Uttarakhand tunnel rescue: Pipe-laying completed, workers to be evacuated soon

Uttarkashi: Laying of pipes through the rubble at Silkyara tunnel has been completed and the 41 workers trapped there for the last 16 days will be evacuated soon, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said.

Rescue workers broke through the 60-metre stretch of rubble in the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand on Tuesday noon using rat-hole mining technique.

In a post on X, Dhami said, "With immense blessings of Baba Baukhnag, prayers of crores of country's citizens and relentless hard work of the rescue agencies involved in the operations, pipe-laying through the tunnel has been completed and our brothers will soon be evacuated."

बाबा बौख नाग जी की असीम कृपा, करोड़ों देशवासियों की प्रार्थना एवं रेस्क्यू ऑपरेशन में लगे सभी बचाव दलों के अथक परिश्रम के फलस्वरूप श्रमिकों को बाहर निकालने के लिए टनल में पाइप डालने का कार्य पूरा हो चुका है। शीघ्र ही सभी श्रमिक भाइयों को बाहर निकाल लिया जाएगा।

— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) November 28, 2023

A portion of the tunnel collapsed on November 12, blocking the exit with 41 workers inside.