Operation Underway to Rescue 41 Workers Trapped in Collapsed Tunnel in India for 17 Days

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In a heroic rescue effort, responders in India are now in the process of extracting 41 construction workers who had been trapped within a collapsed mountain tunnel for an arduous 17-day period in the northern region of the country. This significant operation commenced today, and as per a report from the reputable Press Trust of India, one worker has successfully been brought to safety thus far. The laborers are being painstakingly extracted through a specially constructed passageway consisting of interconnected welded pipes, previously inserted by determined rescuers through layers of dirt and rocks.

The entire nation has been closely following this harrowing rescue mission, which began on November 12th when a landslide resulted in the collapse of a section of the 4.5-kilometer (2.8-mile) tunnel being constructed in Uttarakhand state, approximately 200 meters (650 feet) from the entrance. During their confinement, these resilient workers sustained themselves with limited provisions of food and a vital supply of oxygen provided through narrow steel pipes. Following their liberation, they will receive medical attention at a makeshift health center set up inside the 13-meter (42.6 feet) wide tunnel, according to officials.

Previously, we reported on the utilization of hand-held drilling tools to create an escape route for the trapped workers. A dedicated team of approximately a dozen individuals worked tirelessly overnight, taking turns to manually break through rocks and debris, effectively reaching the final phase of this remarkable rescue mission.

The decision to resort to manual digging arose after a drilling machine irreparably malfunctioned on Friday while attempting to penetrate the challenging terrain of Uttarakhand. Prior to this setback, the machine had successfully bored through approximately 47 meters (nearly 154 feet) of the estimated 57-60 meters (nearly 187-196 feet) required for the rescue effort. Subsequently, rescuers undertook the demanding task of manually excavating a passage to facilitate the workers’ evacuation, and they have managed to drill through more than 58 meters (190 feet) thus far.

As the sun began to set on this momentous Tuesday, families eagerly congregated near the accident site, anxiously awaiting the long-anticipated reunion with their loved ones. Jaimal Singh, hopeful to reunite with his trapped brother Gabbar Singh, expressed optimism, stating, “Even nature looks cheerful today… the weather is good. Let’s hope this ends soon.”

Rescue teams have ingeniously inserted pipes into the dug-out sections and securely welded them together to accommodate the transportation of the workers on wheeled stretchers.

These laborers have endured their ordeal since November 12th, when the initial landslide incident led to the section’s collapse while constructing the 4.5-kilometer (2.8-mile) tunnel. As a contingency plan, rescuers also commenced the creation of a vertical channel using a newly replaced drilling machine.

Initially anticipated to conclude within a few days, this extensive rescue operation has stretched into weeks, prompting officials to refrain from providing a specific timeline for its completion. Arnold Dix, an international tunneling expert aiding in the rescue, expressed his satisfaction with the ongoing progress, emphasizing, “I just feel good. The drilling on top of the mountain is coming along perfectly, in the tunnel, it’s coming along very well. I have never said ‘I feel good’ before.”

Most of the trapped workers hail from diverse regions across the country, making them migrant laborers. Their families have converged on the location, enduring days of waiting in hopes of reuniting with their loved ones.

Authorities have diligently supplied the trapped workers with hot meals via a 6-inch (15-centimeter) pipe, following days of subsisting solely on dry rations dispatched through a narrower conduit. Furthermore, a separate pipe has been employed to provide the necessary oxygen, with over a dozen medical professionals, including psychiatrists, on-site to monitor their well-being.

The tunnel under construction was intended to serve as part of the Chardham all-weather road, designed to connect various Hindu pilgrimage sites. Some experts have voiced concerns that this federal government flagship initiative may exacerbate the already fragile conditions in the upper Himalayas, where several towns are situated atop landslide debris.

Uttarakhand, with its many Hindu temples and increasing numbers of pilgrims and tourists, has witnessed the ongoing development of buildings and roadways, contributing to the region’s growth and transformation.

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• BBC News: India tunnel workers’ rescue mission continues
• CNN: Rescuers begin pulling out 41 workers trapped in collapsed Indian tunnel for 17 days
• Press Trust of India: Rescuers use hand-held drills to free 41 workers trapped in an Indian road tunnel for over 2 weeks
• The New York Times: Rescuers Race to Free 41 Workers Trapped in Indian Tunnel for 2 Weeks
• Al Jazeera: India rescuers near end of tunnel to save trapped workers