Uttarkashi tunnel collapse
Rescue efforts are underway in Uttarkashi’s Silkyara tunnel as workers remain trapped for the ninth consecutive day. Multiple approaches are being employed to reach the 41 trapped individuals, with concerns growing about their well-being due to prolonged confinement. Bhaskar Khulbe, former advisor to the Prime Minister, estimates a possible rescue within 4-5 days. On Sunday, rescue operations were temporarily halted, and the decision was made to conduct vertical drilling for the rescue, mobilizing equipment from Gujarat and Odisha.
The NHIDCL director mentioned the imminent arrival of endoscopy-like camera equipment from Delhi, which will be sent through the lifeline pipe, allowing visual contact between rescuers and trapped workers. Additionally, robots weighing 20 kg and 50 kg, sent by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), are part of the rescue operation. However, concerns arise about their ability to navigate the slippery and uneven surfaces inside the tunnel. The NHIDCL director assures that other machinery will be deployed shortly to aid in the rescue effort. The tunnel collapse statistics reveal a vertical distance of 90m, a horizontal distance of 170m from the left side and 200m from the right side, 450m from the Barkot end, and approximately 70m from the Silkyara end, with 22m already completed.
