The Silkyara tunnel project’s executing agency, the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL), has stated that it will require a minimum of four to six months to resume construction.
On November 12, a section of the Silkyara side of the tunnel collapsed, keeping 41 workers until they were freed on 28 November 2023 following a 17-day hard work.
Reconstruction of Silkyara tunnel
Before beginning work on the 4.5 km long Silkyara tunnel project, a senior official from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) that a safety audit of the tunnel would be conducted, and essential repairs would be made. This time, the official promised, every safety measure will be taken to guarantee the tunnel’s security.
The 4.5-kilometer Silkyara tunnel project, a crucial part of the Char Dham Yatra All Weather Road, is scheduled to move forward following a thorough safety assessment and any required repairs, notwithstanding the collapse.
The goal of the Rs 12,000-crore project is to guarantee continuous access to Uttarakhand’s four holy towns: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath.
A six-person expert team has been appointed by the Uttarakhand government to investigate the reasons behind the fall. MoRTH will think about assembling a panel of its own to look into this further.
The collapse of the Zojila Tunnel could have been caused by a number of factors, according to Project Head Harpal Singh, including subpar geological research, poorly planned ground support systems, errors made during construction, and insufficient supervision and control. He recommended that all highway and rail tunnels be designed with escape tunnels running parallel to the main tunnels.
Following their evacuation, the 41 rescued personnel were taken to AIIMS-Rishikesh for a medical examination. The employees are undergoing mental health assessments and are being closely watched.
Conclusion
With hard work of rescuers, 41 trapped workers were safely rescued. Now, the government is planning to soon reconstruct the Silkyara tunnel in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.
