MAKINGS OF A DISASTER

‘The Uttarakhand tunnel collapse is just one of the many cases that brings to light the need to reform our lifestyle, give up on comfort and things for the sake of sustainability, paving the way for a deep dive into the debate between development and conservation

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Fourteen days after the 41 construction workers were trapped after a tunnel collapsed in Uttarakhand, officials believe that a rescue operation is close to making a critical breakthrough.

The construction workers have been trapped 260 metres inside the Silkyara-Barkot under-construction tunnel since November 12, when a part of it collapsed following a landslide at around 5.30 am.

Situated about 30 km from Uttarkashi and a seven-hour drive from Dehradun, the Silkyara tunnel is an integral part of the Central government's Char Dham all-weather road project.

The said project, being built at a cost of Rs 12,500 crore, was supposed to widen roads in the region, keeping in mind sufficient slope protection needs. The project was challenged in 2018 for its perilous impact on the Himalayan ecology.

Ecological experts and environmentalists, in a petition before the Supreme Court, had raised concerns about impending environmental disasters like flooding and landslides due to the destruction of ecosystems for infrastructure projects.

Authorities are working hard to ensure the speedy evacuation of the workers, trapped under the debris of the collapsed under-construction tunnel.

The government has implemented a five-pronged action plan for the rescue mission, seeking help from five agencies: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, Sutluj Jal Vidyut Nigam, Rail Vikas Nigam, National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation, and Tehri Hydro Development Corporation each assigned specific responsibilities.

However, the rescue work faces significant topographic challenges, and drilling operations had to be halted temporarily as cracks were identified in the platform supporting the drilling machine.