Page 30 - Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: 45 m drilling completed, 12 m more to go

Inching closer to their goal, rescuers have inserted wide pipes up to 45 metres through the rubble and will have to drill another around 12 metres to reach the 41 workers trapped inside the collapsed tunnel in Silkyara for 10 days, officials said Wednesday afternoon. The authorities have also made elaborate healthcare arrangements for the workers as and when they crawl out through the pipe. Speaking to reporters at the site around 4.30 pm, former advisor to the prime minister's office Bhaskar Khulbe said, "We are very happy to inform you that (drilling of) a length of six metres has been achieved over the past one hour. Hopefully the next two-three hours will be comfortable in terms of assembling for the next push and attaining what all of us are waiting for. I hope that when we assemble again at 8 pm we have some similar good news to share with you." He has been regularly briefing the media on the rescue efforts. NHIDCL MD Mahmood Ahmed and Khulbe had told reporters earlier in the

Tunnel collapse: Big news expected in next 24 hours, says official

Drilling with the American auger machine resumed at the Silkyara tunnel overnight to prepare an escape passage for the 41 workers trapped inside for more than 10 days, officials said on Wednesday. According to officials, 800 mm diameter steel pipes have been inserted up to 39 metres through the rubble, with another 14 metres to go before the rescuers reach the trapped labourers. Once the drilling is complete, the passage will be used to evacuate the labourers from the tunnel. "We have pushed in the pipes up to 39 metres by now. Everything is fine. I have spoken to them (trapped workers). Their morale is high," former advisor to the PMO Bhaskar Khulbe told reporters in Silkyara. Asked to spell out a timeline for the evacuation, he said, "We hope to celebrate Igas with them". Igas is a festival celebrated in the Garhwal region after Diwali. It will take place on Thursday. The drilling was suspended since Friday when the auger machine hit a hard object. But the resumption is likely

Uttarkashi tunnel: Location for drilling identified to evacuate 41 trapped

Road work for vertical drilling on the hill above the tunnel is almost complete, says Anshu Manish Khulko, Director, NHIDCL

U'khand tunnel collapse: Rescuers drill halfway towards 41 trapped workers

The men have been stuck in the 4.5-km (3-mile) tunnel in Uttarakhand state since it caved in early on Nov. 12 and are safe, said authorities

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Avoid sensationalising Uttarakhand tunnel rescue ops: Govt to TV channels

The government on Tuesday issued an advisory to private television channels, asking them to refrain from sensationalising the coverage of the rescue operations at Silkyara in Uttarakhand, where 41 workers are trapped inside a tunnel for 10 days. The advisory, issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, also told private television channels to be sensitive in their reportage, especially while putting out headlines and videos of the rescue operations, considering the psychological status of family members of the trapped workers. "Telecast of video footage and other pictures relating to the operations by the TV channels specially by placing cameras and other equipment in close proximity of the rescue operations site have the potential to adversely affect the ongoing operations," the advisory said. It also advised the channels to refrain from sensationalizing the issue and from undertaking any live posts or videos from close proximity of the tunnel site where the rescue ...

Breakthrough of inserting 6-inch pipeline encouraging for us: CM Dhami

CM Dhami further said that the way the video has shown that all the workers are safe we hope that all of them are rescued soon and for that, all efforts are being made

Rescuing workers safely topmost priority: Modi to Dhami on tunnel collapse

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday, the second day in a row, to enquire about the operation to rescue the 41 workers trapped inside Uttarkashi's Silkyara tunnel for 10 days. In a post on X, Dhami said he told Modi that the workers are safe and the prime minister underlined that the rescue mission is the topmost priority. This is the fourth time that Modi spoke to Dhami to take stock of the rescue operation since the tunnel collapse on November 12. He spoke to Dhami on Monday as well. In his post, Dhami said Prime Minister Modi called again today and enquired about the operation being carried out to rescue the workers trapped inside the under-construction Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi. He said he informed the prime minister about the successful insertion of a 6-inch pipeline through the rubble which will be used for providing food in larger quantities and other necessary items to the workers. "Honourable prime minister wa

Tunnel collapse: Brief setback for rescue ops as narrow road stops movement

The traffic has come to a halt on both sides of the main road

Uttarkashi tunnel collapse: Men coming home for sure, says expert Dix

Speaking to ANI, from the site of the tunnel Professor Dix said the rescuers have several options to bring home the workers

On war footing: Dhami on evacuating workers safely from collapsed tunnel

Meanwhile, a rescue operation is underway to rescue the stranded victim

PM Modi speaks to CM Dhami on Uttarakhand tunnel rescue operations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami over phone to take stock of the rescue operations being carried out at the Silkyara tunnel to evacuate 41 workers trapped for over a week. Necessary rescue equipment and resources, he said, are being provided by the Centre and through mutual coordination between central and state agencies and expressed hope that the trapped workers will be safely evacuated. The prime minister said it is necessary to maintain the morale of the trapped workers, according to a statement issued by the Uttarakhand Chief Minister's Office. This is the third time that the prime minister has spoken to Dhami about the rescue operations being carried out at the tunnel. The chief minister briefed the prime minister about the rescue operations in detail and said all the trapped workers are safe with oxygen, nutritious food and water being constantly supplied to them. All agencies are working in full coordination wit

