India tunnel collapse: Ambulances on standby as rescue of trapped workers enters final stretch

There are 41 workers trapped inside the tunnel since 12 November when a portion of the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi district collapsed after a landslide struck the region.

There were up to 60 men on the night shift in the 4.5km tunnel when it collapsed before dawn on 12 November.

Men near the end of the tunnel managed to get out in time, but the 41 men working deeper inside were trapped.

Fifteen workers are from Jharkhand, five are from Odisha, eight are from Uttar Pradesh, four are from Bihar, three from West Bengal, two each from Uttarakhand and Assam, and one from Himachal Pradesh.

One of the trapped workers identified by NDTV as Jaidev sent a message to his mother via the supervisor at the tunnel collapse site on Tuesday. He said: “Mother, do not worry about me, I am fine. Please you and father eat your meals on time.”

Officials have said another one of the workers has been trapped before during a similar incident on a previous construction project. They said he would provide support and boost the morale of the others as their ordeal dragged on.

The 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi district have complained of headaches, nausea, anxiety, depression, and constipation among other ailments.

They have been provided with medicines and health officials, including psychiatrists monitoring their mental wellbeing, have advised them to practice yoga and take regular walks inside.

Earlier, Dr Abhishek Sharma, the psychiatrist who is overseeing the mental health of the trapped workers, told the Indian Express: “We’ve kept constant contact, suggesting activities like yoga, walking, and encouraging conversations among them to maintain high morale.

“Among those trapped inside is one Gabbar Singh Negi, who has been in a similar condition before. Being the oldest among them, he is ensuring everyone’s confidence remains high.”

The workers have been stuck inside for more than 11 days. Some days ago, some workers had also complained of battling depression and according to media reports, anti-depressants, along with some dry fruits and multivitamins were sent to the workers.

“Some workers have also complained of constipation and medicines were provided to them,” Uttarakhand government secretary Neeraj Khairwal said.

Once freed, the workers are expected to receive both psychological help as well as physical check-ups, having battled the trauma of being trapped for so many days.

Geotechnical engineers suggest that the slow progress in rescue efforts to free the 41 trapped workers in Uttarkashi could be because of factors such as the collapse taking on an unstable chimney-shaped form and the use of rotating drills that disintegrate rock debris instead of penetrating it.

“One possibility is the formation of a chimney-shaped collapse along an unsupported tunnel section within the rubble,” Ashish Juneja, professor of civil engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay told Telegraph India.

“When you try to drill through this unstable debris, loose soil and rocks will keep falling from the top, stalling progress.” “The more material you remove, the more it falls from the top,” he said.

Another factor influencing the slow progress in the rescue efforts could be the way boulders or rocks embedded within the rubble react to the drilling operations.“The drills used are likely strong enough to penetrate and tear through the rock, but sometimes drills cause the boulder to just rotate and stay where it is. Then you can’t go further,” Mr Juneja said.

“In such circumstances, you would need to use chisels or hammers or other instruments to dislodge the boulder — and that can also slow progress.”

The National Highways Authority of India [NHAI] is going to do a safety audit of 29 tunnels it is building, a statement by the government of India said.

“To ensure safety and adherence to the highest quality standards during construction, NHAI will undertake safety audit of all 29 under-construction tunnels across the country,” the statement said.

The workers have been trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi in northern Indian state of Uttarakhand since 12 November when a landslide struck the region.

Due to the landslide, a portion of the 4.5-kilometre tunnel the workers were building collapsed about 200 metres from the entrance.The under-construction tunnel is part of the prime minister Narendra Modi administration’s multi-million dollar Char Dham project that aims to link four Hindu holy sites in the state.

Uttarakhand is known for its mountainous terrain and is adorned with Hindu temples that draw thousands of pilgrims and tourists every year. The state is also prone to landslides due to its geographical location. The state has witnessed ongoing construction of highways and buildings to cater to the steady influx of visitors.

Jharkhand government is reportedly planning on airlifting the workers from the state after their evacuation, India Today reported.

An official from the labour department of the Jharkhand government told news agencies that the 15 workers from the state, who are trapped inside the tunnel, shall be airlifted after the rescue teams bring them out to safety.

Director General of NDRF, Atul Karwal told media today that the “auger machine has started operating again” and that “we are estimating to send 2-3 pipes of 6 metres inside. Hopefully, by the end of the day, if we do not get any obstacles, the rescue operation will be completed”.

The rescue operation to reach the 41 trapped workers inside the Silkyara tunnel has entered its final stages with just 12 metres of drilling remaining.

However, it is expected to take 12 or more hours to finally reach the workers, Bhaskar Khulbe, a former adviser to the prime minister said today at the tunnel site in Uttarkashi.

Ambulances and doctors have reached the site and are on standby. It is being reported that a team of doctors will first enter the tunnel via the pipe and examine the workers who have been trapped for more than 11 days today and then help them evacuate.

On Tuesday, the first visuals from the tunnel emerged after an endoscopic camera was inserted via a pipe to the relief of the immediate family members of the workers.

After several halts and delays over days due to the technical difficulties of drilling through the rubble, the workers are now expected to be out soon.

The chief minister of Uttarakhand has reached the Silkyara tunnel site today.

International tunnelling expert Arnold Dix, who reached the tunnel site this morning, told ANI that they are now close and it is like being at the “front door and ... knocking on it”.

“We know that the guys are there on the other side. I am going to have a look and see what is happening,” he said. As the operation is in its final stages, the rescue teams are now ready with post-rescue action plan.

Rescue workers could still take 12 to 14 hours more to complete drilling and reach the workers, Bhaskar Khulbe, a former adviser to the prime minister, was quoted as saying by News18.

Meanwhile, the chief minister of Uttarakhand has reached the Silkyara collapsed tunnel site.

As the operation is in its final stages, the rescue teams are now ready with post-rescue action plan.

It was also reported that prayers are being offered at a makeshift temple made at the entrance of the tunnel as family members of the trapped workers wait in anticipation.

The rescue teams have just 12 metres more to drill to reach the trapped workers, reports said.

Anticipation is building up among the family members of the workers who have been waiting outside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi.

International tunnelling expert Arnold Dix, who reached the tunnel site this morning, told ANI that they are now close and it is like being at the “front door and ... knocking on it”.

“We know that the guys are there on the other side. I am going to have a look and see what is happening,” he said.