Weeks after miracle rescue of 41 workers, work begins again at Uttarkashi tunnel

Work on the Silkyara-Barkot tunnel in Uttarkashi, which made headlines on November 12, when one of its sections collapsed, trapping 41 workers who were rescued 17 days later on November 28, has restarted, albeit from the Barkot side of the 4.5km long tunnel, an official from National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), said.

- Amit Bathla

The collapse happened closer to the Silkyara side — the tunnel itself is part of the larger Char Dham project — and work from that side will begin only after remedial measures on that side, added the official who asked not to be named. The state-owned NHIDCL is overseeing the project that it has contracted out to Hyderabad-based contractor Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd (NECL).

The collapse was caused by a landslide in a zone where the rocks were weak and the remedial measures will likely involve strengthening the area to withstand the tunneling. Once the rescue ended on November 28, NHIDCL was clear that the tunneling would restart, even as it conducted an inquiry and a safety audit into what went wrong.