Efforts to rescue stranded workers in a tunnel are underway, with six plans in consideration. The focus is on constructing a vertical escape passage by drilling down 86 meters to reach the trapped individuals.
Micro tunnelling expert Chris Cooper provided updates, stating that the debris of the broken American auger drilling machine has been cleared. He reported 30 meters of vertical drilling completed, with manual drilling set to commence after three hours.
"All the debris (of the Auger machine) removed...(Manual drilling) will probably start after 3 hours. We have 9 metres of hand tunnelling to do. It really depends on how the ground behaves, Cooper said.
"It could be quickly, could be a bit longer. If we hit some lattice girder, then we've got to cut out the lattice girder, but we're confident we can get through.. The Army is just supervising (the operation). 30 metres of (vertical drilling) has been done," he said.
According to ANI reports, a team of six specialists have reached the site to undertake the manual drilling work. They will go inside the 800 mm pipe of the tunnel to remove the debris manually. The team includes engineers from the Indian Army's Madras Engineering Group as well as civilians.
The National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) Managing Director, Mahmood Ahmed, has stated that if no obstacles arise, completion of the vertical boring is anticipated by Thursday.
NDMA Member Lt Gen (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain said that six rescue plans are being synchronized. The vertical boring option was chosen after setbacks with horizontal drilling from the tunnel’s Silkyara-end, where around 60 metres of debris obstructs the path. Another potential strategy is sideways drilling, although the necessary machinery has yet to arrive at the site. Hasnain said the equipment was scheduled to arrive at the collapse site on Sunday night, and would be used to clear a 17-metre path to the trapped labourers.
A 483-metre rescue tunnel is planned to be created using blasting techniques from the Barkot end of the tunnel. Five blasts have already penetrated a 10-12 metre area as of Sunday morning. The Indian Army joined the rescue operation to start drilling the tunnel manually after the advanced auger drilling machine broke down. The machine has been removed from the tunnel. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert in Uttarkashi, warning of rain, lightning, and possible hailstorms, potentially impacting ongoing rescue operations.