Uttarkashi tunnel collapse: Vertical drilling begins, rescue shaft enters 20 metres on first day
The vertical approach was one of the five options on which preparatory work had begun some days back, as anxiety mounted over the fate of the trapped men. Notably, Rescue workers have to drill down 86 metres to reach the tunnel.
Nearly 20 meters were entered by vertical drilling as efforts to rescue 41 labourers trapped since the collapse of the portion of the under-construction tunnel in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi ended on Day 15. This was the first day of adopting the new vertical approach after 14 days of horizontal drilling gave no results. The vertical approach was one of the five options on which preparatory work had begun some days back, as anxiety mounted over the fate of the trapped men. Notably, Rescue workers have to drill down 86 metres to reach the tunnel. By evening, the heavy drilling equipment had bored down to about 19.5 metres. National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) managing director Mahmood Ahmed said vertical boring would be over by Thursday if there are no hurdles. Earlier, the officials shifted their focus to two alternatives -- manual drilling through the remaining 10-12 metre stretch of the rubble or drilling down around 86 metres from above.(vertical drilling). The blades of the augering machine drilling through the rubble of the collapsed tunnel were on Saturday stuck in the debris, forcing officials to consider switching to other options that could drag on the rescue by several weeks more.
Live updates : Uttarkashi tunnel collapse rescue ops
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November 26, 2023 11:37 PM (IST) Posted by Rajukumar
2 BRO officials injured in road accident on way to Silkyara tunnel
Two BRO officials were injured after their SUV was hit by a private bus near the Silkyara tunnel site on Sunday afternoon, police said. The accident occurred just half a kilometre away from the tunnel, where 41 workers have been trapped for 14 days, when three Border Roads Organisation (BRO) officials were on the way to the site in their official vehicle.
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November 26, 2023 11:17 PM (IST) Posted by Rajukumar
Third lifeline for food and communication
The third lifeline for food and communication can enter inside the tunnel vertically anytime in the next 1-2 hours. It is an 8 inches pipe, which is coming from the top of the tunnel. It already entered 78 meters and now 10 more meters to cover. The overall vertical length of the food pipe is 88 meters.
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November 26, 2023 8:13 PM (IST) Posted by Hritika Mitra
Vertical drilling of 19.2 metres done on first day to create escape passage for workers
"Vertical drilling of 19.2 metres done on first day to create escape passage for 41 workers trapped inside Silkyara tunnel," said official.
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November 26, 2023 8:12 PM (IST) Posted by Hritika Mitra
8-inch pipeline laid through vertical drilling
8-inch pipeline and 1.2-meter diameter pipe are being laid through vertical drilling from two different locations.
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November 26, 2023 7:29 PM (IST) Posted by Hritika Mitra
About 20 meters of vertical drilling completed so far: SJVN
'About 20 meters of vertical drilling completed so far,' informed SJVN.
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November 26, 2023 5:03 PM (IST) Posted by Hritika Mitra
Drone cameras used to monitor operation
Drone cameras are being used by experts to monitor the rescue operation that is underway here to bring out the 41 trapped workers.
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November 26, 2023 4:45 PM (IST) Posted by Hritika Mitra
Manual drilling may be a slow process but best one so far: NDMA
"The work of manual clearance will start through the remaining 47 meters and the work will be carried forward through Army engineers. It may not be a quick process but it is a safer way. The remaining 15 meters will be removed by hand drilling, hence the speed will be slow," NDMA said in a press conference.
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November 26, 2023 4:39 PM (IST) Posted by Hritika Mitra
'Best plan to rescue trapped workers is horizontal drilling', says NDMA
"Six plans are being deployed to rescue 41 workers trapped in Silkyara tunnel while the best plan so far is horizontal drilling," said NDMA.
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November 26, 2023 3:48 PM (IST) Posted by Hritika Mitra
If the escape route that was planned had been made, this situation would not have arrived: Priyanka Chaturvedi
"This is unfortunate... If the escape route that was planned had been made, this situation would not have arrived... An investigation should be done against those who have not followed the rules and regulations... The state government and central government should make all the efforts to save them and make sure they reach their homes back," said Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi.
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November 26, 2023 3:42 PM (IST) Posted by Hritika Mitra
We think that this will complete in the next 2 days: Mahmood Ahmad, MD of NHIDCL
"We have now come to a stage where we started working on 2-3 more options since yesterday. We have told SJVNL to do vertical drilling of 1-1.2 metre diameter for us. We identified spots where the drilling could be better...Drilling of almost 15 metres is complete. We identified a spot where we estimate that a total drilling of 86 metres has to be done, 15 metres is done; we think that this will complete in the next 2 days," Mahmood Ahmad, the Managing Director of National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).
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November 26, 2023 12:32 PM (IST) Posted by Ashesh Mallick
SJVN begins vertical drilling work on top of tunnel
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November 26, 2023 12:12 PM (IST) Posted by Ashesh Mallick
It may be unusual situation where class of rock changes, has to be investigated, says tunnelling expert
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November 26, 2023 11:54 AM (IST) Posted by Ashesh Mallick
Arnold Dix on the absence of an escape tunnel
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November 26, 2023 11:42 AM (IST) Posted by Ashesh Mallick
Arnold Dix shares latest on cutting of auger
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November 26, 2023 10:53 AM (IST) Posted by Ashesh Mallick
CM Dhami reaches house of Tanakpur worker Pushkar Singh Airi to meet his family
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November 26, 2023 10:29 AM (IST) Posted by Ashesh Mallick
Cutting by plasma machine underway rapidly, 14 metres more remain, says Dhami
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November 26, 2023 9:39 AM (IST) Posted by Ashesh Mallick
Plasma machine cuts steel much faster, 16 metres more of auger to cut: Micro tunnelling expert Chris Cooper
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November 26, 2023 8:38 AM (IST) Posted by Ashesh Mallick
IAF flows in critical DRDO equipment to Dehradun
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November 26, 2023 8:28 AM (IST) Posted by Ashesh Mallick
Indian Army to conduct manual drilling
"Indian Army will now do manual drilling. Indian Army's Madras Sappers will do manual drilling along with some civilians. 20 special people have been called for this. The plasma cutter has arrived and has begun cutting the American Auger. Along with plasma cutter, top laser cutter is also being used. If the American machine is taken out by these cutters by evening, then the tunnel work can be completed in 12-14 hours. The possibilities of vertical drilling are negligible as at this time all 41 people inside the tunnel are comfortable, and are getting food. There are chances that there will be pressure on the tunnel and their pipes will break due to debris if vertical drilling is done. It is possible that this is why the equipment for vertical drilling has been moved up, but this will not happen. To do manual drilling, Indian Army along with civilians will do rat boring inside the tunnel. After digging by hand and with tools like hammer and chisel, the soil will be taken out and then the pipe will be pushed forward from the platform," officials said on Sunday.
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November 26, 2023 7:30 AM (IST) Posted by Ashesh Mallick
Morning visuals from outside Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi
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November 26, 2023 6:38 AM (IST) Posted by Ashesh Mallick
Preparation of protection umbrella underway inside tunnel