The rescue operation of 41 workers trapped at the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand has hit a snag after the auger drilling through the rubble was reported to be broken on Saturday, November 25. An auger is a spiral tool that is used to drill through the ground and other surfaces. According to reports, international tunnelling expert Arnold Dix told the press that the auger is “broken and destroyed.”
According to the Times of India, the auger machine was pushing 800 mm pipes through the rubble to create a passageway through the debris. However, the blades of the machine were stuck after it hit a metal object in the debris. This is reportedly the fourth such incident in the past week. Before the machine hit a snag, it had drilled 49.6 metres into the debris and was 10-12 metres from the workers who were stuck.
Arnold Dix told reporters in Silkyara that they are looking at other options like manual and vertical drilling to continue the rescue operations. According to the Deccan Herald, Arnold said, “Every door we are opening has its advantages and disadvantages. What we have to ensure is the safety of the rescuers as well as those who are trapped.”
On November 12, an under-construction tunnel on Yamunotri national highway in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district collapsed partially due to a landslide, trapping 41 workers inside. For the past two weeks, officials have been trying to rescue the workers with the help of five agencies including Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Sutluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVNL), Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), and Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited (THDCL).