National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) Managing Director Mahmood Ahmad on Monday informed that the work of the vertical drilling at Uttarkashi tunnel where 41 workers remained trapped is likely to be completed by November 30.
The company stated that it strongly condemns the attempts to link it to the incident. Adani Group or any of its subsidiaries have no direct or indirect involvement in the construction of the Uttarkashi tunnel.
The event organised on November 25 in 14 districts across 16 locations witnessed the participation of youth and a cross-section of the society who observed a two-minute silence and paid tribute to heroes who valiantly defended the nation, according to a CISD press release.
A delegation led by Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, Pramod Kumar Mishra took stock of ongoing efforts to rescue 41 trapped workers in Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi on the 16th day of the operations.
Micro tunnelling expert Chris Cooper informed, on Monday, that all the debris of the auger machine has been removed and manual drilling to reach the trapped labourers will start in a few hours.
As the vertical drilling makes swift progress, former Engineer-in-Chief and Director General of Border Roads Organisation, Lieutenant General (retired) Harpal Singh said that there is no other way left except the manual method to reach the trapped workers in the Silkyara tunnel.
In an effort to step up the rescue operations in Uttarkashi, a rat hole mining technique will be used through manual drilling to remove the debris inside the pipe on the 16th day of continued rescue efforts in Silkyara tunnel, according to officials.
As the Uttarkashi tunnel rescue operation enters day 16 on Monday, prayers are granted across the nation for the safe rescue of the 41 trapped soldiers.
Uttarakhand Congress leader Yashpal Arya on Sunday lashed out at the Uttarakhand-led government over the ongoing Silkyara tunnel collapse rescue and said that the incident reveals the government's "indolence and negligence."
The vertical drilling to rescue the trapped workers in the Silkyara tunnel, which was halted earlier today, has been resumed and the rescuers have managed to make progress over a distance of 17 metres from the hill above the tunnel.
Speaking to ANI about the Rajasthan Assembly Elections, he said, "We will win Civil Lines with a huge margin, more than the number of votes we got last time. I think the silent voter also voted for me. The Congress will form the government in Rajasthan."