The rescue operations are at full swing in the Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh, a hill state in
North India. Two men, Mani Ram and Satish Tomar are trapped 40 metres below the ground. A
team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has started drilling the site in order to
rescue two workers of Himalayan Construction Company (HCC), who are trapped there since a week.
After a failed attempt to rescue workers, NDRF team is now going for another attempt soon, this
time with bigger opening.
Manasi Sahay, Deputy Commissioner, Bilaspur informed the press that personnel went down to
rescue workers with all required gear and equipment. The trapped men have called their families
through a mobile phone provided by the NDRF. The incident happened during construction of the
Kiratpur-Nerchowk tunnel. The four-lane project is being constructed here by HCC. The process was
disturbed on September 12, when the entrance was blocked by stones and sand due to a land slide.
The company is expected to dig 1.2 kilometre long tunnel in a project worth Rs.82 crore. 275 metres
of tunnel construction has been already completed.
The food and water were supplied to both on September 17 through thin 47 metre tunnel drilled by
engineers on site. High tech camera and microphones have been installed in order to be in touch
with victims constantly. There have been no contact with Hirday Ram, a third worker who went
missing in this tragedy. The NDRF team is still looking for Ram using advanced sensors. Continuous
rains and mechanical difficulties are slowing down the rescue effort at Bilaspur.
