Silkyara tunnel Archives - Lokmarg

Rat Miner Team Celebrate Successful Rescue Of 41 Workers

By LokMarg 29th November 2023

When heavy machinery broke down in an effort to drill through the debris that had trapped 41 workers in the Silkyara tunnel, the rescuers resorted to rat-hole mining, a banned practice in the country.

Rat hole mining involves digging of very small tunnels, through which skilled workers enter and extract coal or debris.

Rat mining rescue team leader Vakeel Hasan while recounting his memories of the moment when the team of the miners saw the workers, said that it was like offering water to the person who is about to die with thirst.

“It was a very emotional feeling when we saw them and they saw us. It was like a person getting some water on a deserted land. It was like everyone accomplished their purposes. We fulfilled the commitment that we made… All the workers came out of the tunnel without a scratch…” Hasan said.

Rat-hole miners emerged as the heroes as they drilled with their hands to safely evacuate all workers on Tuesday.

Speaking about the process and technique of going into tight spaces to reach the trapped workers on Tuesday, Hasan said that the miners had installed a pipe to 18 meters.

“We installed a pipe till 18 meters… Munna and I are partners, and the other 10 are workers… actually, we had to dig for 15 meters but when we couldn’t reach the workers, we dug more three meters….In the pipe, we started the ‘chuha boring’ technique- this is the same way, a rat digs the soil. The way it pushes the soils behind it and then proceeds, this is the same technique,” Hasan added.

Munna, the partner of Vakeel Hasan said that the trapped workers were hugely relieved and showered them with love when they saw them for the first time.

“When four of my workers went inside the tunnel where the workers were trapped, the labourers asked them to call me and when I reached there, they asked me what I wanted. As soon as they saw me, they showered all their love to me and asked whether I wanted their lives, money, or the position of God. I said that I only need your love,” Munna said.

This rat-mining method has faced severe criticism due to its hazardous working conditions and numerous accidents leading to injuries and fatalities.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned the practice in 2014 and retained the ban in 2015.

The 41 workers had been trapped since November 12 when the part of the tunnel they were helping to construct in Uttarakhand gave way, blocking their only exit with more than 60 meters of broken rock, concrete, and twisted metal.

Of the 41 men, eight are from Uttar Pradesh, 15 are from Jharkhand, two are from Uttarakhand, five are from Bihar, three are from West Bengal, five are from Odisha, two are from Assam, and one is from Himachal Pradesh.

The first workers were brought out following a series of agonizing setbacks, during which rescue efforts were halted when the heavy drill meant to break through the debris broke down, forcing workers to adopt riskier methods. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

All 41 Trapped Workers Rescued Successfully : Uttrakhand

By LokMarg 28th November 2023

After tireless efforts of rescuers which continued for 16 days, all 41 trapped workers were evacuated successfully from the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand.

Meanwhile, locals distributed sweets outside the Silkyara tunnel as trapped workers were being rescued from the tunnel.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met the workers who have been rescued along with Union Minister of State General (Retd) VK Singh.

“Initial health checkup of all the workers is being done in the temporary medical camp built in the tunnel,” Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami tweeted.

Moreover, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said that he is relieved and happy as 41 trapped labourers in the Silkyara Tunnel Collapse have been successfully rescued.

“I am completely relieved and happy as 41 trapped labourers in the Silkyara Tunnel Collapse have been successfully rescued. This was a well-coordinated effort by multiple agencies, marking one of the most significant rescue operations in recent years. Various departments and agencies complemented each other despite facing numerous challenges. Tireless and sincere efforts by everyone, coupled with prayers from all, have made this operation possible. The dedicated endeavours of the rescue teams have yielded favourable results,” Gadkari posted on X (Formerly Twitter). ‘

He further expressed gratitude to each agency and individual involved in this rescue operation.

