Tunnel collapse: Workers could be rescued tomorrow or day after, says official

The rescue and relief operations are underway at a war footing level to rescue 40 labourers trapped inside a tunnel on the Yamunotri National Highway (NH) in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi, with food and oxygen being sent to the workers through a pipeline, said officials.

Abhishek Ruhela, district magistrate Uttarkashi, said the debris has been removed from around 21 metres of the tunnel. “But loose rock material falling again in the cleared stretch is creating challenges. So, side by side, the tunnel walls are being stabilised through shotcreting (a method of applying concrete projected at high velocity primarily on to a vertical or overhead surface.)”.

Devendra Patwal, Uttarkashi district disaster management officer (DDMO), said a 900 mm pipeline is being brought from Haridwar, which will reach the site at around 2am in the night. “After that, it will take nearly 24 hours to push that huge pipe into the collapsed stretch. If that succeeds, the labourers can crawl out from the same pipe. But while pushing the pipe, it should not encounter any blockage or major cave-in. There is sufficient oxygen inside the tunnel for labourers to survive for over 5 to 6 days...so labourers could be rescued tomorrow or the day after,” he said .

Nearly 55-metre stretch of the 4.5-km-long under-construction tunnel from Silkyara to Barkot on the Yamunotri National Highway (NH) collapsed on Sunday, leaving 40 workers trapped inside the tunnel at 205-260 metres stretch from the mouth of the tunnel. These workers are from Uttarakhand (2), Himachal (1), Bihar (4), West Bengal (3), Uttar Pradesh (8), Orissa (5), Jharkhand (15) and Assam (2), district administration officials said.

Patwal said food and oxygen are made available to the labourers trapped inside the tunnel. “Small food packets have also been pumped inside the tunnel through one pipe with compressed air. Labourers also confirmed about the receipt of food items by shouting through the pipe. Temporary oxygen supply is being made available continuously through water pipeline and ventilation is being ensured at the collapse site through a 200 mm pipe”.

He said an escape channel is being created for the rescue of the trapped labourers at war footing level so that the pipeline can be pushed in. “The exposed tunnel walls are being stabilised through shotcreting. “A horizontal drill machine from the Lakhwar Hydro Project is working at the incident site and the collapsed material is being removed continuously. A vertical drill machine, four Poclain machines, three shotcreting machines, two JCBs, six trucks, and one loader are engaged in the removal of the debris and the creation of an escape channel,”he said.

“Two additional JCB machines have also been sent by the Public Works Department (PED). With the help of PWD, a temporary helipad has also been constructed near Syalna, at a distance of 5 km from the incident site. Chinyalisaur helipad has also been activated/marked for relief operations,” he said.

He said the debris removal is proving to be challenging as the loose material is caving in as the debris removal progresses. “So along with the debris removal, the rescuers have to ensure the stability of the tunnel walls by shotcreting. Over 21 m of debris was removed today. However, fall of debris reduced the excavated stretch to the tune of 14 metres. So muck/debris removal is continuing followed by shotcreting”, he said.

The officer said they have succeeded in speaking to the trapped labourers through a walkie-talkie once. “After the trapped labourers said they were hungry and asked for food, food packets (Chana) were supplied to them through the same pipeline through the compressor,” he said

He said the incident took place at a distance of 205 metres from the mouth of the tunnel. The trapped workers are nearly 55 to 60 metres away from where the muck is piled up.

According to the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL) officials, on November 10 reprofiling work was started from 260 m to 265 m stretch from the Silkyara side and for the same stretch, primary lining work was completed. On November 12, breaking work was started from 260 m to 263 m for the next stretch of work and around 5.30am, the collapse occurred between 205 m to 260 m, leaving 40 labourers trapped inside the tunnel, whose shift was scheduled to end around 8am.

Officials involved in the rescue and relief operations said a 900 mm Dia MS Steel Pipe is being brought from Haridwar, which is likely to reach the site by evening. An expert team from the Irrigation Department is also reaching the project site to assist in the successful pushing of steel pipe, they said.

Around 160 personnel from the National Disaster Response Force, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the police and revenue departments are involved in the rescue and relief operation and making efforts to remove the debris with earth moving, drilling machines, Poclain machines and JCBs, said officials.