Uttarkashi tunnel collapse: Drilling begins again as first visuals of trapped labourers emerge

In a video released by the rescue agencies, the workers wearing yellow and white helmets, are seen receiving food items sent to them through the pipeline and talking to each other.

Lucknow: Drilling into the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district, a portion which had collapsed on November 12 trapping 41 labourers, began again by an Agar machine to insert pipes into the tunnel even as the first video of the trapped labourers emerged on Tuesday showing them receiving the food sent through the pipes and speaking to the rescuers.

According to the sources quoting the officials in Uttarkashi, 34 metres of drilling had been done so far. The trapped labourers were provided hot meals for the first time, sources added.

The video footage obtained through an endoscopic camera, which was sent inside with the pipe carrying food items, showed the labourers donning white and yellow helmets standing together and talking to the rescuers and their family members through the mic.

The family members of the trapped labourers appeared to be satisfied after talking to their near and dear ones.

The officials engaged in the rescue operations, which entered the 10th day on Tuesday, said that there was enough oxygen, water and light inside the tunnel where the labourers were trapped.

Sources said that another drilling machine to be deployed on the roof of the tunnel was likely to reach the site shortly. The experts plan to start vertical drilling from the roof of the tunnel also.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that every possible attempt was being made to bring out the trapped labourers safely. Though he refused to give a timeline, he expressed confidence that the labourers would be rescued in the next few days.

As many as 41 labourers from Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Assam remain trapped after a portion of the tunnel which caved in on Sunday. The spot was 200 metres away from the entry of the tunnel toward Silkyara.

The 4.5-kilometre-long tunnel was being constructed from Silkyara to Dandalgaon on the Yamunotri National Highway under the Char Dham Road project. The tunnel would reduce the distance from Uttarkashi to Yamunotri by around 26 kilometres.