Six-member rathole mining team deployed for rescue ops

Manual drilling and excavation horizontally using the rathole mining method started on Monday at the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi to evacuate the 41 workers trapped inside for 16 days, people familiar with the matter said, adding that six rathole mining experts have been deployed for the rescue operation.

- Amit Bathla

The development came after parts of a US-made auger machine, which drilled up to 46.8 metres through the debris, got stuck in the rubble on Friday, forcing officials to focus on an alternative option, such as vertical drilling and rathole mining technique.

Officials said that the horizontal drilling through the last 10-12 metres of debris of the collapsed portion of the tunnel will be done manually by a team of six rathole miners from Madhya Pradesh. They began the drilling from inside the pipes, 800- and 900-mm in diameter, pushed inside the tunnel to evacuate workers, on Monday.