Vertical drilling only after horizontal option is over

Auger machine destroyed; manual drilling possibility being explored

- NARENDRA SETHI

WITH the stubborn rubble of an under-construction tunnel in Uttarkashi knocking an auger machine out of action, rescuers of 41 labourers stuck on the other side of the debris oscillated between expediting vertical drilling and exploring manual horizontal drilling.

In the end, it was decided to exhaust all options for horizontal drilling before initiating the vertical one. "Only equipment for vertical drilling is being placed. Vertical drilling won't start till we exhaust the first option of 800 mm pipes," said Col Deepak Patil, head of the rescue operations.

The US auger machine managed to drill about 47 metres horizontally into the rubble in phases and insert 2.7 ft wide pipes into it before the blades of the drill head broke and got stuck in the debris on Friday.