Uttarkashi tunnel rescue: Families celebrate as 41 trapped workers safely rescued after 17 days

By Lokmat English Desk | Updated: November 29, 2023 09:15 IST2023-11-29T09:04:17+5:302023-11-29T09:15:03+5:30

All 41 workers trapped inside the collapsed Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, since November 12, have been successfully rescued. ...

Uttarkashi tunnel rescue: Families celebrate as 41 trapped workers safely rescued after 17 days | Uttarkashi tunnel rescue: Families celebrate as 41 trapped workers safely rescued after 17 days

Uttarkashi tunnel rescue: Families celebrate as 41 trapped workers safely rescued after 17 days

All 41 workers trapped inside the collapsed Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, since November 12, have been successfully rescued. The extensive multi-agency rescue mission, spanning more than 400 hours, witnessed teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Indian Army working tirelessly to extricate the trapped workers.

An ambulance with the first of the 41 workers left the mouth of the tunnel around 8 pm, about an hour after rat-hole mining experts dug through the last stretch of rubble. Later, the workers were ferried to a community health centre, where a special 41-bed ward had been set up. Before this, the workers were given a quick medical checkup inside the tunnel.

Who are the Trapped Workers:

More than half of the 41 construction workers who are trapped inside the collapsed Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi since November 12 are from two north Indian states – Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.  Remaining are from West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam and Uttarakhand.

Here is the full list of workers trapped inside the collapsed Silkyara tunnel:

List of 41 workers here

S.No Name State

1. Gabbar Singh Negi, Uttarakhand

2. Saba Ahmed, Bihar

3. Sonu Sah, Bihar

4. Manir Talukdar, West Bengal

5. Sevik Pakhera, West Bengal

6. Akhilesh Kumar, Uttar Pradesh

7. Jaydev Parmanik, West Bengal

8. Virendra Kiskoo, Bihar

9. Tapan Mandal, Odisha

10. Sushil Kumar, Bihar

11. Viswajit Kumar, Jharkhand

12. Subodh Kumar, Jharkhand

13. Bhagwan Batra,  Odisha

14. Ankit, Uttar Pradesh

15. Ram Milan, Uttar Pradesh

16. Satya Dev, Uttar Pradesh

17. Santosh, Uttar Pradesh

18. Jai prakash, Uttar Pradesh

19. Ram Sundar, Uttar Pradesh

20. Manjit, Uttar pradesh

21. Anil Bedia, Jharkhand

22. Rajendra Bedia, Jharkhand

23. Sukram,  Jharkhand

24. Tinku Sardar, Jharkhand

25. Gunodhar, Jharkhand

26. Ranjeet, Jharkhand

27. Ravindra, Jharkhand

28. Sameer,  Jharkhand

29. Viseshar Naik, Odisha

30. Raju Naik,  Odisha

31. Mahadev, Jharkhand

32. Bhukttu Murmu, Jharkhand

33. Dhiren, Odisha

34. Jamra Oraon, Jharkhand

35. Vijay Horo, Jharkhand

36. Ganapati, Jharkhand

37. Sanjay, Assam

38. Ram, Prasad Assam

39. Vishal, Himachal Pradesh

40. Pushkar,  Uttarakhand

41. Identity not yet known to us.

Family Rejoices:

Family members of the rescued workers expressed immense relief and gratitude. In West Bengal, family members of Manik Talukdar, one of the workers who was rescued from the Uttarkashi tunnel, celebrated and had a conversation with him through video conferencing. Speaking to ANI, the son of Manik Talukdar, said, "We are very happy that they came out of the tunnel... For 17 days, we were very worried... Now he (Manik Talukdar) is fine."

Meanwhile, in Bihar, the mother of Sonu, one of the workers who was rescued, said, "I am very happy. I thank the government and all the rescue team members. My son has said that he will return after two days."

The mother of one of the workers, Dhiren Naik, thanked the Government of India for rescuing the workers from the tunnel.

The family members of one of the workers, Ram Prasad Narzary, were seen bursting crackers while celebrating his return after being trapped in the under-constructed tunnel for 17 days.

