First Visuals Of Workers Trapped In Uttarkashi Tunnel For 10 Days

Ten days into a daunting rescue effort, workers trapped in a tunnel in Uttarakhand were seen for the first time early this morning as a camera inserted through a pipe captured their visuals.

An endoscopic flexi camera was pushed through a six-inch pipe inserted through the rubble last night to send food for the 41 workers trapped since a portion of the tunnel caved in on November 12.

The labourers, with thick beards, were seen in their hard hats and work gear, waving to the camera, communicating that they are coping well. Rescue officials, speaking to the workers through Walkie Talkies or radio handsets, were seen asking the workers to come in front of the camera.

"Aap camera ke paas walkie talkie pe aake baat karein (come in front of the camera and talk to us through Walkie Talkie)," an official was heard asking them.

"We will bring you out safely, do not worry," rescuers were heard telling the men.

The trapped workers also had their first hot meal in 10 days as khichdi in glass bottles were sent through the pipe last night. Till now, they had survived on dry fruits and water.

सिलक्यारा, उत्तरकाशी में निर्माणाधीन सुरंग के अंदर फँसे श्रमिकों से पहली बार एंडोस्कोपिक फ्लेक्सी कैमरे के माध्यम से बातचीत कर उनका कुशलक्षेम पूछा गया। सभी श्रमिक बंधु पूरी तरह सुरक्षित हैं। pic.twitter.com/vcr28EHx8g

— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) November 21, 2023

The official in charge of rescue operations, Colonel Deepak Patil, said the workers would soon be sent mobiles and chargers through the pipe.

Over the past week, repeated attempts to rescue the workers have failed because of challenges including the topography and the nature of rocks in the area. The efforts were complicated by falling debris and landslides last week.

Rescuers said significant progress had been achieved as a vertical drilling machine had reached the tunnel from the top. It took 13 hours and three vehicles to bring the machine to the spot, a driver told news agency ANI.

The Centre has devised a five-option action plan that involves drilling from three sides to access the trapped workers. Five different agencies have been tasked with carrying out each operation.

Two tunnels are being drilled horizontally from the right and left sides of the main tunnel, while a vertical shaft will be drilled from the top of the tunnel.

The round-the-clock rescue work is being carried out by multiple agencies, including NDRF, SDRF, BRO, and the ITBP. An international tunnelling expert team arrived yesterday and joined the efforts. A robotics team from defence research organization DRDO has also reached.

Officials said that all workers are safe and are being supplied food and water through steel pipes that have been drilled into the opening.

The under-construction tunnel is part of the ambitious Char Dham project, a national infrastructure initiative to enhance connectivity to the Hindu pilgrimage sites of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri.