Uttarkashi tunnel collapse: Rescue work of 41 trapped on hold again after drilling platform develops cracks

As a multi-agency effort to rescue 41 workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi has entered the final stretch, 41 ambulances were put on standby and a special ward at a local health centre kept ready.  

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) member Lt Gen (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain, while addressing a press conference, said workers trapped in tunnel are likely to be rescued in the next few hours or by tomorrow. The drilling work to pull out 41 trapped workers encountered obstacles, which resulted in a temporary stoppage of



rescue efforts. 

He also noted that it would not be fair to speculate on the timeline for rescue operations as it is just like fighting a war. Hasnain further said that 41 ambulances, one each for trapped workers, are in place at the tunnel site, and facilities are in place to airlift workers in serious condition. Boring through the rubble of the collapsed tunnel was put on hold again Thursday apparently after cracks appeared in the platform on which the drilling machine rests, in a fresh hurdle to the rescue of workers trapped inside for 11 days.