DEHRADUN: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are preparing for a high-stakes rescue mission to evacuate 41 workers from the confines of Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi. With meticulous rehearsals, the rescue teams are preparing to deploy specially fitted wheeled stretchers to navigate a 57-60 meters long escape passage constructed from 900mm steel pipes.
Resolute in their commitment to bringing the trapped individuals to safety, the NDRF and SDRF have conducted drills to perfect the SOPs for the evacuation.
NDRF DG Atul Karwal said, “We have done our homework on how to get the trapped workers out safely. The NDRF personnel will be the first to go into the tunnel. We will use wheeled stretchers to evacuate the workers. We could have told them to crawl out of the tunnel through the pipe, but some of them must be exhausted after so many hours in there. Hence, we have zeroed in on wheeled stretchers.”
The operation involves a multi-step process. Firstly, the escape passage will be cleaned of debris. NDRF and SDRF personnel will then enter the tunnel, assessing the situation on the other side where the workers are trapped. “Accordingly, they will report back, and action will be taken,” an NDRF official told TOI.
NDRF has strategically positioned 5-8 stretchers with wheels, helmets, oxygen cylinders, and ladders as backups.
A demonstration on Friday showcased the movement of wheeled stretchers through the pipeline.
Once the workers are safely evacuated, doctors will conduct a preliminary assessment of the individuals based on the urgency of their need for treatment.