Drilling Halted Again in Uttarakhand Tunnel as Machine Hits Metal Object
Drilling operations at the Uttarakhand tunnel, where 41 laborers are trapped, had to be stopped for the second time in two days after the auger machine encountered a metallic object. The blades of the machine had hit a pipe on Thursday evening, causing a pause in the drilling process. After 24 hours, drilling resumed only to be halted again due to the discovery of another metal obstacle.
During a press conference earlier in the day, senior officials informed that only 10-12 meters of drilling remained to reach the trapped workers. Ground penetrating radar had indicated that no significant metal objects were expected in the next five meters. Although experts could not confirm this with complete certainty, it was considered good news. They did, however, identify some other hurdles that would need to be overcome.
With the drilling suspended, rescue teams are now attempting to advance manually towards the trapped workers. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that the rescue operation will be completed on Friday night.
An official stated, “The auger machine has encountered difficulties again, leading to its dismantling. Simultaneously, efforts are being made to reach the trapped workers manually. We are examining the debris and assessing the situation.”
Despite being trapped for 13 days, the workers remain mentally stable and physically fit, according to officials. They are being provided with cut fruits, hot chapatis, daal, and sabzi, which are being delivered through pipes in bottles.
The tunnel under construction in Uttarkashi is part of the Char Dham project, a national infrastructure initiative aimed at improving connectivity to the Hindu pilgrimage sites of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri. The laborers became trapped when a section of the tunnel collapsed on November 12.
