In a devastating incident early Sunday morning, a 150-meter section of a tunnel under construction on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri national highway in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, collapsed, trapping at least 36 workers. The incident occurred at around 4 am, leaving a portion of the four-and-a-half-kilometer-long tunnel in ruins.
Uttarkashi Superintendent of Police, Arpan Yaduvanshi, rushed to the scene immediately upon receiving the information and initiated a comprehensive relief and rescue operation. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), fire brigade, and personnel from the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), responsible for the tunnel construction, are actively engaged in the rescue efforts.
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“In Silkyara Tunnel, a part of the tunnel has broken about 200 meters ahead of the starting point. According to the officials of HIDCL, which is looking after the construction work of the tunnel, about 36 people are trapped in the tunnel, and efforts are being made to rescue them safely,” said Uttarkashi SP Arpan Yaduvanshi.
Despite the challenging circumstances, authorities report no casualties at this time. Rescue teams are working diligently to extract the trapped workers safely.
Durgesh Rathodi, a state disaster response official, provided insights from the site, stating, “About 200 meters of the tunnel have collapsed. About 40 to 41 workers are trapped inside. Oxygen is being supplied through the debris, but more rubble is coming down as rescuers try to remove the obstruction.”
Photographs released by government rescue teams depict substantial piles of concrete blocking the wide tunnel, with twisted metal bars protruding from its broken roof. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his concern on social media, writing, “Pray to god that those workers trapped inside the tunnel are brought out safely.”
The tunnel, constructed under the Char Dham Road Project, aimed to reduce the journey from Uttarkashi to Yamunotri Dham by 26 kilometers. Accidents on large infrastructure construction sites are unfortunately common in India, emphasizing the need for rigorous safety measures in such projects. Authorities are committed to ensuring the safe rescue of the trapped workers and a thorough investigation into the incident.
