The workers are trapped in the Silkyara Tunnel located on the Uttarkashi-Yamnotri road. The tunnel is a part of the Char Dham all-weather road project which commenced in 2016. The Rs 12,000-crore highway expansion project in Uttarakhand is a flagship initiative of the Centre.

What areas will the tunnel connect?

The high-profile Char Dham project is intended to provide all-weather connectivity in the Char Dham circuit, covering Uttarakhand’s four major shrines — Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri — in the upper Himalayas by widening 889 km of hill roads, as Jay Mazoomdaar wrote in Express Explained.

Who are involved in the rescue operations?

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) and the police are among the main figures in the multi-agency rescue operations. "The NDRF, SDRF, other agencies and experts are working to rescue the 40 stranded persons," CM Dhami said, speaking from the site on Monday.

CM's message to families of stranded labourers

CM Dhami took stock of the situation earlier today and assured the families of the labourers that the state government and administration are making every effort to rescue them. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured all possible help for this.

What do we know of the labourers' situation?

The labourers are safe, and are being provided with food, water and oxygen, CM Dhami said in a press conference. Expanding on this, the Silkyara Control Room said on Monday that the people trapped were contacted through walkie-talkies, through which it was learned that all of those trapped were unharmed. As per their request, food was provided through a compression pipe. The distance to reach those trapped is approximately 60 meters, as per reports. [caption id="attachment_9024697" align="alignnone" width="600"] This photo provided by Uttarakhand State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) shows rescuers inside a collapsed road tunnel where more than 30 workers were trapped by a landslide in northern in Uttarakhand state. ( SDRF via AP)[/caption]

How far have the rescue efforts progressed?

Prashant Kumar, Circle Officer of Uttarkashi, told media that rescuers have covered 15 metres of the 50 metres that need to be moved inside the tunnel. "The present situation is, that yesterday we established communication with the people trapped inside the tunnel. We have moved around 15 mtrs inside the tunnel, and around 35 mtrs are still to be covered. Everyone is safe, we have provided oxygen and water to them. We are making our way sideways to go inside the tunnel," he told the media. #WATCH | Uttarakhand | On Uttarkashi Tunnel accident, Prashant Kumar, Circle Officer of Uttarkashi says, "40 people are trapped inside the tunnel. All are safe, we have provided oxygen and water to them..." "The present situation is, that yesterday we established communication… pic.twitter.com/KWBVtN0ks8 — ANI (@ANI) November 13, 2023

Premium

This is an archive article published on November 13, 2023

What we know of the Uttarakhand tunnel collapse

As the rescue operations continue, here's what we know of the Uttarakhand tunnel collapse situation so far.

An under-construction tunnel in northern Uttarakhand collapsed early on Sunday morning, trapping 40 workers in it and kicking off a laborious rescue operation spilling over to a second day. (Express photo by Avneesh Mishra)

Listen to this article

00:00

1x 1.5x 1.8x

An under-construction tunnel in northern Uttarakhand collapsed early on Sunday morning, trapping 40 workers in it and kicking off a laborious rescue operation spilling over to a second day.

The workers are labourers hailing from Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, as per the District Emergency Operation Centre. They are safe and have been given food, water and oxygen, as per the latest update from Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.

“Communication has been established with them. All of them are safe and I assure all the family members of the trapped people that they will be soon rescued from the tunnel…Teams are present on the spot and rescue work is underway…” CM Dhami said in a press conference.

As the rescue operations continue, here’s what we know of the situation.

01
Where is it?
The workers are trapped in the Silkyara Tunnel located on the Uttarkashi-Yamnotri road. The tunnel is a part of the Char Dham all-weather road project which commenced in 2016. The Rs 12,000-crore highway expansion project in Uttarakhand is a flagship initiative of the Centre.
02
What areas will the tunnel connect?
The high-profile Char Dham project is intended to provide all-weather connectivity in the Char Dham circuit, covering Uttarakhand’s four major shrines — Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri — in the upper Himalayas by widening 889 km of hill roads, as Jay Mazoomdaar wrote in Express Explained.
03
Who are involved in the rescue operations?
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) and the police are among the main figures in the multi-agency rescue operations.

"The NDRF, SDRF, other agencies and experts are working to rescue the 40 stranded persons," CM Dhami said, speaking from the site on Monday.
04
CM's message to families of stranded labourers
CM Dhami took stock of the situation earlier today and assured the families of the labourers that the state government and administration are making every effort to rescue them.

He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured all possible help for this.
05
What do we know of the labourers' situation?
The labourers are safe, and are being provided with food, water and oxygen, CM Dhami said in a press conference.

Expanding on this, the Silkyara Control Room said on Monday that the people trapped were contacted through walkie-talkies, through which it was learned that all of those trapped were unharmed. As per their request, food was provided through a compression pipe. The distance to reach those trapped is approximately 60 meters, as per reports.

This photo provided by Uttarakhand State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) shows rescuers inside a collapsed road tunnel where more than 30 workers were trapped by a landslide in northern in Uttarakhand state. ( SDRF via AP)
06
How far have the rescue efforts progressed?
Prashant Kumar, Circle Officer of Uttarkashi, told media that rescuers have covered 15 metres of the 50 metres that need to be moved inside the tunnel.

"The present situation is, that yesterday we established communication with the people trapped inside the tunnel. We have moved around 15 mtrs inside the tunnel, and around 35 mtrs are still to be covered. Everyone is safe, we have provided oxygen and water to them. We are making our way sideways to go inside the tunnel," he told the media.

#WATCH | Uttarakhand | On Uttarkashi Tunnel accident, Prashant Kumar, Circle Officer of Uttarkashi says, "40 people are trapped inside the tunnel. All are safe, we have provided oxygen and water to them..."

"The present situation is, that yesterday we established communication… pic.twitter.com/KWBVtN0ks8

— ANI (@ANI) November 13, 2023

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags:
Uttarakhand

Loading Taboola...

Chief Justice of India B R Gavai shoe attack: Parties unite to slam ‘attack on democracy’

Shoe thrown at Chief Justice Gavai: Parties unite to slam ‘attack on democracy’

India5 hr ago

PM Modi and other leaders condemned the shoe-throwing incident at the Supreme Court, calling it an attack on democracy. The lawyer responsible, Rakesh Kishore, claimed the CJI's remarks insulted "sanatan dharma." The incident was condemned by leaders across party lines, with many highlighting the Dalit background of the CJI and calling it an assault on the judiciary and the Constitution.

View all shorts

Live Blog