Efforts began on Sunday to build an access road at the top of the hill above Silkyara tunnel for initiating vertical drilling to reach 41 workers trapped for eight days, with authorities hopeful that a platform to drill the hole might be ready by this afternoon.
Larger diameter pipes have also been inserted up to a length of 42 metres through the debris this morning to provide enough food and other essentials to the trapped workers, a control room set up at the site said, PTI reported.
Work on building the road began towards Saturday evening with personnel of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on the job, an official at the spot said.
Senior officials, including those from the PMO who visited the site on Saturday, are still stationed in Silkyara to oversee the operations aimed at the safe evacuation of the trapped workers at the earliest.