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Uttarakhand News
Uttarakhand
'Like we're knocking at front door': Tunnelling expert Arnold Dix on Uttarakhand rescue ops
The international tunnelling expert said that his promise has always been to bring all 41 workers back home safely. After making a breakthrough in rescue operation to reach the workers trapped inside the under-construction Silkyara tunnel by drilling 45 metres through the rubble, international tunnelling expert Arnold Dix on Thursday described how far away the rescuers are from hitting the end point. Dix is aiding the rescue process. At the moment, it's like we are there at the front door and we are knocking on it. We know that the guys are there on the other side. I am going to have a look and see what is happening, he said after reaching the tunnel site. Former advisor to Prime Minister's Office Bhaskar Khulbe said the team of rescuers will take another 12 to 14 hours to complete the drilling process.
Uttarakhand
Thai Cave Rescue Experts Consulted, Uttarakhand Tunnel Op May Take 2-3 More Days
As the rescue operation to evacuate 40 labourers trapped in a tunnel in Uttarakhand entered its fifth day on Thursday, Union Minister VK Singh visited the site and said it may take 2-3 more days for the task to be completed. The minister of state for road transport and highways said the rescue could be finished sooner, even as early as Friday, but the government is keeping a longer timeline in mind to account for unexpected difficulties. The minister's statement came even as a faster and more powerful 'American auger' machine began work at Silkyara Tunnel in Uttarkashi to push through a pipe that will be used to rescue the construction workers, who have been trapped in the tunnel since Sunday morning. He also confirmed that the rescue teams have spoken to foreign experts, including a firm that helped save 12 children and their football coach who were stranded in a cave in Thailand. Our priority is to ensure the trapped workers are safe and are rescued at the earliest. Everyone, from the Prime Minister to the chief minister, is helping in every way they can. We faced some problems with the machine that was being used earlier and a faster, more powerful, machine has now been deployed.
