All the 41 workers trapped under a collapsed tunnel in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand have been rescued on November 28. They were evacuated safely after 17 days of the rescue operation, and confirmed to be in good health.
The under-construction Silkyara-Barkot tunnel in the Uttarkashi district collapsed early morning on November 12. It is part of the government’s Char Dham project, which will enhance connectivity to the Hindu pilgrimage sites of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri.
Since the collapse, the workers were provided essential nutrition, medicines, and water through a pipe. Some of the workers’ family members made it to the site to keep their morale up, and doctors, including psychiatrists, were present, to monitor their health.
Multiple governmental agencies were involved in the rescue which was extended after the operation faced several setbacks including the breakdown of a drilling machine.
“It is a matter of great joy for all of us that all the 41 workers trapped in the tunnel under construction in Silkyara (Uttarakashi) have been rescued safely,” wrote Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami in a post on X. He thanked the multiple agencies who drove the rescue operation.
“Heartfelt gratitude to the teams of central agencies, army, international experts and state administration who were fully engaged in this challenging rescue operation conducted under the able leadership and guidance of respected Prime Minister @narendramodi. The guidance that we all received from the Prime Minister as a parent and every possible help provided by him in the most difficult situations, was the main basis for the success of this campaign,” Dhami’s post read.
PM Modi commended the “bravery and determination” of the people associated with the operation, which played a part in giving a “new life” to the labourers trapped in the tunnel. “Everyone involved in this mission has set an amazing example of humanity and team work,” he tweeted, as translated by Google.
श्रमिकों व उनके परिजनों के चेहरे की ख़ुशी ही मेरे लिये इगास-बगवाल..
— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) November 28, 2023
हम सभी के लिए अत्यंत हर्ष का विषय है कि सिलक्यारा (उत्तरकाशी) में निर्माणाधीन टनल में फंसे सभी 41 श्रमिकों को सकुशल बाहर निकाल लिया गया है। सभी श्रमिक भाइयों का अस्थाई मेडिकल कैम्प में प्रारंभिक स्वास्थ्य… pic.twitter.com/iaBZ5RorK3
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