Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: Latest technical snag in auger machine drilling explained

The rescue efforts at the Uttarakhand tunnel collapse site faced a temporary pause on Thursday due to a technical issue with the auger machine used for drilling through the rubble. Officials indicated that the trapped workers would be freed ‘soon’, but the machine's malfunction caused the halt. They assured the public that work to rectify the machine was in progress and asked the media not to guess any timeline for the rescue operation as it would ‘mislead’ the public.

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Bhaskar Khulbe, a former advisor to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), highlighted that a 2-meter section of the inserted pipe had to be removed due to compression caused by drilling friction.

During a media briefing on Friday, Mahmood Ahmed, Additional Secretary Technical at Road and Transport, discussed the technical glitch affecting the machine.

“A team of eight to nine members have been added to assist the rescue operation. The auger's blades needed repair due to damage, prompting us to retrieve and fix them. Debris and metal lodged in the collapsed section of the tunnel are causing hindrances. Cleaning the tunnel is underway to prevent further issues with the machine. We have covered 45 metres, with 14 more to go,” Ahmed said.

He further said that the concrete supporting the auger machine has weakened due to increased torque and extended distance. “Our aim is to surpass the 45-metre mark. During the pipe cleaning, we swiftly conducted grouting and rock bolting to reinforce it, adding extra concrete mixed with an accelerator for quick strength,” he added.

At the briefing before 3pm on Friday, the official further said, “Welding a new pipe will take about two hours. We hope for a smooth journey forward and ask for everyone's prayers for the same. We anticipate completing this within two hours, and there's a chance that the work.”

After a collapse of a section of the under-construction Silkyara to Barkot tunnel on November 12, 41 labourers were trapped due to debris within a 60-metre stretch on the Silkyara side. The rescue operation entered its 13th day on Friday.

These workers are confined within a 2-kilometre segment of the tunnel, which has been fully constructed, including concrete structures ensuring safety for the trapped individuals.

NDMA asks media not to make ‘guesses’ on timeline

Gen. Syed Ata Hasnain, a member of the National Disaster Management Authority, said on Friday regarding the Uttarakhand tunnel rescue operation that the state and central governments are collaborating to save the ‘sons of India’, ensuring no resources are spared for the rescue operation.

“It's a very challenging operation. A war is being fought to save the sons of India who have been toiling up there in the mountain, and the government of India is ensuring that no resources will be left which are required and have not been mustered for this particular rescue operation,” Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain was quoted as saying by PTI.

The NDMA asked media not to speculate about the timeline for completing rescue operations as it can mislead the public. They highlighted the collaborative efforts of central agencies and multiple state governments engaged in the rescue operations at the Silkyara tunnel.

There has been no progress in the movement of pipe through debris in the tunnel since Thursday, and about 15 metres of drilling is still left to reach the stranded workers, he added.