Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue Operation: Vertical Drilling started to drill 86 meters deep

Rescuers Employ Vertical Drilling in Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue Operation.

The drilling operation is anticipated to last four days, assuming no obstacles are encountered.

Uttarakhand tunnel
An earth-boring machine drills vertically into a mountain to rescue the 41 workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel in Silkyara in Uttarakhands on Sunday. (AFP)


A New Approach: Verticalt Drilling 

On the first day of the new approach to reach the 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara-Barkot tunnel for 14 days, rescuers successfully drilled vertically through nearly 20 meters down the hill. Officials are exploring two to three additional options amid mounting anxiety about the well-being of the trapped men.

In their new vertical approach, rescue workers need to drill 86 meters to reach the tunnel. By evening, Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) had drilled about 19.5 meters. If things go smoothly without any obstacles, the rescuers might reach the trapped workers by Thursday. The operation, which was initially expected to be shorter, has extended beyond the anticipated timeframe. Mahmood Ahmad, additional secretary at the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways of India, and managing director of NHIDCL, explained that the drilling, with a 1.2-meter diameter hole, is expected to take around 100 hours or the next four days, provided there are no unforeseen obstacles.

As the drilling progresses, 700mm wide pipes are being inserted to create an escape passage, while a thinner 200mm probe has reached the 70-meter mark a little distance away. However, the latest approach introduces potential complications. Officials caution that drilling from the hilltop may jeopardize the stability of the tunnel, which is still under construction. There’s a risk of collapse or structural damage, particularly if the tunnel is incomplete or lacks sufficient support. An official from Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) stressed the importance of maintaining communication between the drilling team and the trapped workers inside.


The 4.5-km tunnel under construction in Uttarakhand collapsed on November 12, and authorities are yet to determine the cause. Geologists have been enlisted to ensure the safety of the ongoing operation, though complete assurance is challenging. During the initial two weeks, rescue officials attempted a horizontal dig of 60m through the debris, facing difficulties like hard rocks and metal structures. A significant auger drill used in this process became stuck on Friday evening, leading to the abandonment of the 25-tonne machine.

Workers are entering the incomplete escape passage, equipped with a steel chute, to cut and retrieve the stuck blades and pieces of the auger’s shaft. A plasma cutter from Hyderabad was airlifted on Saturday, complementing the gas cutter. A DRDO team and Army engineers also arrived at Silkyara. By Sunday evening, only 8.15 meters of the 47-meter auger shaft remained to be cut. The operation was expected to conclude by Sunday midnight or the following morning. Once the auger is fully removed, rescuers plan to adopt a new approach—manual drilling to clear the remaining 10-12 meters of rubble.

In the upcoming operation, one worker will enter the laid steel chute to operate the drill, while another will manage the debris through a pulley—a time-consuming task conducted in a confined space, akin to the Rat hole mining process. Despite the rescue work being stalled at only 10 meters from the trapped workers, international tunneling expert Arnold Dix expressed uncertainty, stating it felt as if they were a “thousand kilometers away.” The challenge lies in the unknown contents within the tunnel, such as girders and machines, making the operation cautious to avoid harm and not jeopardize the well-being of the trapped individuals.

Simultaneously, officials are progressing with alternative options. Starting from Tuesday, rescue workers will initiate drilling a 180m alternative escape tunnel into the side of the hill, a process expected to span 12-14 days.

“The machinery has arrived, and the concrete bed is nearly ready. We’re scheduled to commence drilling on November 28, with an estimated completion time of 12-14 days at a rate of 12 meters per day,” stated the RVNL official. Additionally, drilling efforts are underway from the Barkot end of the tunnel, with workers having covered approximately 10 out of 483 meters. Ahmed mentioned discussions with the CMD of THDC regarding the possibility of faster drilling equipment for this task.

Officials are consulting experts to ensure simultaneous implementation of different plans does not pose additional hazards. Sensors are in place to monitor vibrations, and decisions will be made if one plan interferes with another. Regarding the absence of an escape tunnel in the earlier stages of the Silkyara-Barkot project, Ahmed mentioned a committee being formed to investigate, but the priority remains the rescue of the 41 trapped individuals. The workers, confined in a two-kilometer stretch of the tunnel, receive necessities through a six-inch wide pipe, and a communication system allows occasional conversations with their families.

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