Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue: Vertical Drilling Progresses Up to 31 Metres, Manual Drilling Preparation Underway
Vertical drilling from above the Silkyara-Barkot tunnel in Uttarakhand has reached a depth of 31 metres as part of the ongoing rescue operation to save 41 workers trapped for the past 15 days. The former DG of Border Roads Organisation, Harpal Singh, provided an update on the progress, stating that a total of 86 metres need to be drilled vertically to create an escape passage. Pipes with a diameter of 1.2 metres will be laid through the top of the tunnel using this method as the second option. Additionally, preparations are being made to initiate manual horizontal drilling inside the main tunnel after an auger machine breakdown.
The rescue team is planning to manually dig 10 to 12 metres through the rubble, and frames of 800 mm diameter pipes have been prepared for this purpose. Singh mentioned that progress could be made gradually, covering a 10-metre stretch in 24-36 hours if no obstacles are encountered. The auger drill, a corkscrew-like device used in the initial drilling, got stuck, leading to the decision to abandon the machine. After removing parts of the auger, the extraction process was completed to facilitate manual drilling and the placement of pipes, with approximately 12 metres left to go.
