Victory Against Odds: All 41 Trapped Workers Rescued From Tunnel Collapse, Nation Applauds

The 17-day long wait for the 41 workers trapped within Uttarakhand's Silkyara tunnel concluded on Tuesday. All the workers have been successfully evacuated following an arduous and relentless rescue operation.

Prior to the initial evacuation, personnel from the SDRF and NDRF entered into the tunnel equipped with stretchers. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Union Minister VK Singh were present, extending a warm welcome to the rescued workers.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami took to Twitter to share the news, expressing his gratitude to the rescue teams for their relentless efforts. "There has been a great success in the ongoing rescue operation in the Silkyara Tunnel, the work of pipe pushing has been done across the debris. Now preparations have been started to evacuate the workers safely," he tweeted.

A worker involved in the rescue operation told news agency ANI, "The rescue work has been completed and the trapped workers will start coming out in the next 15-20 minutes. NDRF teams will pull out the workers now. It will take around half an hour to rescue all the 41 trapped workers. There are no hurdles now..."

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari expressed gratitude on social media, extending his thanks to the agencies involved in the successful rescue operation. He remarked, "I am immensely relieved and jubilant as the 41 trapped laborers in the Silkyara Tunnel Collapse have been successfully rescued. This was an exemplary display of coordinated efforts by multiple agencies, marking a significant achievement in recent rescue operations. Despite myriad challenges, various departments and agencies collaborated seamlessly. The relentless and genuine efforts of all involved, coupled with collective prayers, made this operation a success. The dedicated endeavors of the rescue teams have borne fruit."

Expressing delight, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated: "It is great news for the nation that all our 41 Shramik brothers trapped in a tunnel in Uttarkashi have been rescued safe and sound. Nation salutes their grit in facing such a challenging situation in the tunnel for so long. My heartfelt gratitude to all the people and the agencies that have made tireless efforts to save the lives of our fellow citizens."

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami oversees as workers who were rescued from the Silkyara tunnel are being taken to Hospital in ambulances, ANI reported.

The scene outside the Silkyara tunnel witnessed jubilation as locals distributed sweets to celebrate the ongoing rescue of the trapped workers.

The rescue operation, which has been underway since November 12, has been challenging due to the unstable nature of the debris and the complex tunnel structure. However, the unwavering commitment of the rescue teams has kept the hope alive for the trapped workers and their families.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted,"I feel extremely happy with the news of safe rescue of all the workers trapped in the tunnel accident in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. The whole country was keeping an eye on this operation. The entire country has heaved a sigh of relief with its success. This is a moment of joy for the families of all laborers.''

"It is a matter of great relief and joy for all of us that the workers trapped in the tunnel under construction in Silkyara, Uttarkashi for the last 17 days were taken out of the tunnel safely today," Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge tweeted.