Uttarkashi tunnel rescue: Manual digging specialist details operation to remove debris

Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) [India], November 27 (ANI): "All labourers are our brothers", said a civilian specialist Prasadilal who has been called in to carry out the manual drilling for the rescue of 41 trapped labourers in the Silkyara tunnel.
As per the official sources, a team of six specialists have reached the site to undertake the manual drilling work. They will go inside the 800 mm pipe of the tunnel to remove the debris manually. The team includes engineers from the Indian Army's Madras Engineering Group as well as civilians.
Detailing the process, a specialist about to carry out the rat mining process said that "a team of 6 people will go inside the 800 mm pipeline and collect the debris.
"A Shovel and other specialist tood will be used in the process. For oxygen, we will take along a blower with us".
"If we would have been trapped, they would have helped us. All labourers are our brothers", said another civilian specialist called in to carry out the drilling operation.
Thirty personnel of the engineer regiment are at the spot to expedite the rescue operations. Over 35 metres of vertical drilling work have been completed so far out of the 86 metres needed to reach the trapped workers.
Former Army Engineer-in-Chief, Lieutenant General Harpal Singh (Retd) who has reached the Silkyara Tunnel collapse site said that there is no other way left except manual method to reach the trapped workers in the Silkyara tunnel.
"There is no other way left except the manual method and this is also the safe one through which we can reach the labourers. In the current situation, the Auger machine that was stuck has been removed. Efforts are underway to remove the 1.5 meters of the damaged pipe. After its removal, strengthening and muck clearance, skilled labourers will go in with the help of the army. We hope this will be done soon," Lt. Gen Harpal Singh (retd) said.
Meanwhile, prayers are being offered across the nation for the safe rescue of the trapped labourers in the Silkyara tunnel. Devotees in Haridwar lit 21,000 lamps at Har Ki Pauri and prayed for the labourers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi.
A havan Pooja will also be organized near the tunnel at 2:30pm. "Prayers are being offered for the safe rescue of the trapped workers. Havan puja will be organized here today at 2.30 pm" said a priest at the Uttarkashi tunnel site. (ANI)