Trapped Workers Just 3 Metres Away

As Rescuers Dig Through Rubble…

Uttarkashi: On Monday, a team of "rat-hole miners" began manual drilling operations to reach the 41 workers trapped within the debris of the collapsed Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi as rescue ops reached Day 17.

A team of 24 "rat-hole mining" experts are involved in the manual drilling process and excavate a narrow passage toward the trapped workers.

This time-consuming task will involve removing debris and creating a secured route for the rescue operation.

Trapped workers are just 5 meters away from the rescue team.

Initial drilling efforts were conducted using a large auger machine that got stuck in the rubble on Friday, prompting authorities to look for alternative methods - vertical drilling from above the tunnel.

Approximately 40 percent of the required 86-metre vertical drilling has been completed till now.

The last bit of the stuck auger was removed by Monday evening allowing for the insertion of a steel pipe deeper into the partially constructed escape passage.

The 25-tonne machine, once repaired, will push a two-and-a-half feet diameter pipe forward as the manual drilling progresses.

Rescue officials played down concerns about the workers' ability to navigate through the two-and-a-half feet diameter pipes, highlighting their prior experience working in 2-foot pipes. To ensure their safety, each worker will be equipped with a helmet, a uniform, a mask, and glasses.