900 meter diameter pipe is being inserted through auger machine.
Uttarkashi (ANI): After Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s inspection of the Uttarkashi tunnel collapse site on Sunday, Uttarakhand Disaster Management Secretary Ranjit Sinha said a 900 mm diameter pipe is being laid with the help of an auger. Machine. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Sinha said, “We are laying 900 mm diameter pipe with the help of auger machine. “We have reached 22 meters and we are moving fast.” Sinha said that a second lifeline pipe is being laid over the already existing pipe.
“There is a lifeline pipe to send food and other essential items. We are putting another pipe on top of it because there is less debris there. There we have gone till 42 meters and only a few meters are left. We will have another pipe for this.” Life support will be provided when it is ready,” the state disaster management secretary said.
Sinha said talks are underway to send a robot above the tunnel roof to examine the space between the debris and the tunnel so that a pipe can be sent for life support. “Thirdly, on the roof of the tunnel where the debris is present, there is space between the debris and the tunnel. We are working on sending a robot so that it can analyze how much space is available and whether we can send a pipe for life support. If there is more space, we can rescue people from there,” he said.
The Disaster Management Secretary said that two side tunnels will also be constructed for escape routes. “We are working on tunnels on the two sides, that is, tunnels on the side of the main tunnel for escape routes. It has been given to RBNL (Railway Development Corporation Limited) which is building tunnels for the Railways. I think they will find the plan today and start work from tomorrow,” he said.
Speaking about another route to carry out the rescue operation, Sinha said, “After this, we will work on the end of the Barkut tunnel; We will work on the remaining 400 meter stretch. The responsibility has been given to TSDC. They said they will make a tunnel with 2-2.5 meter diameter so that people can be saved.” Sinha also said that vertical excavation would be done to continue rescue operations or at least provide life support.
“Also, we will do vertical drilling and make a bore so that if the diameter of the bore is sufficient then we can rescue people or at least send life savers,” he said. The tunnel under construction between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri National Highway collapsed on the morning of November 12.
