Uttarkashi tunnel collapse: All 40 trapped workers safe; CM Dhami reviews rescue ops

Officials on Monday said that rescuers working overnight to save around 40 workers trapped after an under-construction tunnel on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri National Highway collapsed in Uttarkashi have established contact with them and all the workers are said to be safe.

The workers are being supplied with food and water with the help of compressors.

Speaking to ANI news agency, Anshu Manish Khalko, Director, National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited, said,”…The situation is better now… The workers are safe… We are providing food and water…There are nearly 40 people inside…We are trying our best…”

#WATCH | Uttarakhand | On the Uttarkashi Tunnel accident, Anshu Manish Khalko, Director, NHIDCL (National Highway & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited), says,”…The situation is better now… The workers are safe… We are providing food and water…There are nearly… pic.twitter.com/lALMXvwGoi

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) November 13, 2023

A part of the tunnel collapsed on Sunday morning, leaving around 40 labourers trapped inside. The tunnel is part of the Char Dham all-weather road project.

According to the District Emergency Operation Centre, the labourers are from Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
About 160 personnel of agencies such as the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) are trying to rescue the trapped labourers.

Abhishek Rohhila, DM, Uttarkashi, said that the efforts are on to rescue the workers as soon as possible.

#WATCH | Uttarakhand | On the Uttarkashi Tunnel accident, Abhishek Rohhila, DM, Uttarkashi, says, “… We got information about an accident here… The teams of administration, police, health, and response forces like SDRF and NDRF reached here and started the rescue operation…… pic.twitter.com/r2cMQrc5XD

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) November 13, 2023

“… We got information about an accident here… The teams of administration, police, health, and response forces like SDRF and NDRF reached here and started the rescue operation… We are trying to rescue people who are stranded inside as soon as possible…,” said Rohhila.

Dredging and drilling through the debris inside the under-construction tunnel between Silkyara and Dandalgaon is going on to prepare an escape passage for the trapped labourers, according to the district emergency operation centre.

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami conduct an on-site inspection of the land subsidence in the Silkyara Tunnel located and reviewed the ongoing relief and rescue work.

#WATCH | Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami being briefed on the operation to rescue 40 persons stuck inside the Silkyara Tunnel located on Uttarkashi-Yamnotri road pic.twitter.com/7u3eHBG3ux

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) November 13, 2023

“…The rescue operation and removal of debris are going on speedily… Food material has been sent inside… We are talking with experts… An investigation is going on… Our priority is that everyone is rescued safely…,” said Dhami.

#WATCH | On the Uttarkashi Tunnel accident, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami says, “…The rescue operation and removal of debris are going on speedily… Food material has been sent inside… We are talking with experts… An investigation is going on… Our priority is that… pic.twitter.com/8PD4kY339p

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) November 13, 2023

With inputs from agencies