With horizontal drilling to reach the 41 workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel stuck for the third consecutive day, rescuers began vertical drilling above the tunnel, completing nearly 19.5 meters of boring on November 26. The teams have set a target of vertically drilling through 86 metres of mountain in 100 hours, if there are no unexpected hurdles.
Briefing the media about the vertical drilling, as the rescue operation entered its 15th day, Additional Secretary (Technical, Road and Transport) Mahmood Ahmed said there could be a need to change the “needle” or head of the drilling machine after a point of time and necessary arrangements for the same are already in place.
Also read: Uttarkashi tunnel collapse LIVE updates on November 26, 2023