Uttarakhand CM Dhami reviews rescue operations in under-construction tunnel in Silkyara

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], November 15 : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday reviewed the ongoing relief and rescue operations in the tunnel under construction in Silkyara of Uttarkashi.
As per the Chief Minister's Office, the CM has instructed the state administration to coordinate with the central agencies and engage in rescue operations 24 hours.
Telephone numbers have been issued by the administration for continuous contact and communication with the families of the workers trapped in the tunnel, a statement from the CMO said.
Appropriate guidelines have already been given to the government and administration for all possible help and assistance.
Instructions were given to the district administration to make proper arrangements and cooperate with the family members and colleagues of the workers at the incident site as well as the media who came to cover the incident, the statement said.
Further, according to the release, CM Dhami was taking moment-to-moment updates from Commissioner Garhwal, IG Garhwal and agencies engaged in the ongoing relief and rescue operation in Silkyara and ensuring the well-being of the workers trapped in the tunnel.
Shortly after a portion of the under-construction Silkyara Polgaon road tunnel caved in, CM Dhami held a meeting with senior officials of the government at his residence.
Even as relief and rescue operations continue on a war footing, fresh debris falling from the roof of the tunnel is hampering the rescue work, sources said.
Rescuers prepared a platform for the auger drilling machine to insert large-diameter steel pipes into the debris-filled tunnel. The aim is to create a passage through which labourers could be brought out safely.
However, visuals from the site showed rescue officials using JCBs to remove the fresh debris and working to mount the auger machine on the platform again to push the steel pipes into the tunnel.