Uttarakhand tunnel collapse Day 4: Relief and rescue operation is currently underway on a war footing at Silkyara Tunnel in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district, where 40 labourers are trapped following the collapse of the under-construction tunnel.
A protest by workers and their family members also broke out at the site of the accident where the rescue operation is still ongoing.
Operations to rescue labourers trapped under a collapsed tunnel's debris have been hampered after a landslide at the site and technical issues in a drilling machine being used to create an escape passage.
The labourers are safe, and oxygen, electricity, medicines, food items and water are being constantly supplied to them, they said. Rubble from the landslide fell on the collapsed part of the under-construction Silkyara tunnel on Tuesday night, hampering operations as well as injuring two rescue workers. They are being treated at a makeshift hospital, the officials said.
Uttarkashi District Magistrate Abhishek Ruhela, State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) Commandant Manikant Mishra, Superintendent of Police Arpan Yaduvanshi, Chief Development Officer Gaurav Kumar, and many other officers were present at the spot and are playing their role in the rescue operation.
Uttarkashi Police's CO Prashant Kumar, in a bid to bolster the trapped men's spirits, yesterday made arrangements for some of them to talk to their families through this mechanism. Kotdwara resident Gambhir Singh Negi, who is among the trapped men, talked to his son, who inquired about his well-being and gave him update of the efforts being made to rescue them.
Meanwhile, the Uttarkashi police control room is keeping others' families updated on the situation while food, water, and oxygen is being supplied to the trapped men.
How the incident occur on Nov 12?
A portion of the under-construction tunnel between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on the Yamunotri National Highway in Uttarkashi district collapsed due to a landslide early on Sunday (November 12).
Rescue operation underway:
To rescue the workers from the tunnel, 900 mm diameter steel pipes and drill and boring machines have reached the spot and work has begun to cut through the blockage. Meanwhile, SDRF commandant Manikant Mishra, who is leading the rescue operation, on Tuesday talked to the workers trapped in the tunnel through a walkie-talkie and inquired about their well-being. The workers told him that they were all fine and hoped they would be rescued soon.
40 labourers trapped:
As per the district administration, out of the 40 labourers, 15 are from Jharkhand, three from Bihar, four from West Bengal, two from Uttarakhand, one from Himachal Pradesh, eight from Uttar Pradesh, two from Assam, and five from Odisha.
Meanwhile, District Magistrate Abhishek Ruhela along with the senior doctor of the District Hospital, Dr Prem Pokhriyal, went inside the tunnel and talked to the workers through the pipe and encouraged them. Dr Pokhriyal also took information from the workers about their health and gave some health-related instructions.
The administration and police officials consoled many of the family members who reached the spot to inquire about the well-being of the labourers trapped in the tunnel and assured them that all the people would be evacuated safely.
(With inputs from Sunil Dutt Pandey)
ALSO READ: Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: Rescue ops enter Day 3, govt's expert panel begins investigation
ALSO READ: Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: CM Dhami conducts on-site inspection, says PM assured all possible help
