Shillong, Nov 22: In a distressing incident, fifteen labourers from Jharkhand, eight from Uttar Pradesh, five each from Odisha and Bihar, three from West Bengal, two each from Uttarakhand and Assam, and one from Himachal Pradesh find themselves trapped inside the Uttarkashi tunnel since its collapse on November 12. Despite hailing from different states, these individuals share a common struggle for survival as rescue efforts are underway to provide them with much-needed relief.

According to officials, 800mm diameter steel pipes have been successfully inserted up to 39 meters through the rubble. An additional 14 meters remain to be drilled before the rescuers can reach the trapped laborers. Once the drilling process is complete, the established passage will be utilized for the safe evacuation of the laborers from the tunnel.

It must be noted that the drilling was suspended at the tunnel since Friday when the auger machine hit a hard object.

On Tuesday night, the trapped labourers in Silkyara tunnel were supplied veg pulao, matar-paneer, and chapatis slapped with butter for dinner through a food pipe stuck through the collapsed part of the structure.

The dinner was prepared under the doctor’s supervision with less oil and spices to make it easily digestible, was supplied to the workers in 150 packets.

First images of the trapped workers

Using a 6-inch wide pipeline, rescue teams successfully obtained the first images of the trapped workers after several days. These visuals, acquired using an endoscopic flexi camera, offered reassuring confirmation of the workers’ well-being.

Relatives have also talked to the trapped workers through the four-inch compressor tube that already existed.

Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) Tunnel Rescue | Inside visuals of the tunnel as rescue operation continues.

(Pics Source: Working Staff) pic.twitter.com/gxJRbSEA0Q

— ANI (@ANI) November 20, 2023

PM Modi speaks with CM Dhami

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also talked to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to take updates on the rescue operations underway at the tunnel and food and other essentials including medicines being supplied to the trapped workers through a new wider pipeline laid for the purpose.

It must be noted that the Silkyara tunnel is about 30 km away from Uttarkashi and a seven-hour drive from Dehradun.

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