In Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, a team of cooks has prepared a morning meal for the workers who have been trapped in a tunnel for 10 days. The food will be delivered through a six-inch-wide pipeline that was pushed through the rubble of the collapsed portion on Monday. The cooks are preparing breakfast for the trapped workers, including dishes like ‘Aloo-Chana Dal’, ‘Khichdi’, ‘Daliya’, and later ‘Puri’ as per instructions. A video shared on Twitter showed the breakfast being prepared and the food being sent through the pipeline. This is the first time hot Khichdi was sent to the workers since they were trapped.
The collapse in the under-construction tunnel occurred on November 12, trapping 41 labourers. The government reported that the workers are trapped in a 2 km-built tunnel portion, which is complete and provides safety. After the breakthrough of the pipeline, the rescue operation will continue with horizontal boring by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) using an Augur boring machine. Professor Dix, who inspected the tunnel and the area for the vertical drilling operation, expressed optimism about the rescue operation.
Colonel Deepak Patil, in charge of the rescue operation, stated that their main challenge is evacuating the trapped men through a 900 mm pipe, which will be attempted later. For now, they are sending food, mobiles, and chargers through the six-inch lifeline. The food items sent to the trapped labourers are determined based on their condition and a list prepared with the help of doctors. Plastic cylindrical bottles with wide mouths are used to send bananas, apples, Khichdi, and Daliya to the workers.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami assured that the evacuation work is progressing rapidly. If any relative of the trapped persons arrives at the site, the government will make arrangements for their travel, accommodation, and food.
