Uttarkashi Tunnel collapse:12-14 hours to reach trapped workers says former PMO advisor Bhaskar Kulbe

After the rescue teams were successful in removing steel rods that were obstructing the rescue pipes’ path, the efforts to free the 41 workers trapped at the site of the collapsed Slikyara Tunnel have entered a critical phase. Bhaskar Khulbe, a former advisor to the Prime Minister’s Office, visited the Silkyara tunnel collapse site on Thursday and reported that, as part of the 41 workers’ rescue effort, the entire steel structure preventing the pipe inside from moving freely has now been removed.

“I am happy to tell you the entire steel that was obstructing the free movement of the pipe inside has now been removed. We are trying to move 6 metres ahead of the 45-metre mark that we have already reached. During drilling last night, an iron metal had come in, due to which the work was stopped. We hope that there will be no more obstructions in our way ahead…”, he said.

He later stated, “We had reached up to 45 meters; after that, a girder came in the way yesterday, that had been cut and removed,” while speaking with reporters. Drilling operations have now begun beyond 45 meters, and our goal is to reach 60 meters in 12 to 15 hours.” Rescue teams reported that the operation required wide pipes to be pushed through the debris so that the trapped workers could walk out. The auger machine had earlier encountered a metal barrier. It can drill through approximately three meters of debris in an hour.

In the meantime, Union Minister General VK Singh (Retd) arrived at the Silkyara tunnel site on Thursday, where workers who are trapped are being rescued. Singh arrived at the location early in the morning and assessed the state of the rescue effort.