In a remarkable turn of events, a team of Indian rescuers, including skilled “rat miners,” successfully drilled through rocks and debris on Tuesday to reach 41 construction workers who had been trapped in a collapsed tunnel in the Himalayas for a harrowing 17 days.
The rescue operation, set to commence soon, involves pulling out each of the 41 low-wage workers from India’s poorest states individually on wheeled stretchers through a narrow pipe measuring 90 cm (3 feet) in width.
Uttarakhand state chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed gratitude on social media, confirming the completion of the pipe-laying work in the tunnel. He credited the Hindu deity Baba Baukh Nag Ji and the millions of Indians who prayed for the trapped men and the relentless rescuers. “Soon, all the labourer brothers will be taken out,” he assured.
The workers had been confined in the 4.5 km (3-mile) tunnel since its collapse on November 12. Throughout their ordeal, they received essential supplies, including food, water, light, oxygen, and medicines through a pipe. Previous attempts to rescue them using high-powered drilling machines faced numerous challenges.
In a pivotal move, government agencies turned to “rat miners,” specialists in a primitive and risky mining method primarily used for accessing coal deposits through narrow passages. These miners, aptly named for their resemblance to burrowing rats, were brought in from central India.
Working diligently through the night, they successfully broke through approximately 60 meters of rocks, earth, and metal on Tuesday afternoon.
Dozens of rescue workers equipped with ropes, ladders, and stretchers entered the tunnel, and 41 ambulances were stationed outside to transport the rescued men to a hospital located about 30 km away. Some rescue workers jubilantly made victory signs and posed for pictures.
Relatives of the trapped workers, who had been camped near the site, anxiously gathered outside the tunnel with luggage, ready to accompany their loved ones to the hospital.
One father expressed his relief, stating, “As he comes out, my heart will revive again,” referring to his son, Manjeet Chaudhary. The successful rescue marks a moment of hope amid the challenging circumstances, highlighting the resilience and determination of both the trapped workers and their dedicated rescuers.
STRONG PROJECT
On hearing of the breakthrough, villagers gathered outside the tunnel, some singing Hindu devotional songs and raising slogans in praise of the Hindu god Lord Ram.
Others gathered on nearby slopes in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the men as they were led out.
Since a lifeline pipe was installed last week, the men have been receiving cooked food such as flat breads, lentils, and vegetable curry.
More than a dozen doctors, including psychiatrists, have been stationed at the site, communicating with the men via pipe and monitoring their health.
They were told to do light yoga exercises, walk around the confinement area, and keep talking to each other.
The tunnel is part of the $1.5 billion Char Dham highway, one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s most ambitious projects, which aims to connect four Hindu pilgrimage sites via a 890-kilometer highway network.
The cause of the cave-in is unknown, but the area is prone to landslides, earthquakes, and floods.
According to a member of a panel of experts investigating the disaster, the tunnel lacked an emergency exit and was built through a geological fault.
Environmental experts have criticized the Char Dham project, and some work has been halted after hundreds of houses were damaged by subsidence along the route.
The government claims to have used environmentally friendly techniques to make geologically unstable areas safer.
It also directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to conduct an audit of 29 tunnels under construction throughout India.
Crediblenews would like to give credit to Reuters for their comprehensive coverage of this report. The information and insights presented in this blog post are based on their informative news report titled ” Indian rescuers break through debris to reach 41 men trapped in tunnel “.
Crediblenews.ng