“Deep appreciation for the international rescue experts, administrative officers, and the Uttarakhand government for their swift and effective response. I take this opportunity to thank the PM @narendramodi Ji, who has been constantly monitoring the entire operation and providing guidance and support whenever required. CM Uttarakhand @pushkardhami Ji and my colleague @Gen_VKSingh Ji almost camped there during the operation. Last but not least, I thank the officers and engineers of MoRTH for their sincere efforts,” he further said.

As workers were rescued, Kin of Anil Bedia, a worker from Ranchi, who was trapped in the Silkyara tunnel said, ” We’re feeling very good…we hope he comes out soon… “

“The exact time of breakthrough was 7:05 pm. Uttarakhand CM, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways and Civil Aviation Gen VK Singh are present there,” said Harpal Singh, Project Head, Zoji-la Tunnel.

CM Dhami highly appreciated the morale and courage of the workers and personnel engaged in the rescue operation.

Earlier today, Uttarakhand CM and other officials reached the Silkyara tunnel rescue site.

A portion of the tunnel caved in on November 12, the debris falling in the 60-metre stretch on the Silkyara side of the tunnel, trapping 41 labourers inside the under-construction structure.(ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

U’khand: Pipe Work Completed, Evacuation Soon Says Dhami

By LokMarg 28th November 2023

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the pipe laying work inside the Silkyara tunnel where the efforts to bring out 41 trapped workers is underway has been completed.

“With the blessing of Baba Baukh Nag Ji, prayers of crores of countrymen and the tireless work of the rescue teams engaged in the rescue operation, the work of laying pipes in the tunnel to take out the workers has been completed. Soon all the labourers will be taken out,” CM Dhami said in a post on X.

During a press briefing earlier today, the Nodal Officer for the Silkyara rescue operation and Secretary to the Uttarakhand government, Neeraj Khairwal, also said that if there are no more hurdles, the rescuers are anticipating an early evacuation of the trapped labourers.

Meanwhile, ambulances, NDRF personnel, SDRF and several other agencies have been deployed at the entrance of the tunnel. The NDRF team will be going inside the tunnel to bring out the trapped labourers one by one, as per official sources.

Micro tunnelling expert Chris Cooper said that the vertical drilling works have been stopped and they are focusing on manual drilling which is progressing on a swift pace.

He added that the team is expecting to see some results by evening around 5 pm.

“We are still mining. Everybody is very excited and energetic. Let us see what happens. We have stopped vertical drilling and the focus is on manual drilling,” Chris Cooper said.

“We have got a couple of more metres to go. We are expecting to see some results by 5 pm. 2-3 metres are left,” he added.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the ongoing rescue and relief efforts from Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami via call.

PM Modi inquired about the well-being of the trapped workers and instructed the Chief Minister to ensure their safety along with those involved in rescue operations.

The relatives of the 41 trapped labourers have been asked to be prepared and keep the clothes and bags of the workers ready as the ongoing rescue effort raises hopes of an early evacuation, as per official sources.

According to the sources, the workers will be taken to Chinyalisaur Hospital after being rescued and brought out. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

U’khand: Rat Hole Mining To Remove Debris Through Manual Drilling

By LokMarg 27th November 2023

In an effort to step up the rescue operations in Uttarkashi, a rat hole mining technique will be used for manual drilling to remove the debris inside the pipe on the 16th day of continued rescue efforts in Silkyara tunnel, according to officials.

As per the official sources, a team of 6 specialists have reached the site to undertake the manual drilling work. They will go inside the 800 mm pipe of the tunnel to remove the debris manually. The team includes engineers from the Indian Army’s Madras Engineering Group as well as civlians.

Apart from the drilling machine, a hammer, a shovel, a trowel, and a life support device for oxygen will be carried by these specialised teams while going inside the tunnel.

The auger machine being used for horizontal drilling of the tunnel that got stuck inside the pipe was cut and removed earlier today using a plasma cutter. The auger machine stuck inside the pipe, produced 48 m of debris on the mouth of the tunnel, which will also be removed by the rat miners.

Rat miners are specialists in digging and drilling manually in narrow passages including tube mines who mostly work in mines and have the experience of drilling for hours.

