New Delhi: Workers who have been trapped under a collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand will now be rescued using wheeled stretchers, according to National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Director General Atul Karwal. The rescue operation will involve pulling out the workers one by one through a pipe that is still being drilled to reach them.
Initially, the rescuers had considered the option of having the workers crawl out one by one. However, due to their deteriorating health condition after spending 12 days under debris without proper meals and natural light, this method may not be feasible.
NDRF personnel will enter the tunnel through the pipe and use stretchers to bring the workers out. To prevent any injuries, each worker will be made to lie low on the stretcher so that their limbs do not scrape against the pipe’s metal underside while being pulled out.
The rescue operation was temporarily halted when an iron mesh blocked the path of the auger machine drilling the escape path. However, the operation resumed after the mesh was removed.
The rescue pipe, which has a diameter of 800 mm, will be cleaned to ensure smooth movement of the stretchers. Mr. Karwal stated that even if the width of the pipe is reduced to 22-24 inches, the workers can still be pulled out. Rehearsals for the rescue exercise have been conducted by the NDRF personnel.
The NDRF is currently welding another pipe and plans to drill two more pipes to create a longer path through the rubble, providing more space for the rescue operation.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami spoke to the trapped workers and reported that they are in good spirits. The workers, who are mentally tough, are optimistic about the efforts being made to evacuate them.
The focus of the rescue operation is a 2-km section of the tunnel where concrete work has been completed. This section has electricity, water supply, and a new six-inch-diameter pipe for delivering cooked food and medicines. The trapped workers are currently receiving meals such as roti, subzi, khichdi, daliya, oranges, and bananas, as well as essential items like T-shirts, undergarments, toothpaste, and soap.
The NDRF is working in collaboration with the state counterpart to ensure the smooth progress of the rescue operation.
This article contains inputs from PTI.
Note: This article has been rewritten and may not accurately represent the original content.
