By ANI
UTTARKASHI: As part of the efforts to rescue the 41 workers trapped at the Silkyara tunnel collapse site, International Tunnelling Expert Arnold Dix conducted an inspection at the tunnel site on Monday.
The International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association president, Arnold Dix, arrived at the location site in Silkyara, Uttarkashi, to aid in the rescue efforts and expressed optimism on the prospects of rescue and relief operations that are underway.
After inspecting the tunnel as well as the area above it from where the vertical drilling operation will commence, Professor Dix seemed optimistic about the rescue operation.
“It is looking good, but we have to decide whether it’s good or a trap, because it’s looking very positive. I have got the best experts for this Himalayan geology here; I’m just one,” Professor Dix said.
“We are going back to the office to talk about what we’ve seen, and we need to compare what we have seen here above the tunnel with what we know about what is happening in the tunnel. This actually helps us make the proper decision because we are rescuing those 41 men, and we are not letting anyone get hurt while we’re doing that, but for that, we need to be very careful,” he added.
VIDEO | Uttarkashi tunnel rescue: International tunneling expert Arnold Dix conducts a survey at Silkyara tunnel where 41 workers have been stuck since November 12.#UttarakhandTunnelCollapse pic.twitter.com/5xGAwgoTBg
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 20, 2023
Arnold Dix is working alongside multiple agencies that have mounted a four-pronged approach to the rescue operation. One of the options that is being worked on is drilling vertically from above the tunnel face.
“I need to see what’s going on underneath; I need to go look down at the bottom. It’s like any complex job; you need to check all around it and discuss it, but at the moment it’s looking very positive,” Professor Dix said.
“What I know is that something is going to happen. Things are happening; the team here is so focused on the rescue and so focused that no one is hurt that we are taking our time to make the very best decisions we can with the information we got, knowing that time is peaking,” he added.
ALSO READ | PM Modi tells CM Dhami to maintain workers’ morale amid rescue efforts
Dix specialises in underground and transportation infrastructure, from construction risk to more technical issues associated with actual safety performance from an operational safety perspective. He also provides advice on the risks associated with underground construction and is widely recognised as the world’s leading expert on underground tunnelling.
Meanwhile, efforts to rescue the 41 trapped workers at the Silkyara tunnel collapse site continue for the ninth day. The Uttrakhand government and the centre are maintaining constant communication and making all efforts to keep up the morale of the labourers trapped in the 2 km-long tunnel portion.
Electricity and water are available in this portion of the tunnel, and labourers are provided food items such as channa, murmure, dry fruits, medicines, etc. through a 4-inch compressor pipeline.
National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) is creating another 6-inch pipeline for food. For this pipe, drilling of 39 metres out of 60 metres is complete.
Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) is working on another vertical pipeline to supply essential items. Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has completed an approach road for facilitating RVNL.
NHIDCL will also continue to drill from the Silkyara end after working on safety arrangements. The Army has prepared the box culvert to facilitate this.
Further, Tehri Hydroelectric Development Corporation (THDC) will start work on micro-tunnelling from the Barkot end, for which heavy machinery has been mobilised. Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) will do the vertical drilling to rescue the trapped labourers.
Accordingly, equipment has been mobilised from Gujarat and Odisha. ONGC has also started the initial work for vertical drilling from the Barkot end. BRO has already started the approach road for mobilisation machines for ONGC and SJVNL.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and discussed the ongoing operations to rescue the 41 workers who have been trapped since last week in the collapsed Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi.
On November 12, it was reported that a collapse occurred in an under-construction tunnel from Silkyara to Barkot due to muck falling in a 60-metre stretch on the Silkyara side of the tunnel, trapping 41 workers.
It was decided to lay a 900-mm pipe through the muck as it was the fastest possible solution. However, on November 17, because of ground movement, it became unsafe to continue with this option.
