Amidst Diwali festivities, atleast 40 workers are believed to be trapped following the collapse of a section of a tunnel being constructed between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri national highway in Uttarkashi. The incident occurred on Sunday morning at about 6 AM, when the work was going on in the tunnel. Fortunately, there have been no reported casualties so far.
A collaborative rescue effort involving 160 personnel from agencies such as the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), is currently underway to rescue the trapped labourers in the collapsed tunnel. The Silkyara police control room has confirmed the establishment of communication through walkie-talkies, and food packets are being supplied with the assistance of compressors, according to PTI reports.
Image source: The Observer Post
NDRF's Assistant Commandant, Karamveer Singh Bhandari, reported to ANI, "All the 40 people trapped inside the tunnel are safe; we have provided water and food to them. Rescue work is underway. We are facing a bit of a problem as the debris is wet, but our team is leaving no stone unturned, and rescue is underway”.
As per the District Emergency Operation Centre, the trapped labourers reportedly hail from Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Officials on Sunday expressed optimism about the safety of the labourers, highlighting a sufficient oxygen supply facilitated through a water pipeline.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi communicated with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday to inquire about the ongoing rescue efforts. The tunnel is a crucial component of the Char Dham all-weather highway project. Once completed, it is expected to shorten the journey between Uttarkashi and Yamunotri by 26 kilometers.
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