Uttarakhand: under-construction tunnel collapses, 40 labourers trapped

A portion of a tunnel under construction between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri national highway here collapsed in the early hours of Sunday, trapping around 40 workers inside, officials said.

They said the incident occurred around 4 am when a 150-metre-long portion of the four-and-a-half-kilometer-long tunnel collapsed.

As soon as information about the incident was received, Uttarkashi Superintendent of Police Arpan Yaduvanshi rushed to the spot and launched a relief and rescue operation, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Dunda, Brajesh Tiwari said.

National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, fire brigade and employees of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), the organisation building the tunnel, are at the spot as well trying to rescue the trapped labourers, he said. The tunnel is part of the Char Dham all-weather road project. Its construction will reduce the journey between Uttarkashi and Yamunotri by 26 km.