The battle to rescue 41 workers continues after hitting a “steel” barrier.

A battle is raging in India’s Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, where 41 workers have been trapped in a damaged road tunnel for nearly two weeks.

Since November 12, workers have been confined inside the tunnel after part of it collapsed due to a landslide.

But late Wednesday, the rescue operation was slowed when a drilling machine encountered a metal structure it could not cut through.

By that time, rescuers had successfully drilled through three-quarters of the debris trapping the workers, raising hopes they could be extracted by Thursday morning, according to BBC.

Equipped with specially fitted wheeled stretchers, rescue teams are ready to move the exhausted men through a 57m steel pipe once the final section is cleared.

While ambulances, an on-site hospital and emergency vehicles are ready, repeated delays due to debris, cave-ins and equipment failures have added to the complexity of the operation.

The National Disaster Response Force, adopting a war footing, recognizes the unpredictability of the rescue mission, emphasizing the need to prepare for any unforeseen challenges.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami confirms that the project is on a “war footing”, with a comprehensive set-up including a team of doctors, ambulances, helicopters and a field hospital.

The tunnel, part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s infrastructure project, was aimed at boosting connectivity to popular Hindu sites and strategic areas along the border with China. Concerns about extensive construction in landslide-prone areas and the dangers facing both rescuers and trapped workers underscore the urgency of the situation.

Inside the entrance to Silkyara Tunnel, the atmosphere is tense but full of activity. Anxious relatives gather outside the site, where a Hindu shrine has been erected, and pray for the safe rescue of the trapped men.

The workers, seen alive for the first time on Tuesday through an endoscope camera, are enduring harsh conditions inside the tunnel. Although trapped, they have plenty of room, with the interior being 8.5 meters high and stretching around two kilometers in length.

As rescuers persist in their efforts, the nation holds its breath, hoping for a successful and safe outcome.