The statement by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has come during the ongoing operation to rescue the workers trapped inside the collapsed Silkyara tunnel for ten days. The tunnel collapsed in Uttarkashi on November 12.

“NHAI officials, along with a team of experts from Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) as well as other tunnel experts, will inspect the ongoing tunnel projects and submit a report within seven days,” the statement said.

The 29 under-construction tunnels are spread to a length of about 79 km. Out of all the tunnels, 12 are being constructed in Himachal Pradesh, six in Jammu and Kashmir, two each in Maharashtra, Odisha, and Rajasthan, and one each in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, and Delhi.

NHAI also agreed with Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL). As per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), KRCL will review the design, drawing, and safety aspects related to tunnel construction and slope stabilisation of NHAI projects.

More than 40 people were trapped inside the collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand as the rescue operation continued even on day 10. Given the progress in the situation, officials are optimistic about good news in the next two days. After the installation of a 6-inch wide pipe, rescue teams, and engineers have been working overtime to drive a steel pipe through at least 57 meters of earth, concrete, and rubble.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is constantly in touch with the officials leading the rescue operation. TIll now 45 meters of drilling have been completed by resuming work with the auger machine. As of now, both vertical and horizontal drilling options are being pursued through equipment, he said.

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Updated: 22 Nov 2023, 08:44 PM IST