Rescuers are drilling through the Uttarakhand tunnel to rescue the workers (File)
Forty-one workers trapped under a collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand are holding on well and being given "a second lifeline" till they are rescued, officials told reporters today.
A 2-km section of the tunnel where concrete work has been completed is the focus of the rescue efforts as this secured section has electricity, water supply and a new six-inch-diameter pipe to deliver cooked food and medicines, apart from the existing four-inch-diameter lifeline.
Using the second lifeline, the trapped workers are being given foods like roti, subzi, khichdi, daliya, oranges and bananas, and medicines and other essentials such T-shirts, undergarments, toothpaste and soap, the officials told reporters.
The rescuers have been able to speak to the workers using a communication system developed by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The workers reported they are safe.
The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) is horizontally drilling from the Silkyara end of the tunnel. It has inserted pipes up to 42 metres. Many others heavy industry firms are drilling from different sides of the tunnel.
A part of the tunnel where construction work was going on collapsed on November 12 after debris fell on a 60-metre stretch on the Silkyara side in Uttarakhand.
Initially, opting for a 900 mm pipe through the debris, safety concerns led to the exploration of multiple rescue options. The area of entrapment, measuring 8.5 metres in height and 2 km in length, is the built-up portion of the tunnel, offering safety to the workers with available electricity and water supply.
Five agencies - ONGC, SJVNL, RVNL, NHIDCL, and THDCL - have been assigned specific responsibilities, working collaboratively with occasional task adjustments for operational efficiency.