After the successful rescue of 41 trapped workers from the collapsed segment of the Silkayra tunnel in Uttarkashi, the 4.5-kilometer tunnel project is poised to recommence following a \”necessary safety audit,\” as indicated by an official statement on Wednesday.
The Silkayra tunnel project, an integral component of the central government\’s strategic 900-km \’Char Dham Yatra All Weather Road,\’ will proceed after undergoing the requisite safety audit and addressing repairs in the compromised section, according to a senior road ministry official quoted by PTI.
With an investment of Rs 12,000 crore, the project aims to establish all-weather connectivity to four sacred towns—Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath.
The official conveyed to PTI, \”The safety audit of the Silkyara tunnel will be conducted. Meanwhile, efforts will be made to repair and rectify the broken structure. The necessary precautions will be taken, and the 4.5 km long tunnel project will continue,\” underscoring the commitment to ensuring robust safety measures.
The extensive 17-day multi-agency rescue operation concluded on Tuesday night, successfully extracting all 41 workers who had been entombed for over 400 hours nearly 200 feet underground in the collapsed section of the Silkayra tunnel in Uttarkashi.
Harpal Singh, the project head of Zojila Tunnel, attributed various factors to the tunnel collapse, including inadequate geological investigation, under-designed ground support systems, construction errors, insufficient data monitoring and mitigation measures, or deficient supervision control.
Singh emphasized the importance of planning all highway and rail tunnels with a parallel escape tunnel alongside the main tunnel to enhance safety measures.
