expedite the rescue operations.

For manual drilling, the Indian Army along with civilians will do rat boring inside the tunnel."To do manual drilling, the Indian Army along with civilians will dig out the debris inside the tunnel with weapons like hands, hammers and chisels and then the pipe will be pushed forward from the platform built inside the pipe," an official said.

According to an official statement, freshly cooked food and fresh fruits are being inserted inside the tunnel at regular intervals using the 2nd lifeline (150 mm dia) service.

"Sufficient fruits like orange, Apple, Banana etc., along with medicines and salts has also been supplied in this lifeline in regular interval. Additional Dry Food is also being supplied for future stock. A modified communication system with wire connectivity developed by SDRF is being used for communication regularly. People inside have reported that they are safe," the government said.

THDC has initiated the construction of a rescue tunnel from the Barkot end. The fifth blast was taken at 2:25 am on November 26.

BRO has completed the construction of an approach road for vertical drilling by SJVNL and RVNL.BRO is also building an approach road for ONGC with geological surveys conducted by ONGC. 1050 meters of approach road has been constructed so far out of 5000 meters," an official statement said.

After a portion of the tunnel caved in on November 12, the debris falling in the 60-metre stretch on the Silkyara side of the tunnel trapped 41 labourers inside the under-construction structure.