There was some relief for the 41 labourers who were trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district for nine days as the engineers had succeeded in the installation of a second six-inch lifeline pipe. Woth the help of the second lifeline pipe, more food items can be sent in for the trapped labourers.
“ All workers inside the tunnel are safe, only roasted chana, salt, medicines toffee, chocolate, etc. were being sent through the old pipe, but more food items including fruits, eggs etc will be sent to the labourers through the new pipe,” National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) Director Anshu Manish Khalkho told the reporters. “You can see the relief on my face as a reflection of the success I have had today,” Khalkho added.
As the NHIDCL team had paused the drilling machine with the Auger on Monday morning for inserting a lifeline pipe of 6 inches for the trapped labourers, the drilling was thereby halted around 1 pm when there was an obstruction because of a rock. By 4 pm, the NHIDCL department was successful in advancing the 57-mere pipe. A spokesperson for the camp office in Silkyara also added, “A place has been chosen for drilling above the tunnel. It will have a drill of 1.2 metres diameter. The setup is likely to happen in the next 24 hours. Now the drill will be completed in two to three days.”
In total, there are five departments who have been given different responsibilities for the evacuation of the trapped labourers. The five departments are Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVNL), Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited (THDCL) and National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).
