In a remarkable and painstaking multi-agency rescue operation, all 41 workers who were trapped in Uttarakhand’s Silkyara tunnel have been successfully rescued after a harrowing 17 days. The operation faced challenges that led to the utilization of the banned manual “rat-hole” mining technique after advanced machines proved ineffective in drilling through nearly 60 meters of rock.
The extraction process, which required each worker to re-acclimatize to surface conditions, involved specially modified stretchers lowered manually down a two-meter-wide pipe inserted into drilled holes in the hillside. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was present at the site, personally welcoming and embracing the rescued workers.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel descended the pipe first to assess the condition of the trapped men and guide them through the rescue protocols. Each worker, strapped to a stretcher, was manually pulled up through 60 meters of rock and debris.
A total of 41 ambulances, one for each worker, transported the rescued individuals to emergency medical facilities set up in Chinyalisaur, approximately 30 kilometers away from the tunnel site.
Upon emerging from the tunnel, the workers were greeted with garlands, sweets, and cheers from the rescue personnel and onlookers. Families of the trapped workers experienced moments of joy and relief as they were reunited with their loved ones after 17 anxious days. The rescued workers had the opportunity to speak with their families back home.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi commended the courage and patience demonstrated by the trapped workers and their families, as well as the bravery and determination of the rescue personnel. In a statement, PM Modi said, “The success of the rescue operation of our labourer brothers in Uttarkashi is making everyone emotional. I want to say to those trapped in the tunnel that your courage and patience are inspiring everyone.”
He further expressed his appreciation for everyone involved in the rescue operation, stating, “I also salute the spirit of all the people associated with this rescue operation. Their bravery and determination gave new life to our labourer brothers. Everyone involved in this mission has set an amazing example of humanity and teamwork.”
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, acknowledged and thanked everyone involved in the rescue operation, emphasizing the collaborative efforts that contributed to the success of the mission.
Elaborate preparations, including the standby presence of an Air Force Chinook chopper for emergencies and the creation of a green corridor for the transfer of workers to the hospital in Chinyalisaur, were crucial elements in ensuring the safe and efficient execution of the rescue operation.
In a last-minute development, “rat miners,” skilled in the primitive and currently illegal method of coal extraction involving narrow shaft drilling, were brought in to manually dig the rocks in the final 12-meter stretch. This step became necessary after an American Augur drill faced complications with its blades fouled up by debris and iron rods.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