The rat hole mining technique is generally used in coal mining, especially in regions that have difficult terrain.

“It is a challenging operation. We were called in from Delhi. We reached here yesterday. We are basically from Madhya Pradesh. We will try our best to complete the drilling process as soon as possible,” one of the civilian specialists who reached the site to carry out manual drilling told ANI.

The Army’s engineering unit has made steel frames of 1.2×1.5 m whose thickness is 1 m. The Madras Sappers along with the help of other agencies will take the frames one by one from the mouth of the tunnel to the inside which will also take at least 10 days.

Thirty personnel of the engineer regiment are at the spot to expedite the rescue operations.

Over 35 metres of vertical drilling work have been completed so far out of the 86 metres needed to reach the trapped workers.

SJVN, a public sector undertaking company involved in hydroelectric power generation and transmission, started the vertical drilling work on the top of the tunnel atop the hill on Sunday, November 26.

This machine has the capacity to go only to a depth of 45 meters, after which the machine and its parts will be replaced and then the manual drilling work will start.

Today is the second day of vertical drilling and as per National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), the drilling work is expected to be completed by November 30, as the agencies have set a time frame of 100 hours i.e. four days for it.

Addressing a press conference in Uttarkashi on Sunday, NHIDCL Managing Director Mahmood Ahmad said, “We have to drill around 86 meters to be done within four days that is by November 30. Hopefully, there will be no further hurdles and the work will be completed on time.”

If the 1.2-metre diameter pipe is successfully removed, then the NDRF team will pull up all 41 labourers from the top of the mountain using a harness machine.

Boring is also being done through a 200 mm diameter pipe at a distance of 14 meters from another part which will give a better clarity of the shape and structure of the ground from the surface of the mountain to the surface of the tunnel.

Multiple agencies are working on the rescue efforts. In collaboration with the Border Road Organisation and other agencies, efforts are underway to enter from the other mouth of the tunnel that is the Barkot side. Four blasts were undertaken under the supervision of BRO and so far only 10 metres out of 500 meters have been covered.

Also, the rescuers are planning to build a mini tunnel along the left side of the tunnel, horizontal but perpendicular to the Silkyara tunnel, the work of which will be undertaken by SJVN.

As per the official sources, the length of this perpendicular mini tunnel will be 180 m but it will take another 10 to 15 days. The agency has planned to start the work for this on November 28.

After a portion of the tunnel caved in on November 12, the debris falling in the 60-metre stretch on the Silkyara side of the tunnel trapped 41 labourers inside the under-construction structure. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

Army’s Engineer Regiment Called In For Manual Drilling At Uttarkashi

By LokMarg 26th November 2023

A unit of Madras Sappers, an engineer group of the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army has been called in at Uttarkashi’s Silkyara tunnel for manual drilling at the site where 41 workers have remained trapped for the past 15 days.

30 personnel of the engineer regiment have arrived at the spot to expedite the rescue operations.

For manual drilling, the Indian Army along with civilians will do rat boring inside the tunnel.

“To do manual drilling, the Indian Army along with civilians will dig out the debris inside the tunnel with weapons like hands, hammers and chisels and then the pipe will be pushed forward from the platform built inside the pipe,” an official said.

The official further stated that 41 people were safe and stable inside the tunnel.

Earlier today, the plasma cutter arrived and began cutting the machine stuck in the pipeline.

An official said that if the American Auger machine is removed from the pipeline by plasma cutters by evening, then the tunnel work can be completed in 15 hours.

Officials also informed that the rescue team engaged in the rescue operation has now decided that the pipeline will be sent forward by digging at small distances through manual drilling.

“Even if there is any obstruction in this process, that problem will be solved manually and the pipeline will be sent further to some distance,” they said.

Also, the drone cameras are being used by experts to monitor the rescue operation that is underway here to bring out the 41 trapped workers.

Meanwhile, Union Minister General VK Singh reached the Silkyara tunnel site on Sunday where the rescue operation is underway to bring out the trapped workers.

