On Thursday, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) stated that there is a possibility of success in rescuing the 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand within the next few hours or by Friday.
Briefing media about the ongoing rescue operations, NDMA member Lt Gen (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain, also added that it would not be fair to speculate on the timeline for rescue operations as it is just like fighting a war. He also said that rescue work had stopped and is likely to start again shortly.
NDMA member also mentioned that the horizontal drilling operation to rescue the workers may encounter 3-4 additional challenges. Additionally, he noted that there are 41 ambulances stationed at the tunnel site, with one designated for each trapped worker. Moreover, arrangements have been made for airlifting workers in serious condition.
The men have been trapped for 11 days after a portion of the under-construction tunnel on the Uttarakhand Char Dham route collapsed, cutting off its exit. Rescue operations to evacuate the workers resumed on Thursday morning after an overnight hurdle delayed the drilling by several hours.