In pictures: 41 trapped Uttarkashi tunnel workers still stuck inside, rescue ops continue
Sumit Kumar
Visual from the collapsed tunnel at Uttarkashi (TNI Photo by Sumit Kumar)
UTTARKASHI: As 41 workers remain trapped inside the collapsed Silkyara Bend-Barkot Tunnel at Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand, The New Indian team went on the ground to document the struggle of the rescue teams from the National Disaster Relief Forces and the other groups involved.
Presently, the workers have been stuck inside for the past 16 days inside the collapsed tunnel. The rescue teams have been trying wholeheartedly to rescue them, however, these attempts await another day of strife. Presently, the auger machine has been extracted after it had malfunctioned and was stuck inside a structure.
Navayuga Engineering Company Limited is responsible for carrying out the tunnel’s construction (TNI photo by Sumit Kumar)Rescue operations are ongoing at the Silkyara Uttarkashi Tunnel (TNI Photo by Sumit Kumar)Arvind Bhat, a worker, packing the food for trapped workers. Some pipes are being used to supply the workers with food, water and medicines. (TNI Photo by Sumit Kumar)Marker showing the way leading towards the Silkyara Tunnel (TNI Photo by Sumit Kumar)An L&T worker resting outside the Silkyara tunnel (TNI Photo by Sumit Kumar)A temple has been established just outside the tunnel site for the trapped workers. (TNI Photo by Sumit Kumar)NDRF team is in action on the tunnel site with other security companies (TNI Photo by Sumit Kumar)The Silkyara tunnel is part of the Narendra Modi government’s Char Dham all-weather accessibility project. The Silkyara tunnel is part of the Narendra Modi government’s Char Dham all-weather accessibility project (TNI photo by Sumit Kumar)
Efforts to get the 41 workers rescued from inside the tunnel have ensued. This time, however, these efforts are being made with a manual drill and not an auger machine. According to Arnold Dix, a tunnelling expert from Australia, had told The New Indian that the usage of auger machine had run its course after failing for the third time.