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

8M Progress Through Vertical Drilling: Uttarkashi

By LokMarg 26th November 2023

With vertical drilling underway to further aid the rescue of the trapped workers in Silkyara tunnel, the rescuers managed to make progress over a distance of 8 metres down the ground in the last one and a half hours.

According to official sources, drilling of up to 8 metres has been completed in the last one and a half years, and currently, the work to lay a 900-mm pipeline is being undertaken.

Vertical drilling, one of the several chalked-out options to bring out 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel, started on Sunday afternoon.

Two locations were identified for the vertical drilling, and both are on the Silkyara side of the high-altitude under-construction tunnel, a portion of which caved in on November 12.

SJVN, a public sector undertaking company involved in hydroelectric power generation and transmission, has just started vertical drilling work on the top of the tunnel atop the hill, the 15th day of continued rescue efforts.

As a second option, vertical drilling work has also been started in another part on top of the tunnel to create rescue space for workers trapped. This portion of the tunnel has access to electricity and water.

Multiple agencies are working on the rescue efforts. In the latest, the Indian Air Force has also joined in as it flew critical DRDO equipment to Dehradun.

On Tuesday, rescuers managed to insert an endoscopy camera into the tunnel. The first visuals captured on that device showed the trapped workers had ample space inside the tunnel for them to move around.

The visuals gave new hope to worried relatives, some of whom were camping outside the site of the collapsed tunnel structure.

Meanwhile, international tunnelling expert Arnold Dix, who has roped in the rescue project, said on Sunday that there was no chance of any further collapse in the area where the incident took place.

“It may have been an unusual situation occurring here where the class of rock changes. It has to be investigated. The area that collapsed hadn’t collapsed before; it wasn’t even given any clue that it was going to collapse before. So, it is a part of the challenge for us–what is it about the ground here, this mountain that caught us on the back foot,” he said.

Also, as part of efforts to relieve the stress and anxiety of the workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has stepped in to provide them with a landline through which they can talk to their families. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

It’s Getting Technically More Complex: NDMA On Uttarkashi Ops

By LokMarg 25th November 2023

A member of the National Disaster Management Authority, Lt General (Rtd) Syed Ata Hasnain on Saturday said that the rescue operation at Uttarkashi’s Silkyara tunnel has become technically complex adding that rescuers are working in an environment of unpredictability.

Syed Ata Hasnain said that all 41 workers who remained trapped in the tunnel were stable and safe.

Addressing a press briefing in Delhi, NDMA Member Syed Ata Hasnain said, “You are seeing that this operation is getting technically complex. Earlier there were not many complexities and that is why some people in media were assuming timelines but we never gave timelines from our side. We are conducting rescue operations on hills. We are working in an environment of unpredictability.”

“I have experienced that when you do something with mountains, you cannot predict anything. This is exactly a situation like war,” he added.

He further informed that advanced machinery is being airlifted by the Indian Air Force to bring the damaged part of the auger machine out from the tunnel.

“The good news is that the 41 workers are stuck inside are stable. All the basic things are being sent. The relatives of the workers have also come, and they are talking to the workers. As far as the rescue operation is concerned, there are certain problems we are facing. There has been damage in the auger machine and some part of it has not come out,” Hasnain said.

“Advanced machinery is required to bring that part of the auger machine out which is being airlifted by the Indian Air Force and it will reach the tunnel site soon,” he added.

NDMA member further informed that the process of drilling will start in the next one to two days.

“Whatever methods we are using right now, we have to have some patience. We need to understand that a very difficult operation is going on. Two methods are being used currently, but a third method that is draft method may also be used soon. Currently, the situation is that the 47-meter digging has been done, we have to keep it stable and remove the broken part of the Auger machine. I feel in the next 1-2 days the drilling will again start,” he said.

Stating that the rest of the drilling will be done manually, Vishal Chauhan, Member, NHAI said, “As we have reached 47 meters. We now have to go 12-15 meters more. It could be 10, 12 or 14 meters, that we have to go manually now.”

