Uttarkashi: Rescue workers, who have been toiling to extricate 41 workers from the partially collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi for 11 days, expect “some big news” over the next 24 hours, a senior official said on Wednesday.

Additional Secretary Technical, Road and Transport, Mahmood Ahmed said “some big news” was expected as an additional 880-millimeter pipe had been pushed several metres into the rubble.

He said rescue workers have pushed into the debris three pipes. “We started drilling using auger machine at 12:45 am and I am happy to share that we have drilled 39 metres and also inserted pipe of 800mm. We are progressing well. We are also doing horizontal drilling from Barkot side and have entered till 7.9 metres,” Ahmed said.

He, however, said as long as the authorities reach 45-50 metres inside the tunnel, he wouldn’t be able to provide the exact time frame for their rescue.

“As long as we reach 45-50 metres inside the tunnel, we will not be able to give you the exact time,” he said.

“If there are no obstacles, some big news may be received tonight or tomorrow morning. An iron rod has also come along with the debris. It is a matter of happiness that this iron in the middle of laying the pipeline did not create any problems for us,” he added.

5 agencies pressed for rescue, 39 meter pipeline laid

Five public sector agencies — ONGC, SJVNL, RVNL, NHIDCL, and THDCL– have been working round the clock to rescue the trapped workers.

The under construction tunnel connecting Silkyara to Barkot collapsed on November 12. On Tuesday, the rescue workers inserted an endoscopy camera into the tunnel through which the first visuals of the workers were transmitted out.

Also read: Major ‘breakthrough’ in Uttarkashi tunnel rescue operation; DRDO sends robots

NDRF officer Ravi S Badhani today said the authorities were close to the workers.

“The rescue operation is going really well. A good horizontal drill is happening… According to my knowledge, we are very close to victims now… It’s difficult to give a time frame, but it’s time-consuming… The situation of the trapped worker is fine. They were given the morning breakfast. Communication is well established. They are talking nicely to their family members. Their morale is high,” he told ANI.

The rescue teams have been drilling in two directions.

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the workers will be rescued soon.

“The auger machine is working and we hope that all our worker brothers will be out safely soon,” he said.

With inputs from PTI, ANI