<p>Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand): Feroze Qureshi and Monu Kumar, experts in the rat-hole mining technique, were the first to meet the 41 labourers rescued from the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand after they cleared the last bit of the rubble inside the structure.</p>.<p>All the 41 workers were rescued on Tuesday evening after 17 days of a multi-agency operation conducted by the central and state governments.</p>.<p>Qureshi from Delhi and Kumar from Uttar Pradesh were part of a 12-member team of rat-hole mining technique experts who were called on Sunday to do the drilling after an American auger machine came across hurdles while clearing the rubble.</p>.<p>"They (the labourers) could hear us when we reached the last portion of the rubble. Soon after removing the rubble, we got down to the other side," Qureshi, a resident of Delhi's Khajoori Khas, told <em>PTI.</em></p>.PM Modi speaks to labourers rescued from Uttarakhand tunnel; says mission created amazing example of teamwork.<p>"The labourers thanked and hugged me. They also lifted me on their shoulders," he said, adding that he was happier than the rescued workers.</p>.<p>Qureshi is an employee of the Delhi-based Rockwell Enterprises and an expert in tunnelling work.</p>.<p>"They (the labourers) gave me almonds and asked my name. Soon, our other colleagues joined us and we were there for about half an hour," Kumar, a resident of Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, said.</p>.<p>He said the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel went inside the tunnel after them. 'We came back only after the NDRF personnel arrived,' Kumar said.</p>.<p>"We are very happy that we were part of this historic operation," he added.</p>.<p>The leader of the 12-member team from Rockwell Enterprises, Wakeel Hassan, said he was approached for help by a company involved in the rescue operation four days ago.</p>.<p>"The work got delayed while removing the portion of the auger from the rubble. We started at 3 pm on Monday and finished the work at 6 pm on Tuesday," Hassan said, adding, "We had said the work would be finished in 24 to 36 hours and that is what we did." </p><p>He also said they did not charge any money for taking part in the rescue operation. </p>
<p>Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand): Feroze Qureshi and Monu Kumar, experts in the rat-hole mining technique, were the first to meet the 41 labourers rescued from the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand after they cleared the last bit of the rubble inside the structure.</p>.<p>All the 41 workers were rescued on Tuesday evening after 17 days of a multi-agency operation conducted by the central and state governments.</p>.<p>Qureshi from Delhi and Kumar from Uttar Pradesh were part of a 12-member team of rat-hole mining technique experts who were called on Sunday to do the drilling after an American auger machine came across hurdles while clearing the rubble.</p>.<p>"They (the labourers) could hear us when we reached the last portion of the rubble. Soon after removing the rubble, we got down to the other side," Qureshi, a resident of Delhi's Khajoori Khas, told <em>PTI.</em></p>.PM Modi speaks to labourers rescued from Uttarakhand tunnel; says mission created amazing example of teamwork.<p>"The labourers thanked and hugged me. They also lifted me on their shoulders," he said, adding that he was happier than the rescued workers.</p>.<p>Qureshi is an employee of the Delhi-based Rockwell Enterprises and an expert in tunnelling work.</p>.<p>"They (the labourers) gave me almonds and asked my name. Soon, our other colleagues joined us and we were there for about half an hour," Kumar, a resident of Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, said.</p>.<p>He said the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel went inside the tunnel after them. 'We came back only after the NDRF personnel arrived,' Kumar said.</p>.<p>"We are very happy that we were part of this historic operation," he added.</p>.<p>The leader of the 12-member team from Rockwell Enterprises, Wakeel Hassan, said he was approached for help by a company involved in the rescue operation four days ago.</p>.<p>"The work got delayed while removing the portion of the auger from the rubble. We started at 3 pm on Monday and finished the work at 6 pm on Tuesday," Hassan said, adding, "We had said the work would be finished in 24 to 36 hours and that is what we did." </p><p>He also said they did not charge any money for taking part in the rescue operation. </p>