“The environmental impact assessment of this project has also been done. There are several things that cannot be predicted but our first priority is to rescue the workers,” he added.

Earlier today Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said a plasma cutter is being flown in from Hyderabad to cut the auger machine that has got stuck in the debris of the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi.

After visiting the site of the tunnel inside which 41 labourers have been trapped after it collapsed on November 12, Dhami said that the auger machine that was involved in drilling through the debris from the Silyara side is expected to be pulled out by tomorrow morning after which manual drilling will begin.

Meanwhile, a 12-member team of the Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) is on standby mode to do vertical drilling on the tunnel. A final decision on the vertical drilling option is likely to be taken by Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) and the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation.

After a portion of the tunnel caved in on November 12, the debris falling in the 60-metre stretch on the Silkyara side of the tunnel trapped 41 labourers inside. The workers are trapped in a 2 km-built portion. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)

Uttarkashi: NDRF Demonstrates Movement Of Wheeled Stretchers Through Pipeline

By LokMarg 24th November 2023

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel on Friday carried out a demonstration of the movement of wheeled stretchers through the pipeline inserted to extricate 41 workers trapped in a portion of the Silkyara tunnel of Uttarkashi, which collapsed over a week ago.

The ongoing efforts to rescue the workers, who have been trapped for the last 12 days after a portion of the under-construction tunnel on the Char Dham route collapsed on November 12, cutting off its exit, is said to be on its last legs.

NDRF personnel, who went inside the pipeline for the demo, said they did not experience any breathing problems during the exercise and could move out comfortably.

Bhaskar Khulbe, a former advisor to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), said a 2-metre part of the inserted pipe had to be cut off as it got compressed due to friction while drilling. This happened after the auger heavy-duty driller encountered an obstruction and exerted more pressure on Thursday, he informed.

Speaking to ANI on Friday morning, Khulbe said the platform on which the Augur drilling machine was mounted developed some cracks on Thursday.

However, the cracks have been repaired since, he informed.

The 25-tonne platform, on which the heavy American Auger machine is mounted, has been strengthened using an accelerating agent for the rapid hardening of concrete, and rescue operations are expected to resume shortly, the former advisor to the PMO informed.

The platform developed some cracks whilst the rescue operation was underway on Thursday and the process of horizontal drilling through the debris had to be halted as a result.

“Last night, we had to revamp the platform on which the machine is mounted. However, Parsons Company operated a ground penetration radar, which told us that there is no metallic obstruction for the next 5 metres (inside the tunnel). This means that our drilling, once it resumes, should be smooth. When we were removing the debris, we came upon two mangled pipes,” Khulbe said, adding that the trapped workers may be extricated by Friday.

As a portion of the under-construction tunnel from Silkyara to Barkot collapsed on November 12, the debris falling in the 60-metre stretch on the Silkyara side of the tunnel trapped 41 labourers inside.

The workers are trapped in a 2 km-built portion, which is complete, including concrete work that provides them safety. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

Trapped Workers Doing Yoga Amid Rescue Efforts: Uttarakhand Tunnel Case

By LokMarg 23rd November 2023

All 41 workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel are practising yoga and other exercises while rescuers work to create an escape route, according to Jaymal Singh Negi, brother of Gabbar Singh Negi – one of the men stranded for 12 days. Negi also expressed hope for ‘good news’ soon.

On November 12, a section of the under-construction tunnel from Silkyara to Barkot collapsed, trapping 41 labourers in debris on the Silkyara side. The trapped workers are in a 2 km-built portion, complete with concrete work for their safety.

Among the trapped labourers, two each are from Uttarakhand and Assam, one from Himachal, eight from Uttar Pradesh, five each from Bihar and Odisha, three from West Bengal, and 15 others are from Jharkhand.

While speaking to ANI, Jaymal Singh Negi mentioned that his brother informed him about the trapped men engaging in yoga and exercises inside the tunnel.

He also advised his brother to continue these activities.

