GSI team visit tunnel site in Samba, conduct operations

The GSI team visited the site of tunnel area in forward belt of Chachwal in Samba sector along Indo-Pak border and undertook a detailed survey of the area and started its operation to gauge the tunnel network, officials said today.

The excavation work was suspended on July 29 after heavy rains lashed the region and filled the trench dug by the para-military force, and also due to the uncertainty over its opening despite digging at three places.

The work, which was resumed by BSF along with men and machines on August 5, continued with digging at few other places in the area.

However, there has been brief disruptions in the work due to heavy rains lashing the sector.

Authorities on July 28 had detected the 400-m tunnel into India from Pakistan along Indo-Pak border in Samba district.

The tunnel was detected after an area caved-in a straight line at two-three places due to rains near border fencing near Chillayari Border Out Post (BoP) of BSF along International Border (IB) in Samba sector.

The tunnel at a depth of 25-ft has been dug out between two sides along IB on India's Chillayari BoP and Pakistan's Lumberiyal BoP. It had air supply through a 2-inch pipe.

BSF had sought help from Army and geo-physics, and seismology experts for the task.