Rescuers have begun manual horizontal digging alongside vertical drilling at the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). SJVNL’s vertical drilling has reached a depth of 36 meters out of 86 meters, with the drilling hindered by boulders and water. To reach the 41 stranded workers, pipes of 1.2 meters in diameter will be laid vertically through the top of the tunnel. Rat-hole miners will also engage in manual digging to evacuate the trapped workers. Other options such as horizontal drilling from the Barkot end of the tunnel are underway as well. The auger drill, which drilled up to 47 meters, was damaged during the rescue operations.