“I advised my brother to keep doing yoga, exercise and walking, and he said yes, we are doing it,” Negi said.

Earlier in the day, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the rescue site. He spoke to Gabbar Singh Negi and another worker, Saba Ahmed, to inquire about their well-being. Dhami updated them on the ongoing rescue operation and prayed for the well-being of all trapped workers.

Rescuers, using an American auger machine, resumed drilling on Tuesday and, by late Wednesday night, drilled through 45 meters of the 60-meter debris stretch blocking the Sikyara side of the tunnel.

Lt General (Rtd) Syed Ata Hasnain of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) likened the rescue operation to a “war” with unpredictable timelines.

“This operation is just like a war situation where one keeps guessing about enemy moves,” he said.

He further mentioned that in this operation ‘Himalayan geology’ is the enemy.

Inspector-General of Police Garhwal Range KS Nagnyal also mentioned that the rescue’s duration is uncertain due to machinery work.

“The attempt at the rescue is in progress and rescue is expected to be carried out very soon. It is machinery work so a stipulated time can’t be decided. The rescue work will go on at night as well,” IG said.

A total of 41 ambulances are stationed at the Silkyara tunnel site, with 31 from ‘108’ and 10 provided by the administration, as informed by Mukesh Nautiyal, the project manager of the Operation 108 Ambulance initiative. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

Uttarkashi Tunnel Case: 41 Ambulances Arranged At Spot, Doctors On Standby

By LokMarg 23rd November 2023

A total of 41 ambulances have been arranged at the spot of Uttarkashi’s Silkyara tunnel where 41 workers remain trapped, an official said on Thursday.

Mukesh Nautiyal, the Project Manager of Operation 108 Ambulance initiative said that out of 41 ambulances, 31 ambulances are of ‘108’ while the other 10 have been provided by the administration.

“There are 41 ambulances where 31 ambulances are of ‘108’ while the other 10 have been provided by the administration. Out of 31, 7 are ALS, while others are BLS. ALS stands for Advanced Life Support, and BLS is Basic Life Support. 27 ambulances are here, and there are 5 ambulances near the tunnel. All the ambulances are well equipped, it’s like a mini emergency,” Nautiyal told ANI.

In this regard, Narendra Badoni, District Program Officer of 108 Ambulance said that all the ambulances will be numbered and serious patients will be shifted to ‘Advanced Life Support’ ambulance.

“We have been given the direction that as the workers will be rescued from the Silkyara tunnel, the ambulances will be numbered, and we will be informed which ambulance will go where. Serious patients will be shifted to ALS, and normal patients will be kept in BLS. ALS is advanced life support with a cardiac monitor, and BLS is basic life support,” he said.

Earlier today, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wished for the safety of 41 workers trapped in Uttarakhand’s Silkyara tunnel and urged the Government to provide proper compensation to them.

Inspector-General (IG) of Police Garhwal Range KS Nagnyal, speaking about the ongoing rescue operation of trapped 41 workers at Sikyara tunnel, said on Thursday that the stipulated time of the rescue cannot be decided as it is machinery work.

“The attempt at rescue is in progress and rescue is expected to be carried out very soon. It is machinery work so a stipulated time can’t be decided. The rescue work will go on at night as well,” said IG.

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Secretary and Nodal Officer for the Silkayara rescue operation Neeraj Khairwal, said on Thursday that Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Union Minister General VK Singh (Retd) had a conversation with the trapped workers that they are fine.

Former advisor to the Prime Minister’s Office, Bhaskar Khulbe who reached the Silkyara tunnel collapse site on Thursday morning said that the entire steel obstructing the free movement of the pipe inside has now been removed.

According to the state government official, the rescue operation is at the final stage as the trapped workers are likely to be pulled out today.

On November 12 a portion of the under-construction tunnel from Silkyara to Barkot collapsed and debris falling in the 60-metre stretch on the Silkyara side of the tunnel trapped 41 labourers inside. The workers are trapped in a 2 km-built portion, which is complete including concrete work that provides safety to the workers. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/