Uttarkashi Tunnel Collapse: Breakthrough Expected In 'Horizontal Drilling' Rescue Operation At Silkyara Site

(MENAFN- Live Mint) "In Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi a portion under-construction tunnel from Silkyara end collapsed on November 12 trapping 41 workers.
Rescue efforts have been ongoing since with the multiple agency-led rescue operation encountering multiple obstacles that halted the operation a number of times.
Also read: Uttarkashi tunnel collapse LIVE Updates: Breakthrough expected tomorrow if 'no obstacles are encountered,' says official
The initial plan was to rescue workers through horizontal drilling with the expertise of international tunnelling experts. However, the operation had to be stopped on November 24 when Auger drill blades broke. Plasma and magna rod cutter machines were transported to the site to take out stuck auger blades.
Also read: Uttarkashi tunnel collapse Day 16: Rescue team to drill 86 metres by 30 Nov to save trapped labourers | 10 updatesThe process of removing parts of the auger was completed on Monday morning as informed by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today. The CM further stated, \"The auger machine has been taken out completely...Drilling and pushing work will start and we hope that the work is completed at the earliest,\" reported ANI read: Uttarkashi Tunnel Disaster Day 16: A detailed timeline of rescue operations, unfolding day by dayMicro tunnelling expert Chris Cooper on Monday said,“We have 9 meters of hand tunnelling to do. It really depends on how the ground behaves. 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.”
Also read: Uttarkashi tunnel collapse: Mountain resists machine once again, alternative methods sought to rescue trapped workersFormer DG of Border Roads Organisation, Harpal Singh today said,“Frames of 800 mm diameter pipes have been prepared. We will move ahead by half a metre to one metre gradually. If all goes well and no obstacles are encountered a 10-metre stretch can be covered in 24-36 hours.”Also read: Uttarkashi Tunnel Collapse: Vertical drilling underway as rescue bid enters third week - How long is it likely to take?Other alternative options were considered with Vertical drilling being the second best. Former DG of Border Roads Organisation Harpal Singh on Monday informed that vertical drilling from above the Silkyara-Barkot tunnel has been done up to 31 metres operation involves drilling a total of 86 metres to prepare an escape passage for the 41 trapped workers. This method involves laying 1.2 metres broad pipes from the top of the tunnel.
Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) is working on a project to construct a rescue tunnel from the Barkot end with the most recent fifth blast that took place at 2:25 am on November 26 Secretary to the PM, Pramod Kumar Mishra; Union Home Secretary, Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Uttarakhand Chief Secretary, SS Sandhu visited Uttarkashi's Silkyara tunnel today to inspect the ongoing rescue operation. Mishra inspected the tunnel site, had a talk with the family of trapped workers and inquired about the food being sent every day.

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