Uttarakhand tunnel rescue latest update: The drilling tool of the American auger machine broke inside a 900 mm pipe being pushed through the rubble to extract the 41 construction workers trapped inside the collapsed Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand, putting the rescue work on a halt once again.

According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the auger machine has be pulled out entirely after it sustained damag beyond repair. This has halted the rescue operation which is likely to resume in the next 24-36 hours, the NDMA said in its press briefing.

Following the latest setback, NDMA member Lt Gen (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain said that the rescue teams have now shifted the focus to a vertical drilling and a platform to place the drilling machine is being constructed on top of the hill.

The option of manual drilling is also being considered and once the auger machine part stuck inside is pulled out rescue workers will start the work.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami son Saturday said the escape passage work at the collapsed Silkyara tunnel site will now proceed manually as the auger machine is stuck in the debris.

He said a plasma cutter is being brought from Hyderabad to remove metal obstruction.

Speaking to media, the chief minister said the auger machine employed for horizontal drilling of escape passage was stuck in a heavy metallic obstruction since Friday evening.

“Nearly 20 meters of the machine part stuck in the debris obstruction has been removed while remaining 25 meters is being done by the experts. Present speed of cutting iron metals and rods obstacles is slow. A plasma cutter is being brought from Hyderabad for fast disposal of the obstacles. It’s likely to be over by Sunday afternoon” said Dhami.

He informed “once its over escape passage work will be taken up manually. Only small portion of the passage is left. We are leaving no stone unturned in our efforts and hope to bring out our brothers trapped in the tunnel as early as possible”.

After drilling an additional 5 meters manually, the rescuers will reach the final stretch that separates them from the trapped workers. Although a specific timeframe for completing the rescue mission was not provided, officials expressed hope for a positive outcome once manual drilling begins.

Earlier, experts conducted a survey at the tunnel site using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to assess the subsurface conditions. The survey team found no heavy objects up to 5 meters inside the tunnel, providing valuable information for the upcoming phases of the rescue operation. The use of GPR, a non-destructive technique, aids in evaluating the location and depth of buried objects without disturbing the ground.

As many as 41 construction workers have been trapped since a portion of the tunnel collapsed on November 12, leading to a challenging rescue mission in the 60-meter stretch on the Silkyara side of the tunnel. The trapped workers are in a 2 km-built portion, ensuring their safety amid the ongoing rescue efforts.