National Desk, 18th November: Rescue operations for 40 workers trapped in the collapsed highway tunnel in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, faced a setback as operations were temporarily halted. The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) reported a sudden ‘cracking sound’ and a malfunctioning drilling machine during attempts to restart the drill, causing panic among the rescue team.
The ‘large-scale cracking sound’ raised concerns about the possibility of further collapse, prompting authorities to suspend the rescue efforts temporarily. A meeting has been scheduled to discuss the situation and plan the next steps for the rescue operation.
Deputy Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office, Mangesh Ghildiyal, visited the site to assess the situation, and an Indian Air Force C-17 transport aircraft has been dispatched to airlift 22 tonnes of critical equipment from Indore to Dehradun.
As of Friday afternoon, rescue workers have successfully drilled through 24 meters of debris in the Silkyara tunnel, inching closer to the 40 labourers trapped for five days. The temporary halt emphasizes the challenges and risks involved in the complex rescue operation.
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