In hours of distress for the 41 trapped workers inside a collapsed tunnel
in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi, at least 20 workers from West Bengal have been
seamlessly working for the last 48 hours in making intermediate jacking station
or IJS pipes for use in the rescue operation.
Among the 41 trapped workers in Uttarakhand’s Silkyara tunnel since
November 12, three are from Bengal, reported The Telegraph.
Soubhik Pakhira (24), and Joydeb Pramanik (18), both from two adjacent
villages of Hooghly’s Pursurah joined a private company last year and were
posted at Silkyara tunnel construction place in Uttarkashi. The third trapped
worker from Bengal, Manir Talukdar (30), is from Cooch Behar.
The rescue operation that started on the day of the tunnel’s collapse is still
continuing.
West Bengal’s IJS manufacturing expert Bilge Solutions had been assigned
to prepare two sets of IJS on short notice four days ago.
“It was a big task for us to prepare such important systems at such short
notice. But when informed on the necessity, I immediately agreed,” The
Telegraph quoted Debansu Kumar, owner of the factory producing different special
pipes for engineering works and micro-tunnelling project.
Intermediate jacking stations significantly bolster the support of pipes
that penetrate the soil to create access to tough-to-reach places.
Kumar’s factory has been assigned to build two sets of IJS, each
eight-foot-long. The pipes and the system are made of concrete and metal. One
set of IJS was already sent on Wednesday, Kumar said on Thursday.
The team of around 20 people is working 24/7 to finish the second set.
Kumar’s factory had last year got the experience of using IJS while
working on a project to construct an underwater tunnel in neighbouring Assam’s
Bongaigaon.
Milan Guchhait, an engineer of the factory, and worker Paresh Konra, are
among the 20 employees of the factory who have “not taken anything more than
the minimum, basic breaks” for the last 48 hours in their efforts to finish the
assignment as fast as possible, added the factory owner.
“We are all here working like a team. We are not worried about our rest
right now. This is the time to serve the nation and save the lives of workers
trapped for days in the Uttarkashi tunnel,” said Guchhait.
Kumar said he had agreed to plunge into the assignment “wholeheartedly
and immediately” following only a telephonic conversation and was not even
worried about payment issues.
“One of our known clients had called me up to place the order for the IJS
sets and I never asked him for any purchasing order in writing. I only want
that our seamless efforts help in the rescue of the 41 trapped persons,” he
said. “Our prayers are always with them.”
NE Watch Desk
