Uttarakhand Tunnel Collapse: Rescuers Insert Wider Pipeline, Deliver Cooked Food to Trapped Workers

As the rescue efforts in the collapsed highway tunnel in Uttarakhand continue, rescuers achieved a breakthrough by inserting a wider pipeline, providing cooked food to the 41 workers who have been trapped for over a week. While the workers remain safe with access to essential supplies through a smaller pipe, authorities are now preparing for vertical drilling to facilitate their rescue.

The tunnel collapsed on November 12, and the cause is yet to be determined, with the region’s susceptibility to landslides, earthquakes, and floods adding complexity to the rescue operation. Anshu Manish Khalkho, director of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL), confirmed the successful insertion of a six-inch pipe, allowing for the delivery of hot food, including rice, lentils, soybeans, and peas.

Despite a temporary halt in horizontal drilling due to a machine snag and concerns about further collapse, efforts are now set to resume with the new pipeline in place. The trapped workers, previously receiving dry food, will now have access to a more varied diet. Additionally, rescuers are exploring five different plans, including vertical drilling from the top of the mountain.

Desperate families of the workers have reached the site, expressing concerns about the prolonged confinement and urging swift and effective rescue efforts. The trapped workers, predominantly low-wage laborers from impoverished states in the north and east of India, have been communicating through the steel pipe, raising questions about the duration of their survival inside the tunnel.

Authorities remain committed to the rescue mission, with heavy machines for vertical drilling expected to arrive soon, and hill paths being constructed to facilitate their deployment. The situation continues to evolve, and families anxiously await updates on the progress of the rescue operation.