In the ongoing effort to rescue 41 men stuck inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand, drilling is expected to resume soon as a 25-tonne platform supporting the auger machine has been successfully repaired. The platform, housing the American auger machine used for drilling through the debris, had developed cracks during Thursday's rescue operation, prompting a temporary pause in the horizontal drilling process.

An official at the forefront of the operation announced on Friday morning that the platform issue has been rectified, and the auger machine is now operating smoothly. However, as a precautionary measure, a team from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will assess the situation before recommencing operations.

During earlier efforts, rescue teams managed to drill through approximately 46.8 meters of the 55-meter debris, inserting pipes into the cleared space. As part of the rescue plan, the trapped workers are expected to crawl through the escape passage pipes to reach the mouth of the tunnel.

“The DRDO team will conduct a thorough assessment beyond the 48 meters reached by the pipeline, utilizing specialized equipment before proceeding with further drilling,” the official said. The DRDO team's scanning, covering the next 20 meters, will play a crucial role in determining the feasibility of further drilling.

“The drilling process will commence based on the scanning report from DRDO,” the official added. While cautioning against setting specific timelines, officials expressed optimism that, barring any unforeseen obstacles, the workers could potentially be rescued by Saturday afternoon.

The men, low-wage construction workers, have been confined in the 4.5-km (3-mile) tunnel since it caved in early on Nov. 12. Authorities have said they are safe, with access to light, oxygen, food, water and medicines.

(Inputs from ANI)