It was then decided to move on multiple fronts together. Five options were decided, and five different agencies were detailed to carry out these options. Follow channel on WhatsApp
UTTARKASHI: As part of the efforts to rescue the 41 workers trapped at the Silkyara tunnel collapse site, International Tunnelling Expert Arnold Dix conducted an inspection at the tunnel site on Monday.
The International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association president, Arnold Dix, arrived at the location site in Silkyara, Uttarkashi, to aid in the rescue efforts and expressed optimism on the prospects of rescue and relief operations that are underway.
After inspecting the tunnel as well as the area above it from where the vertical drilling operation will commence, Professor Dix seemed optimistic about the rescue operation.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });
“It is looking good, but we have to decide whether it’s good or a trap, because it’s looking very positive. I have got the best experts for this Himalayan geology here; I’m just one,” Professor Dix said.
“We are going back to the office to talk about what we’ve seen, and we need to compare what we have seen here above the tunnel with what we know about what is happening in the tunnel. This actually helps us make the proper decision because we are rescuing those 41 men, and we are not letting anyone get hurt while we’re doing that, but for that, we need to be very careful,” he added.
VIDEO | Uttarkashi tunnel rescue: International tunneling expert Arnold Dix conducts a survey at Silkyara tunnel where 41 workers have been stuck since November 12.#UttarakhandTunnelCollapse pic.twitter.com/5xGAwgoTBg
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 20, 2023
Arnold Dix is working alongside multiple agencies that have mounted a four-pronged approach to the rescue operation. One of the options that is being worked on is drilling vertically from above the tunnel face.
“I need to see what’s going on underneath; I need to go look down at the bottom. It’s like any complex job; you need to check all around it and discuss it, but at the moment it’s looking very positive,” Professor Dix said.
“What I know is that something is going to happen. Things are happening; the team here is so focused on the rescue and so focused that no one is hurt that we are taking our time to make the very best decisions we can with the information we got, knowing that time is peaking,” he added.
ALSO READ | PM Modi tells CM Dhami to maintain workers’ morale amid rescue efforts
Dix specialises in underground and transportation infrastructure, from construction risk to more technical issues associated with actual safety performance from an operational safety perspective. He also provides advice on the risks associated with underground construction and is widely recognised as the world’s leading expert on underground tunnelling.
Meanwhile, efforts to rescue the 41 trapped workers at the Silkyara tunnel collapse site continue for the ninth day. The Uttrakhand government and the centre are maintaining constant communication and making all efforts to keep up the morale of the labourers trapped in the 2 km-long tunnel portion.
Electricity and water are available in this portion of the tunnel, and labourers are provided food items such as channa, murmure, dry fruits, medicines, etc. through a 4-inch compressor pipeline.
National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) is creating another 6-inch pipeline for food. For this pipe, drilling of 39 metres out of 60 metres is complete.
Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) is working on another vertical pipeline to supply essential items. Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has completed an approach road for facilitating RVNL.
NHIDCL will also continue to drill from the Silkyara end after working on safety arrangements. The Army has prepared the box culvert to facilitate this.
Further, Tehri Hydroelectric Development Corporation (THDC) will start work on micro-tunnelling from the Barkot end, for which heavy machinery has been mobilised. Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) will do the vertical drilling to rescue the trapped labourers.
Accordingly, equipment has been mobilised from Gujarat and Odisha. ONGC has also started the initial work for vertical drilling from the Barkot end. BRO has already started the approach road for mobilisation machines for ONGC and SJVNL.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and discussed the ongoing operations to rescue the 41 workers who have been trapped since last week in the collapsed Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi.
On November 12, it was reported that a collapse occurred in an under-construction tunnel from Silkyara to Barkot due to muck falling in a 60-metre stretch on the Silkyara side of the tunnel, trapping 41 workers.
It was decided to lay a 900-mm pipe through the muck as it was the fastest possible solution. However, on November 17, because of ground movement, it became unsafe to continue with this option.
It was then decided to move on multiple fronts together. Five options were decided, and five different agencies were detailed to carry out these options. Follow channel on WhatsApp
