12 metres to freedom? Final push to free 41 Indian tunnel workers trapped since November 12

Rescuers racing to evacuate 41 construction workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel in northern India for nearly two weeks were hoping to resume drilling on Friday after a mechanical problem a day earlier forced them to halt, officials said.

The platform of the drilling machine, which became unstable while boring through rock debris, has been fixed, said Bhaskar Khulbe, a former adviser to the Prime Minister’s Office, speaking at the accident site.

But before they could resume drilling rescuers were manually digging through debris to remove pieces of metal to avoid damaging the machine, said Kirti Panwar, a government spokesperson.

Drilling was also paused on Wednesday after the machine hit a metal girder, causing damage to its blades and a six-hour delay.

The workers have been trapped since November 12, when a landslide in mountainous Uttarakhand state caused a portion of the 4.5km (2.8 mile) tunnel they were building to collapse about 200 metres (650 feet) from the entrance.

Rescuers began drilling through the entrance of the tunnel to reach them but have been stymied by debris and technical problems.

The mountainous terrain has proved a challenge for the drilling machine, while its high-intensity vibrations also caused more debris to fall.

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Indian authorities release video of first visual contact with trapped tunnel workers

Indian authorities release video of first visual contact with trapped tunnel workers

As efforts stretched into the 13th day, rescuers have drilled through 46 metres (151 feet) and need to excavate up to 12 metres (40 feet) more to create a passageway, Panwar said.

Rescue teams were inserting and welding together pipes through which the trapped workers are to escape. About 46 metres (151 feet) of pipes have been put in so far, he said.

Members of the National Disaster Response Force will then bring out the workers on stretchers.

Authorities have been supplying them with hot meals of rice and lentils through a 6-inch (15-centimeter) pipe, after days in which they survived on dry food sent through a narrower pipe. Oxygen is supplied through a separate pipe.

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Officials earlier released a video after a camera was pushed through the pipe showing the workers moving around the blocked tunnel while communicating with rescuers on walkie-talkies.

Most of the trapped workers are migrant labourers from across the country. Many of their families have travelled to the accident site, camping out in hope of seeing their relatives soon.

Haridwar Sharma’s brother, Sushil, is among those trapped.

“It is not in our hands … the administration is at it, the machinery is there. With God’s blessing, we are hopeful,” he said.

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Many pilgrims and tourists visit Uttarakhand’s Hindu temples, with the number increasing over the years due to continued construction of buildings and roads.

The tunnel being built by the workers is part of the Chardham all-weather road which will connect various pilgrimage sites. While a flagship project of the federal government, some experts say it will exacerbate the fragile environment in the upper Himalayas where several towns are built atop landslide debris.