Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami shared on Saturday that a plasma cutter is being airlifted from Hyderabad to facilitate the removal of the auger machine stuck in the Silkyara tunnel debris.
Facing “very difficult and challenging” conditions, Dhami mentioned that the auger machine is expected to be extracted by tomorrow morning, following which manual digging will commence.
Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd.), a member of the National Disaster Management Authority, highlighted challenges in the rescue operation due to damage to the auger machine. He explained that advanced machinery, including the plasma cutter airlifted by the Indian Air Force, would address this issue.
The plasma cutting process, a thermal cutting method, employs ionized gas (plasma) to cut through conductive materials. This method, widely used in automotive repair, industrial construction, and manufacturing, relies on compressed air or gases like nitrogen to create plasma. The intense heat melts the material, and the gas stream removes the molten metal, allowing for precise cuts.
The US-made auger machine, vital for drilling in the collapsed tunnel, faced repeated challenges in navigating debris. Metal obstructions halted its progress, necessitating the machine’s removal from the tunnel each time. As the auger machine struggled, experts explore alternatives like manual drilling to create a vertical escape passage.