In Uttar Pradesh, mother of Ram Sundar, a worker rescued from the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi, said, "We are very happy... We celebrated Diwali yesterday evening, the entire village celebrated Diwali happily yesterday."

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met with the rescued workers, underscoring the state's commitment to their well-being. Union Minister V K Singh also joined in acknowledging the efforts of the rescue teams.

How 41 Workers Got Trapped Inside Uttarakhand Tunnel For 17 Days

The Tunnel

The 4.5 km-tunnel is part of the Centre's ambitious Char Dham project aimed at providing all-weather connectivity between four prominent Hindu shrines in Uttarakhand - Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. Also known as Silkyara tunnel, this tunnel is on the route connecting Silkyara and Dandalgaon inUttarkashi district. It is a double-lane tunnel and one of the longest under Char Dham project. About 2.4 km of the under-construction tunnel from the Silkyara side and 1.75 km from the other side has been built. The tunnel, once complete, is expected to cut down travel time by an hour. The project to build the tunnel is being carried out by Hyderabad-based Navayuga Engineering Company Limited, which has reportedly handled such projects before.

What Went Wrong?

On November 12, a section of tunnel between 205 and 260 metres from the Silkyara side collapsed. Workers who were beyond the 260-metre mark were trapped, with their exit blocked. Fortunately for them, the part of the tunnel where they are stuck has power and water supply. While government authorities have maintained that a detailed probe will reveal what led to the collapse, multiple theories are floating around. One of them is that a landslide in the fragile Himalayan region led to the collapse. Several experts have pointed out how hasty development in the ecologically sensitive region was responsible for the incident.

There have been claims that the collapse was triggered by a blast carried out by construction teams building the tunnel. SP Sati, a geologist and professor of environmental science at Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry, said, "The agency will never accept this, but I am certain that a major blast led to this collapse." International expert Arnold Dix, who has been at the site, was asked if the absence of an escape tunnel contributed to the situation. He said that globally, escape tunnels are put at the end "because normally you don't expect them to collapse". He, however, added a disclaimer that escape tunnels may be built during the course of the project in areas that have specific geological conditions.

Timeline of the rescue operation

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Nov 12: On this day, 41 workers became trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi after a portion collapsed due to a landslide. The rescue operation promptly commenced, ensuring a continuous supply of essential items such as oxygen, food, and water to the trapped workers.

Nov 13: Chief Minister Dhami visited the site, overseeing the ongoing excavation aimed at carving a path to reach the trapped workers. Basic necessities were provided to sustain them during this challenging time.

Nov 14: Excavators initiated drilling using auger machinery to fix a steel pipe for the extraction of the workers. Geologists examined the accident site, and families urged a swift rescue.

Nov 15: Despite complications caused by falling debris, efforts to rescue the workers continued. Supplies reached the workers through a pipe, while colleagues outside the tunnel pressed for a quick and efficient rescue.

Nov 16: A new drilling machine was installed, aiming to increase the pace of clearing debris. Rescuers encountered obstacles but strived to expedite the operation.

Nov 17: Despite challenges, rescuers drilled through 24 meters of debris and inserted pipes into the tunnel. A large-scale cracking sound caused a temporary halt.

Nov 18: Drilling was suspended, but workers maintained communication via radios. Allegations of insufficient information from rescue teams surfaced.

Nov 19: Drilling remained suspended, and Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari suggested horizontal boring with a large auger machine.

Nov 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the operation, and rescuers pushed through a new pipeline to provide dry food to the workers.

Nov 21: The first video of the trapped workers was released, and rescue teams drilled 32 meters, facing obstacles with iron rods.

Nov 22: Drilling resumed, and ambulances were on standby as the rescue operation entered its final stages.

Nov 24: Rescuers faced hurdles again, slowing the operation, with consideration given to manual drilling.

Nov 26: Vertical drilling commenced from the top of the mountain, aiming to reach 86 meters to the trapped workers.

Nov 27: Rat miners were brought in to drill through a narrow pipe, ensuring the workers' extraction.

Nov 28: Rescue workers successfully drilled through rocks and debris. On evening the NDRF and SDRF rescue teams managed to reach the 41 trapped workers and brought them to out to safety with the help of an escape pipe.

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