Rescue operation for 40 construction workers trapped inside the collapsed tunnel on Yamunotri Highway 94 in Uttarakhand suffered a blow on Tuesday as the tunnel reported a fresh crumble within two days of the first tragedy on Sunday.
Visuals from the spot (Photo:SNS)
As the rescue work for 40 construction workers trapped inside the collapsed tunnel on Yamunotri Highway entered fourth day tunnel reported a fresh small crumble and fall of debris on Tuesday evening. Delayed escape passage work took off late night.
Officials remained tight lipped on the minor tunnel collapse but they admitted off-the-record that it happened late evening on Tuesday. An official present on the ground informed that new tunnel breaking off took place close to the staging area, a launch pad created for stationing horizontal auger machine to drill an escape passage through 60 meters fallen debris.
According to this official fresh round of tunnel crumble and fall of debris delayed the efforts to create escape passage for safe rescue of the trapped workers. Machines were fully staged and tested to start drilling work for escape passge with MS steel pipes brought from Haridwar. “Fresh debris fall had heckling impact. It was delayed for the debris had to be cleared first before drilling took off late night. Things will be more clear after experts examine the site” said the official not willing to be named.
It’s significant that stage to drill 900 mm diameter escape passge was all set on Tuesday evening but the fresh round of tragedy dashed the hopes for early making of an escape passage, the only option left, to rescue stranded construction workers trapped inside the tunnel.
Workers are trapped in the 4.5kilometres
collapsed tunnel since 5.30 am on November 12 when the incident occurred. Efforts by the four rescue teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), geological experts from different agencies and engineers from Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), Larsen and Toubro, NHAI, THDC, BRO and NHIDCL had remained a non starter till late Tuesday night.
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