U'khand tunnel rescue: IAF airlifts another 36 tonne of critical equipment

Employing a C-17 and two C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft, the IAF airlifted 36 tonne of critical equipment on Monday, continuing to lend assistance to efforts being made to rescue workers trapped in a partially collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district, officials said. Rescuers on Monday pushed through a six-inch-wide pipeline through the rubble of the collapsed tunnel, a breakthrough that will help them supply larger quantities of food and possibly allow live visuals of the 41 workers trapped inside for eight days. So far, a four-inch existing tube was being used to supply oxygen and items like dry fruit and medicines into the section of the tunnel beyond the rubble of the collapsed portion of the under-construction Silkyara tunnel on the Char Dham route in Uttarakhand. The IAF has been ferrying heavy machineries to aid rescue operations at the tunnel site. "#IAF assistance for the rescue operations at Uttarkashi continues unabated. Employing a C-17 and two C-

Uttarakhand HC seeks govt's reply on rescue operations in Silkyara tunnel

The Uttarakhand High Court on Monday sought replies from the state government and central agencies within 48 hours on the ongoing operation and measures taken to rescue 41 workers trapped inside a partially collapsed tunnel in Uttarkashi for more than a week. The court's direction came on a PIL related to the rescue operation at the Silkyara tunnel. It was filed by Dehradun-based NGO Samadhan. A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Manoj Kumari Tiwari and Justice Pankaj Purohit, while hearing the PIL, asked the state government to submit its reply to the court within 48 hours. The high court has also issued notices to the disaster management secretary, public works department, central government, and National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation. The next hearing in the case has been fixed for November 22. In its PIL, the NGO said the workers are trapped inside the tunnel in Silkyara in Uttarkashi district since November 12, but the government has been una

Uttarakhand tunnel tragedy Day 9: Rescue ops on; latest updates

Uttarkashi Tunnel Collapse: 41 workers are trapped inside the partially collapsed Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. Watch the video for the latest updates as the rescue ops enter

Tunnel collapse: 6-inch-wide pipe pushed through rubble to send food

Earlier, a four-inch tube was being used to supply food such as dry fruit, medicines and oxygen into the section of the tunnel beyond the rubble

U'khand tunnel: Must keep workers morale up, says PM; foreign expert visits

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to take stock of the rescue operation to save 41 workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel and stressed on the need to keep their morale up. An international tunneling expert, Arnold Dix, arrived at the disaster site to review the rescue efforts, now in its ninth day. Dix heads the Geneva-based International Tunneling and Underground Space Association. Necessary rescue equipment and resources are being provided by the Centre, and through mutual coordination between central and state agencies, the trapped workers will be safely evacuated, PM Modi said, according to a statement issued by the Uttarakhand Chief Minister's Office. It is necessary to keep up the morale of the trapped workers, the prime minister said. It was for the third time that PM Modi spoke to CM Dhami about the rescue operations being carried out at the tunnel. CM Dhami briefed PM Modi about the rescue operations in detai

Uttarkashi tunnel collapse: We are rescuing those 41 men says expert Arnold

After inspecting the tunnel as well as the area above it from where the vertical drilling operation will commence, Professor Dix seemed optimistic about the rescue operation.

Uttarakhand govt to bear travel expenses of relatives of trapped workers

The Uttarakhand government will bear the travel, food and lodging expenses of relatives of the 41 workers trapped at the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi district for over a week. Assuring the families of the trapped workers that they will be rescued soon, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday said officials have been asked to stay in touch with the relatives of the trapped workers so that they do not face any inconvenience. The state government will bear the expenses of people who want to visit Silkyara to enquire about their well being, he said. Psychiatrists have also been roped in to maintain the morale of the trapped workers, the chief minister said. Rescue operations are being carried out on a war footing since portions of the tunnel collapsed following a landslide early on November 12, leaving 41 workers trapped behind a huge mound of debris. The Silkyara tunnel, about 30 km from the district headquarters of Uttarkashi and a seven-hour drive from the Uttarakhand capital

Multivitamins, dry fruits supplied to workers trapped in Uttarkashi tunnel

The government is sending multivitamins, antidepressants and dry fruits to 41 workers trapped for the past seven days in an under-construction tunnel that collapsed in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, Road, Transport and Highways Secretary Anurag Jain said on Sunday. "Fortunately, there is light inside because the electricity is on. There is a pipeline, and thus water is available. There is a 4-inch pipe, which was used for compression. Through that, we are sending food from day 1," he said. Jain, in a video brief update on the Uttarkashi tunnel collapse rescue operation, further said there is water and electricity in two km portion inside the tunnel, which is the finished part of the 4.531-kilometre two lane bi-directional tunnel at Silkyara in Uttarkashi. "We are sending multivitamins, antidepressants and dry fruits to workers who have been trapped inside the under-construction tunnel at Silkyara in Uttarkashi," he said. The Silkyara tunnel, about 30 km from the district .