Uttarakhand Tunnel Collapse: Workers Rescued, Investigation Underway to Determine Cause

Rescue teams successfully freed all 41 workers who were trapped for 17 days inside a collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand, India. The workers were rescued after rat miners drilled through the debris, marking a moment of celebration. Now, the focus will shift to determining the cause of the collapse and why the rescue operation took so long.

The rescue operation, involving multiple agencies, drilling machines, and rat miners, finally succeeded in pulling out the trapped workers. The American drilling machine called “auger” managed to drill horizontally through most of the debris. However, manual drilling was required for the final stretch after the machine collapsed. A team of rat miners, known for their expertise in navigating tight spaces, took over and completed the rescue operation.

The Silkyara tunnel, located approximately 30 km from Uttarkashi, is a crucial part of the central government’s Char Dham all-weather road project. This ambitious project aims to stretch for about 889 kilometers across the delicate Himalayan terrain. The construction of the tunnel is being carried out by Navayuga Engineering Company Limited, based in Hyderabad, which has previous experience in similar projects.

The collapse of a portion of the tunnel occurred on November 12, trapping the laborers who were working inside. With the successful rescue of the workers, the focus will now shift to investigating the factors that led to the collapse. This incident also highlights the risks associated with large-scale development in the mountainous region, which is prone to seismic activity and landslides.

It is worth noting that while large projects are required to undergo an Environmental Impact Assessment, the Silkyara Tunnel was exempted from this requirement as it is divided into smaller segments. In 2019, the Supreme Court appointed an expert panel to suggest risk mitigation options for the project. The committee identified several problems and warned about the increased risk of landslides and flash floods in Uttarakhand due to the nature of the soil composition, which includes crushed rocks and limestone.

In response to the incident, the government announced that the National Highways Authority of India will conduct an audit of the 29 tunnels currently under construction across the country. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, acknowledged the importance of learning from this mishap and stated that a safety audit of the tunnel will be conducted. He also emphasized the need to explore better technology for working in the fragile Himalayan strata.

As the investigation into the tunnel collapse continues, it serves as a reminder of the challenges and risks associated with development in the mountainous regions of India. The safety and environmental considerations must be carefully addressed to prevent similar incidents in the future.