Committed to saving the lives of workers in Uttarkashi tunnel accident
Uttarkashi (ANI): The government on Monday said rescue operations are going on in full swing to save 41 workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi and that constant communication is being maintained along with efforts to maintain the morale of the workers trapped in the two-km stretch. Used to be. -Constructed tunnel part.
A release from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said electricity and water are available in this part of the tunnel and workers are provided food items and medicines through a 4-inch compressor pipeline.
The release said, “Today, a major breakthrough has been achieved when the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) completed the drilling of another six-inch diameter pipeline for the supply of food, medicines and other essential commodities. Have taken.”
“Rescue operations are going on in full swing to save 41 workers trapped in Silkyara Tunnel in Uttarkashi. The government, committed to save the precious lives of all workers, is in constant touch and making all efforts to maintain the morale of the stranded workers. 2 km tunnel section constructed. This two km section of the tunnel has been completed with concrete work which provides safety to the workers.”
Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) is working on another vertical pipeline to supply essential commodities, the release said.
It said various government agencies are involved in the rescue operation and have been assigned specific tasks.
“These agencies are working tirelessly for the safe evacuation of workers,” the release said.
Referring to the operations being carried out for the rescue of workers, the release said that horizontal boring by NHIDCL from Silkyara end for the rescue of workers through Augur boring machine is scheduled to resume on Monday evening.
It said the first machine of SJVNL for construction of the vertical rescue tunnel has already reached the tunnel site and operations are being started after the completion of the approach road by the Border Roads Organisation.
Two other machines are being brought by road from Gujarat and Odisha for vertical tunnel construction. The construction work of 480 meter rescue tunnel from Barkot end has started by Tehri Hydropower Development Corporation.
For the safety of the workers, machinery for micro-tunneling through horizontal drilling is being transported from Nashik and Delhi by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, the release said.
Machinery is being procured by ONGC from USA, Mumbai and Ghaziabad for vertical boring.
The release said that BRO has done commendable work and the approach road for vertical drilling of RVNL and SJVNL has been constructed within 48 hours. Work is also going on on the approach road for ONGC.
On November 12, it was reported that the tunnel under construction from Silkyara to Barkot collapsed due to debris falling on a 60 meter section on the Silkyara side. After the incident, the Uttarakhand government and the Center immediately mobilized resources to rescue the 41 trapped laborers.
The decision to lay the 900 mm pipe through the dirt was taken as it was the best and quickest possible solution as per the advice of experts, the release said.
However, on 17 November, due to ground movements, it became unsafe to continue with this option without securing the structure. Keeping in mind the lives involved, it was decided to proceed simultaneously on all possible fronts so that the workers could be rescued as quickly as possible.
The area where the workers are trapped is 8.5 meters high and 2 km long. “This is the constructed part of the tunnel where concreting work has been done to provide safety to the workers,” the release said. Electricity and water are also available in this part of the tunnel.”
Five options were decided and five different agencies were detailed to carry out these options.
The release said that NHIDCL will continue drilling from the Silkyara end after work safety arrangements. To facilitate this, the Army has prepared a box culvert. A canopy structure is being built to ensure the safety of the workers.
Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) is doing vertical drilling to rescue the trapped workers. Accordingly, the equipment has been mobilized from Gujarat and Odisha through Railways as being a 75-tonne equipment, it could not be transported by air. ONGC, which specializes in deep drilling, had also started preliminary work for vertical drilling from the Barkot end. (ANI)
