Efforts are underway to rescue workers trapped in Silkyara Tunnel.
Uttarkashi: Now, measures are being taken to relieve the stress of the workers trapped in the Silkyara Tunnel of Uttarakhand amidst the obstacles being faced in getting them out. Authorities have given mobile phones and board games to the 41 workers trapped in the tunnel to reduce their stress. An official gave this information on Saturday. After the work was disrupted due to the blade of the auger machine used to ‘drill’ in the tunnel under construction being sunk in Silkyara getting stuck in the debris, other options are being considered which may take several more weeks to evacuate the workers from the tunnel.
Board games like Ludo and Snakes and Ladders made available
An official said, ‘Mobile phones have been given so that the workers can play video games. They have also been provided with board games like Ludo and Snakes and Ladders. He told that the workers were not given playing cards. Another official said, ‘These games will help them relieve their stress.’ Drilling work was disrupted for almost the entire day on Friday, although the seriousness of the problem became clear on Saturday when Arnold Dix, an international expert on tunneling, told reporters that the auger machine had “broken down”. Due to the collapse of a part of the tunnel, 41 workers are trapped in it for the last 13 days. This tunnel is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious ‘Char Dham’ project.
41 workers are stranded for 13 days
On Saturday, international experts expressed hope that 41 workers trapped for the last 13 days will come out by Christmas next month. Drilling work was disrupted almost all day on Friday, although the seriousness of the problem became clear on Saturday when Arnold Dix, an international expert on tunneling, told reporters that the auger machine had “broken down”. Australian expert Dix told reporters, “The blade of the auger machine is broken, damaged.” Referring to the safety of the workers, he said, “The auger machine is facing difficulty, so we Rethinking your way of working. I am confident that all 41 people will return.
Now there will be manual drilling
When Dix was asked to give a timeline in this regard, he said, ‘I have always promised that they would be home by Christmas.’ In fact, on the 14th day of the multi-agency rescue operation, officials are focused on two options – ‘drilling’ by hand into the remaining 10 or 12 meters of debris or ‘drilling’ down 86 meters from the top. Meanwhile, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) member Lieutenant General (retired) Syed Ata Hasnain told reporters in New Delhi, ‘This operation may take a long time.’ Under ‘manual drilling’, the workers will enter the 47-metre portion of the rescue route dug so far and will do ‘drilling’ for a short period at a limited place and after coming out, another will do the work. He indicated that of the two main options now being considered, this is the quickest option. So far, a horizontal passage of 46.9 meters has been made in the debris. The length of the collapsed part of the tunnel is about 60 meters. (input language)
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