Published On : Mon, Sep 21st, 2015

Tihara Tunnel mishap: 2 Workers successfully rescued from tunnel today

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Search for the third worker is still on

Rescued workers

Simla/ Nagpur: Two of the workers caught in Tihara Tunnel in Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh) over past 10 days (Sept 12 onwards) were successfully rescued today, Monday, by 3.42 pm amidst ongoing intensive rescue operation, informed media reports, adding that the NDRF team had successfully drilled till the orifice (opening) of the tunnel.

According to sources, first Maniram was brought out safely and he cheerfully waved his hand to the rescue team members standing outside the tunnel. Soon after him, Satish was also safely brought out of the tunnel, and he also looked cheerful. The details of the third worker, Hridaya Ram, are not yet known though a search is going on for him.
It may be mentioned that heavy drilling machine was sought from Jaipur. The intensive rescue operation was going on with the joint support of NDRF, road construction company’s officials and employees, Military, Fire Brigade personnel, local administration and medical staffers.

Meanwhile, constant contact with two workers, Satish Tomar and Maniram was being maintained by the rescue team with CCTV cameras and microphone sent to them inside the tunnel, and verbal communication was also being maintained. Besides, glucose and dry fruits were sent in with the help of a 4-inch diameter pipe. There was a pitch darkness where the workers were caught in the tunnel.

Why so much difficulty in rescue?
**The labourers/ workers were expected to be rescued by Saturday, but the rescue work was held up as the hydro pipe of drilling machine (brought from Jaipur) got burst out.
**On Sunday the pipe was repaired, but then other parts of machine developed snag, so rescue work on Sunday was held up.

**Due to heavy down pour, the tunnel got filled with rain water to several feet deep. However the water was then drained out.

**Debris got deposited on 40 meter area inside the tunnel. It was difficult to enter the tunnel.

**It was difficult to take machine to the hill, and 500 metre road was made on the hill within three days.

What had happened?
In Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh) a four-lane road is under construction. So, a 1260 metre long tunnel in Tihara mountain area is being constructed. A portion of tunnel suddenly got collapsed on Saturday, and three labourers/ workers got caught under the weight of debris. When the incident occurred, it was the time for change of shift of workers. Maximum workers had come out of the tunnel then, except the three.

However, now two workers, Maniram and Satish, have been saved while a search for the third one, Hridaya Ram is still going on.