DEHRADUN : The race against time to evacuate 40 workers trapped for nearly 90 hours in an under-construction tunnel in Silkyara, Uttarkashi, intensified on Wednesday as the multi-agency rescue operation faced another setback when a landslide further delayed the operation, coupled with the failure of the auger drill machine on Tuesday evening.
NHIDCL engineers, dissatisfied with the sluggish performance of the auger drill, turned to the Indian Air Force for assistance. A 25-ton high-performance drilling machine, the ‘American Augers’, was swiftly airlifted from New Delhi by Indian Airforce’s C1-30 Hercules transport aircraft to the Chinyalisaur airstrip, from where it was transported to the tunnel, on Wednesday afternoon. Explaining the challenges faced by the rescue team, Anshu Manish Khalkho, director (A&F) at NHIDCL, said, “The nature of the rocks here is quite fragile, posing a significant challenge to the operation.” The newly arrived drilling machine, with a penetration rate of 5-6 metres per hour, is set to expedite the rescue efforts, expected to begin on Wednesday evening.
The installation of the advanced auger machine, requiring 3-4 hours, commenced on Wednesday evening. Another platform inside the tunnel was prepared to accommodate the high-performance auger machine.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
