Tunnel Collapse: 41 Workers Rescued After Intense Operations

Disaster Management Disaster Management in India

Posted by admin on 2025-01-27 14:08:54 |

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In November 2023, a section of the Silkyara Bend–Barkot tunnel in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, collapsed, trapping 41 construction workers. The tunnel, part of the Char Dham project, was under construction to connect National Highway 134. The collapse occurred around 5:30 AM on November 12, 2023, when a 60-meter-long section caved in approximately 200 meters from the tunnel's entrance.

Rescue Operations

Rescue operations commenced immediately, involving multiple agencies, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Uttarakhand Police, engineers from the Indian Army Corps of Engineers, and Project Shivalik of the Border Roads Organisation. Private resources, such as Australian tunneling experts Arnold Dix and Chris Cooper, were also engaged. The initial rescue attempts faced challenges due to the debris created by the collapse. To overcome these obstacles, "rat-hole" miners employed manual mining techniques to create an access pipe to reach the trapped workers.

Outcome

After a prolonged and challenging rescue operation, all 41 workers were successfully freed. The incident prompted a safety audit of other tunnels in the area to prevent future occurrences.

Background

The Silkyara Bend–Barkot tunnel was being constructed by Navayuga Engineering Construction Limited under the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) as part of the Char Dham project. This project aims to connect important Hindu pilgrimage sites in Uttarakhand with two-lane, all-weather paved roads. The tunnel, planned to be 4.5 km long, was intended to shorten the route by about 20 km. The construction faced challenges due to the complex geology of the region, including weak rock masses and proximity to geological faults. 

This incident underscores the critical need for stringent safety measures and thorough geological assessments in tunnel construction, especially in geologically sensitive areas like the Himalayas.

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