Uttarkashi: The International Tunnelling and underground space association has offered assistance to the Indian rescue team engaged in the evacuation operation of 40 labourers trapped after a tunnel collapse in Uttarkashi.
A portion of the tunnel that is being constructed between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri National Highway collapsed in the early hours of November 11 following a landslide, trapping 40 workers inside.
Continuous operations have been going on in the area to rescue the labourers.
Anshu Manish Khulko, the Tunnel Project director of National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) said that at present the teams from Norway and Thailand have been kept an standby too, for the rescue operations.
Speaking to the media, NHIDCL Director Anshu Manish said "The work of pipe pushing with the help of auger machine is in progress to safely take out the workers trapped in the Silkyara Tunnel. So far, a distance of 24 metres of pipe has been laid inside the debris. To increase the retention capacity of the rescue operation, arrangements have also been made to airlift one more auger machine from Indore for backup so that the rescue operation continues uninterrupted".
Earlier, Heavy auger drilling machines were airlifted from Delhi to ease rescue operations at war footing. (with ANI inputs)
