SHIMLA: Two of the three labourers, who were trapped for more than 95 hours inside an under-construction tunnel which collapsed on Saturday night, were today confirmed to be alive as the rescue teams established contact through digital camera and microphone after hours of digging.
The contact was established after 50 meters of the tunnel's top vertical insertion was drilled and a high resolution digital camera with microphone was inserted through the 4-inch hole," Bilaspur Deputy Commissioner, Manasi Sahay Thakur, told PTI.
Massive rescue operation is underway to retrieve the employees trapped inside tunnel No 4 of Kiratpur-Nerchowk four-lane project near Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh which collapsed on Saturday night.
"It was confirmed that two employees - Mani Ram and Satish - were alive and communication has been established," Thakur said.
"However, there has been no communication established with the third employee trapped in the debris. The two surviving employees would be rescued within two-three days. Food, water and oxygen would be given to the trapped persons through the hole," D D Sharma, Special Secretary (Disaster Management and Revenue) said.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had said that administration were directed to spare no efforts in relief and rescue operations of the three workers inside the tunnel filled with huge mounds of muck.
The CM said that the foremost objective was to reach out to the trapped persons. Their families are being provided boarding and lodging near the site.
An inquiry would be conducted into the mishap, but the foremost efforts is to maintain first line of contact with the trapped persons, he had said.