Uttarkashi Tunnel Collapse: PM Modi Speaks to CM, Assesses Situation; Vertical Drilling to Commence

GG News Bureau

Uttarkashi/New Delhi, 20^th Nov. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a phone conversation with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday to discuss the ongoing rescue operations for the 41 workers trapped in the collapsed Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi since last week.

In a statement from the Uttarakhand Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), PM Modi assured that the Central Government is providing the necessary rescue equipment and resources, and that the workers will be safely evacuated through coordination between the center and the Uttarakhand government.

The PM emphasized the importance of maintaining the morale of the stranded workers.

Heavy machinery arrived at the Silkyara tunnel on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri national highway early this morning. The tunnel collapsed in the early hours of November 12.

The Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) is preparing to initiate vertical drilling to provide essential items. The Border Roads Organisation has completed the approach road in just one day to facilitate this.

The Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) is also ready for vertical drilling and has mobilized equipment from Gujarat and Odisha through Railways.

Anurag Jain, Secretary of the Union Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways, announced a five-point action plan for the rescue operation.

The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHDCL), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVNL), Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited (THDC), and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) have each been assigned a specific task. The Border Roads Organisation and the construction wing of the Indian Army are also assisting in the rescue operation.

The plan involves drilling operations from three sides of the tunnel. There will be vertical drilling from the top of the hill where the workers are trapped. Efforts will also continue to drill horizontally through the debris blocking the tunnel at the Silkyara side. Additionally, a small tunnel will be drilled from the Barkot side.

Neeraj Khanna, Secretary Nodal, stated that the rescue team has been instructed to complete the operation as soon as possible.

Bhaskar Khulbe, former advisor to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), and Mangesh Ghildiyal, Deputy Secretary in the PMO, have given strict instructions to the rescue team.

Bhaskar Khulbe, Mangesh Ghildiyal, and Secretary Disaster Management Ranjeet Sinha have traveled to Dehradun, according to the Secretary Nodal.

The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) is currently working on a 6-inch pipeline for food supply. They have completed drilling 39 meters out of the 60-meter target.

Bhaskar Khulbe and Mangesh Ghildiyal appealed to all departments involved in the rescue operation.

NHIDCL will resume drilling from the Silkyara end after ensuring safety arrangements, with the Army preparing the box culvert to facilitate this operation.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the scene to review the ongoing rescue and relief operation.

On November 12, a collapse occurred in the under-construction tunnel from Silkyara to Barkot due to falling muck in a 60-meter stretch on the Silkyara side.

Following the incident, the State Government and the Central Government immediately mobilized resources for the rescue of the trapped laborers.

Initially, efforts were made to lay a 900 mm pipe through the muck as the fastest solution. However, on November 17, this option was abandoned due to ground movement making the structure unsafe. Alternative strategies are now being explored to expedite the rescue mission.

To ensure the safety and morale of the trapped laborers within the 2 km built tunnel section, concrete works have been completed. Essential supplies such as food, medicine, electricity, and water are being provided through a 4-inch compressor pipeline.