Year-ender 2023: India pulls off a successful mountainous feat in Silkyara Tunnel Rescue

2023 stands out as a special year for India as it put together a successful feat in one of the most globally challenging tunnel rescue operations last November. The whole world watched in awe and suspense as India made a Himalayan effort and rescued all the 41 trapped workers from behind 60 metres of debris in the 4.5-km long under-construction Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district, writes ETV Bharat's G. Ravikiran.

Hyderabad: In 2013, a flash flood wreaked unprecedented devastation leading to over 6,000 people presumed dead and thousands more missing in Uttarakhand, popularly known as 'Devbhoomi' (The Land of Gods). A decade later, the Silkyara mountain road tunnel collapsed on November 12 this year triggering an arduous 17-day rescue operation that ended on November 28 on a happy note. All the 41 trapped workers were saved in the tension-filled rescue that once again turned international focus on an incident that threatened to be Uttarakhand's yet another human tragedy.

Challenges: The Radi mountain in the Himalayas, where the Silkyara tunnel collapse took place, threw a huge challenge to the rescuers as the machine drilling operations encountered repeated hitches. Unstable topography of the tunnel collapse spot posed a huge challenge. The Silkyara tunnel is located at a relatively shallow depth but the overall region lies in the upper Himalayas exposed to geological fault lines. The heavy auger machine, after several hurdles, met with irreparable damage and conceded its defeat to the mountain. However, the manual drilling began and the Indian rat-hole miners picked up where the machine halted and removed debris in a 10-metre stretch in less than 24 hours. They removed the last rock and rescued all 41 workers, thereby averting what threatened to be yet another disaster in the Land of Gods. The massive rescue operations ended successfully on November 28, setting the tone for a happy ending to the Year 2023.

Testimony to India's resolve: The tunnel rescue in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district stands as testimony to India's firm resolve and indomitable spirit in the face of challenges posed by the mountain. The tunnel collapsed on November 12, which was a Diwali day when the whole country was immersed in festive celebrations while the hapless workers had to remain holed up inside a 2-km entrapment for over 17 days. All through, the government displayed an unwavering commitment to saving the lives of the 41 trapped workers. As the rescue operations met with frequent technical snags, the government roped in a multitude of agencies and international experts.

Himalayan rescue efforts: Over a dozen agencies including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), besides the local police, were directly involved in the massive rescue. As many as 652 government employees swung into action at the spot.

Char Dham Yatra Road: The 4.5-kilometre, two-lane bidirectional Silkyara tunnel is located on Dharasu-Yamunotri National Highway (NH134). and is a part of the Central government's 900-km 'Char Dham Yatra All Weather Road', which is aimed at improving pilgrimage connectivity to Uttarakhand's four holy towns - Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. The NHIDCL, a Government of India entity, is constructing this key road project. After being rescued from the tunnel, the workers said they faced difficulty inside the entrapment for the first four to five days. According to Vishwajeet Verma, a rescued worker, when a part of the tunnel collapsed, all the workers realised they were trapped. Their hopes were kindled after food, rice, dal and dry fruits were supplied through a pipe a few hours after entrapment. To boost their morale, a mic was installed and the workers periodically talked to their family members.

Life safety: All steps were taken to extend medical and psychological help to the workers during their entrapment. They were immediately rushed to a makeshift hospital and later treated at AIIMS, Rishikesh, before being sent home. Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the success of the rescue operation as 'deeply moving'. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was at the rescue site throughout coordinating the operations.

Lapses: Questions were raised on the alleged absence of escape channels for workers. The government claimed safeguards were taken and the collapsed portion was still under construction. Though the 41 workers were trapped in a 2 km built-up section of the tunnel, they had sufficient space for doing morning walks and yoga. They said that they kept busy talking among themselves to prevent any fatigue. Initially, the US-based 25-tonne auger drilling machine was used to remove the debris for above 60 metres stretch to reach the stranded workers. The mountain defined the machine several times until it broke down completely leaving about 10 metre stretch of debris unexcavated.

Rat-hole miners: As the experts realised the need for efforts from multiple sides, the rat-hole miners were roped in to finish the remaining part of the debris where the auger machine got stuck. Also, vertical drilling was started from atop the mountain to instil confidence among the workers and their families. Fortunately for the trapped workers, they were holed up in a stretch where concrete work was completed and electricity and water supply were available. Provisions, food and medicines were delivered through a dedicated 4-inch pipeline.

Supply of essentials: As the rescue got delayed, the government took additional measures to protect the lives of workers. Road, Transport and Highways Secretary Anurag Jain said, "We are sending multivitamins, antidepressants and dry fruits to workers who have been trapped". he said. on Sunday provided an update on the Uttarkashi tunnel collapse rescue operation and said there is water and electricity in a two km section inside the tunnel, which is the finished part of the 4.531-kilometre two-lane bi-directional tunnel at Silkyara in Uttarkashi.

What experts said: International tunnelling expert Arnold Dix, who heads the Geneva-based International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (Geneva), predicted that the rescue would take longer than expected. As the auger machine drilled for a major part of the escape channel, the manual drilling by rathole miners helped finish the task faster in the last stage. In an eye-opening remark, Dix said, "The mountain has told us one thing, that is to be humble."

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