Rescue Nears Completion for Trapped Workers in Uttarkashi’s Silkyara Tunnel

The rescue operation at the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi, where workers have been trapped since November 12, is expected to conclude on Thursday. Only six to eight meters of drilling remain to reach the trapped workers. A contingency plan is in place, with 41 ambulances and a medical team on standby, along with a Chinook helicopter stationed in Chinyalisaur for potential airlifting in case of a medical emergency.

Union Minister V. K. Singh and a Central team, including technical experts, are on-site, and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has reviewed the operation. Drilling, previously hindered by an iron mesh, has resumed after its removal. Former PMO Adviser Bhaskar Khulbe assured that the trapped workers are safe, receiving food and water.

The workers’ states of origin include Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh. All district hospitals are on alert, with specialist doctors from Dehradun deployed to Chinyalisaur.