40 People Trapped In Uttarakhand Tunnel
A part of the under-construction tunnel on Brahmakhal-Yamunotri National Highway collapsed on 12th November 2023 trapping 40 workers inside.
A part of the under-construction tunnel on Brahmakhal Yamunotri National Highway in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand collapsed on 12th November 2023 at 5 am trapping 40 workers inside. These 40 workers spent their Diwali away from their homes & family in a dark cramped up space due to the Uttarakhand tunnel collapses. This tunnel is being built under the Char Dham Road Project. It is believed that after its completion, the tunnel will shorten the distance between Uttarkashi & Yamunotri by 26 km. According to the reports, a portion of the tunnel collapsed about 200 meters ahead of the tunnel’s starting point. The district magistrate of Uttarkashi, Abhishek Ruhela said that the priority of the administration is to rescue the workers trapped inside the tunnel. He immediately ordered the local police & SDRF – State Disaster Relief Force to start the rescue operation. NDRF – National Disaster Response Force is also helping in the rescue mission. The workers trapped inside the tunnel are from Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh. Officials told the reporters that the rescuers are able to communicate with the workers through walkie-talkies. He confirmed that the workers are safe & have not reported any deaths or injuries. NDRF said that the workers are being provided with food & water through pipes. Officials are also ensuring that there’s constant oxygen & air supply into the tunnel through pipes. According to the reports, the tunnel is blocked by 55 meters of slab debris. The rescuers have been able to remove 20 meters in 24 hours using excavators & heavy machinery. The rescue operation is taking longer than expected because more & more loose rubble keeps falling down when debris & obstructions are removed. This is delaying the rescue operation despite the hard work & efforts of the rescuers. The State Disaster Management department said that they expect to reach the trapped workers in about 2 days. The NHIDCL – National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited has said that it will rescue the workers by inserting large-diameter steel pipes through the debris. These steel pipes will be inserted into the tunnel by using horizontal drilling equipment and will create a passage for workers & rescue officials. 150 officials & rescuers have cancelled their leaves for this relief & rescue operation and are working 24 hours to ensure the safety of the trapped workers. Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami has visited the site & reviewed the ongoing rescue operation. He assured the families of the trapped workers about the safety of their trapped family members and asked the country to pray for a smooth completion of the rescue mission. PM Modi & Home Minister Amit Shah have also inquired about the condition of trapped workers and the rescue operation strategy. Noted environmentalist & ex-Char Dham Road Project committee member, Ravi Chopra said that such accidents will continue to happen if ecological concerns of the Char Dham Road Project are not addressed. Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand government has formed a committee of six members & experts to investigate this accident.
