Uttarakhand Tunnel Collapse: Trapped Workers Safe; Communication Established

About 160 rescuers are trying to reach the trapped labourers with the help of drilling equipment and JCBs after a portion of a tunnel under construction between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri national highway in Uttarkashi on Sunday collapsed.

The contact has been established and all 40 people are safe. "Around 40 workers are trapped inside, but all of them are fine. At 12.30 am today, a contact was established with them. They are being provided food, water and oxygen using two pipes. We have a plan A, plan B and plan C to rescue them," an official told PTI.

An oxygen pipe has been inserted into the collapsed part of the tunnel, which is part of the Char Dham all-weather road project, so that those trapped would not have difficulty breathing, the SP said.

At a press meet, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said, "40 people are trapped inside the Silkyara Tunnel located on the Uttarkashi-Yamnotri road. Food and water along with oxygen are continuously being provided to all the people inside... 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..."

Around 160 rescuers are making efforts to reach the trapped laborers, as said by the Uttarkashi district emergency operation center.

Subsequently, teams from the Border Roads Organisation and ITBP, under the leadership of Commanding Officer Naman Narula and Assistant Commandant Jadhav Vaibhav, were also mobilized to aid in the rescue operations, according to officials.

Uttarkashi District Magistrate Abhishek Ruhela, Chief General Manager of the National Highways Authority of India Vishal Gupta, and NDRF second-in-command Ravishankar Badhani are present at the site to oversee the search and rescue efforts.