Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: Drilling halted again, CM Dhami to stay overnight at site

Drilling efforts at Uttarkashi’s Silkyara tunnel, aimed at rescuing 41 trapped workers, faced a setback on Thursday night when the auger machine encountered a technical issue.

As of now, rescuers have drilled up to 46.8 meters in the Silkyara tunnel.

An official stated, according to ANI, that the machine is undergoing repairs, which are expected to take a few hours. If no further problems arise, the rescue operation is anticipated to resume tomorrow morning after 9 am.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will remain overnight at the site to oversee the final phase of the rescue operations, which began on Wednesday. He has established a temporary camp office at the site to ensure seamless coordination.

“Along with this, it has been decided not to celebrate the Egas festival which is celebrated with great pomp in Uttarakhand today. Today, on the occasion of Egas, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was to participate in this festival along with about a thousand people at the Chief Minister’s residence which he also cancelled,” an official statement said.

“People who reached the Chief Minister’s residence celebrated the festival with utmost simplicity by worshipping the cow. On this occasion, people also prayed to God for the safe exit of the workers trapped in the tunnel as soon as possible,” it added.

While NDRF is actively involved in rehearsals at the rescue site, specific timelines for completion remain uncertain. The Inspector-General of Police Garhwal Range highlighted the complexity of the machinery work involved in the rescue, indicating that it would continue throughout the night.

A total of 41 ambulances are stationed at the Silkyara tunnel site, with arrangements made for medical support.

International Tunneling Expert Arnold Dix stressed the importance of careful execution, especially in vertical drilling, as decisions are made about the next steps in the rescue operation.

With inputs from ANI