Ongoing rescue operation in Uttarkashi tunnel reaches day 16; rat miner team prepares for manual drilling

• Sixteen days into the rescue operation, 36 meters of the required 86 meters of vertical drilling has been successfully completed
• A top-down approach, involving the destruction of the mountain from the summit, has achieved significant progress, with 36 meters destroyed within 24 hours
• A team of rat miners is set to undertake manual drilling as part of the horizontal drilling strategy to create a pathway to the trapped workers inside the tunnel

In Uttarkashi's Silkyara region, the ongoing rescue operation for 41 trapped workers in a tunnel has entered its sixteenth day, marked by significant developments. With 36 meters of the required 86 meters of vertical drilling completed, the rescue efforts have garnered attention from top government officials, including Union Minister VK Singh and Prime Minister Modi's Principal Secretary PK Mishra.

Mishra personally communicated with the trapped workers and assured them of a swift rescue. The introduction of a rat miner team for manual drilling marks a crucial step in the horizontal drilling strategy, aimed at creating a pathway to reach the workers. Simultaneously, the top-down rescue plan, involving the destruction of the mountain from the summit, has shown promising results, with 36 meters eradicated within 24 hours.

The commitment to rescuing the trapped workers is evident in the coordinated efforts involving advanced drilling techniques and the strategic destruction of mountainous terrain. The involvement of expert teams and top government officials underscores the urgency and dedication to ensuring the safe extraction of the workers from the tunnel in Uttarkashi, with both vertical and horizontal drilling methods being employed for a comprehensive rescue approach.