In what can be termed as a big breakthrough into the 17-day-long rescue operations at the Silkyara Tunnel collapse site in Uttarkashi, all the 41 trapped workers were evacuated on Tuesday.
As per information, earlier this evening, the NDRF and SDRF personnel went inside the tunnel to rescue the trapped workers.
Officials present at the site said that 15 trapped miners were safely evacuated from the tunnel in 30 minutes after the first man was pulled out.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways and Civil Aviation Gen VK Singh were present at the site during the rescue operations this evening.
The rescued workers will be taken to the Chinyalisaur Community Health Center, reports said.
It may be mentioned that, on November 12, 2023, a collapse occurred in the under-construction tunnel from Silkyara to Barkot due to debris falling in a 60-meter stretch on the Silkyara side. Immediate mobilization of resources by the State and Central Governments ensued to rescue the 41 trapped labours.
Initially opting for a 900 mm pipe through the debris, safety concerns led to the exploration of multiple rescue options simultaneously. The area of entrapment, measuring 8.5 meters in height and 2 kilometres in length, is the built-up portion of the tunnel, offering safety to the labours with available electricity and water supply.
Various government agencies were working tirelessly on each assigned specific tasks to ensure the safe evacuation of the workers. National and International experts were present at site to advice on the rescue operation.
