Silkyara Tunnel Accident: The workers trapped in the Silkyara Tunnel of Uttarakhand for the last 14 days are hopeful of rescue soon, but their wait is getting longer with each passing day. The American auger machine for the rescue operation of workers has failed. During excavation, drilling had to be stopped many times due to technical deficiencies, after which the blades of the auger machine got stuck, which became a cause of trouble. Now a plasma machine has been called from Hyderabad to remove the parts stuck in the debris of the auger machine.
Remains of auger machine are becoming a hindrance
The rescue team says that to carry forward the rescue work, it is necessary to completely remove the machine. At the same time, vertical excavation is being done to take the workers out of the tunnel. After the auger machine, at present the digging work is being done by hand. To get the workers out of the tunnel, they will have to insert pipes through hand drilling in the debris. At the same time, a drill machine has also been sent above the tunnel on the top of the hill for vertical drilling.
Many teams are engaged in rescue
It is noteworthy that several teams have been deployed to rescue the workers trapped in the tunnel. In this context, a unit of Madras Sappers, a group of the Indian Army’s Corps of Engineers, has reached the spot today i.e. on Sunday to help in the rescue work. At the same time, international tunnel expert Arnold Dix says that the progress so far is fantastic. The process of removing the parts of the auger machine stuck in the debris with the plasma cutter is going on. Work is underway to completely free the auger from the place where it is stuck.
Rocks are being tested
Here, by starting vertical drilling, officials have started testing the rocks. At the same time, foreign experts have said that rescue may take up to a month. It is noteworthy that the blades of the auger machine being used for drilling the tunnel under construction in Silkyara got stuck in the debris last Friday night.
How did the accident happen?
Let us tell you, a part of the tunnel being built on the Chardham Yatra route had collapsed on November 12, due to which 41 workers working in it were trapped. Since then, various agencies are carrying out rescue operations on a war footing to get them out. Food, medicines and other essential items are being sent to the workers through six-inch wide pipes.
Courtesy: Language Input