Forty-one labourers who were trapped in a tunnel in Uttarakhand for 17 days have finally been rescued. The breakthrough came when rat-miners were brought in and manually dug the last stretch of the tunnel. Here are the top 10 points in this incredible story:
1. All 41 workers have been evacuated from the collapsed portion of the tunnel and taken to a temporary hospital set up inside the tunnel. They will undergo medical check-ups and acclimatize to the temperature outside, which has dropped significantly over the past two weeks.
2. The first few workers were brought out using modified stretchers after the NDRF (National Disaster Relief Force) personnel conducted a primary evaluation of their condition. Doctors have confirmed that all the workers are in good health.
3. In addition to the temporary hospital, elaborate preparations have been made for the rescue operation. An Air Force Chinook chopper is on standby for emergencies, and a green corridor has been created to transfer the workers to a hospital located 35 km away in Chinyalisaur.
4. Ministers and political leaders expressed their relief and congratulated the rescue team through social media posts. The homes of the rescued workers were filled with celebrations. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who was present at the tunnel during the rescue, posted on social media, “Patience, hard work, and faith won.”
5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took to social media, posting, “The success of the rescue operation of our labourer brothers in Uttarkashi is making everyone emotional. Your courage and patience are inspiring everyone. I wish you all well and good health.”
6. President Droupadi Murmu posted, “I feel relieved and happy to learn that all the workers trapped in a tunnel in Uttarakhand have been rescued. Their travails over 17 days, as the rescue effort met with obstacles, have been a testament of human endurance.”
7. “Rat miners,” who are skilled in drilling narrow shafts as part of a primitive and currently illegal method of coal extraction, had to manually dig the last 12 meters of the tunnel. This stretch proved too tough for an American Augur drill and other devices.
8. The American Auger drill, which had drilled approximately 46.8 meters, had to be withdrawn as its blades became fouled up by the rocky debris and iron rods in the tunnel ceiling.
9. On November 12, a 200-kilometer area of a tunnel on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri National Highway collapsed, trapping 41 labourers in a 400-meter buffer zone. The rescue workers provided them with food, water, medical supplies, and other essentials through pipes.
10. The 4.5-kilometer tunnel on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri National Highway is part of the Chardham project and will connect Silkyara and Dandalgaon in Uttarkashi. Once completed, it is expected to reduce the distance by 26 kilometers.
The successful rescue of these trapped workers is a testament to the perseverance and dedication of the rescue team.
