Vertical drilling starts, other options also being executed in Silkyara tunnel
Monday, 27 November 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Horizontal drilling through the debris to reach 41 workers stranded in the Silkyara tunnel remained closed on Sunday even as the rescuers began vertical drilling from the mountain above the tunnel. Efforts are continuing to cut and remove the broken bits of the Auger drilling machine. Officials said that after all the parts of the broken machine are removed from the escape channel, the horizontal drilling will be carried out manually.
Addressing the media at Silkyara on Sunday, secretary Neeraj Khairwal informed that the task of cutting the blade and shaft of the Auger machine stuck in the metal pipe used to create an escape channel is continuing. A laser cutter and plasma cutter sought for this task have been brought to Silkyara. Khairwal said that a 8.15 metre portion of the machine was left to be removed on Sunday evening. He said that after the drilling machine is cut and removed from the pipe, the mining through the remaining portion of the debris will be carried out manually. All preparations have been made for the manual drilling, he added. The secretary further informed that all the workers stuck in the partially caved-in tunnel are well and that they have kept their morale up. An additional communication setup has been put in place with the help of BSNL for communication with the stranded workers. There is adequate food and other essential items available to them, he said. To keep a check on their health, doctors are consistently in communication with them while psychologists are also counselling them consistently to keep their morale up, the secretary said.
The Road Transport and Highways additional secretary and National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) managing director Mahmood Ahmed informed that work is being carried out simultaneously on different plans as part of the rescue operation. Vertical drilling from the mountain above the tunnel was started on Sunday and a depth of about 19.2 metres had been covered till the evening. At the same time, RVNL has started work on perpendicular-horizontal drilling with all the machines needed for the task reaching the site. The task of preparing a concrete bed for the perpendicular-horizontal drilling has already started, he added. Ahmed further informed that work on the option to prepare a drift tunnel has also been started with its design being finalised and work starting on its frame and fabrication. At the same time, THDCIL is undertaking the task of building the tunnel from the Badkot side. Four blasts have been carried out so far and work has been completed on a 10 metre stretch. Special care is being observed while carrying out the blastic, he added.
It will be recalled that the 41 workers have been stuck in the partially caved-in Silkyara tunnel since November 12. A distance of about 47 metres had been drilled through the debris when the machine was damaged on Friday due to metal pieces in the debris.
