Uttarakhand tunnel rescue operation: After 17-day ordeal, all 41 workers evacuated safely

The 17-day rescue operation came to fruition on Tuesday (Nov 26) as all of the 41 workers trapped inside the under-construction Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand were evacuated safely amidst hopes and prayers from millions of Indians.

The trapped workers were taken out through 57 metres (187 feet) of steel pipe on stretchers specially fitted with wheels.

Celebrations erupted and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' (Long live mother India) chants reverberated as locals distributed sweets outside Silkyara tunnel to celebrate the achievement. All the workers were immediately brought to the temporary medical camp built in the tunnel for their initial check-up and to make them acclimatise to the temperature outside.

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Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who was present at the site, immediately met the workers and inquired about their health.

In the final phase of the operation, the authorities relied on the manual "rat-hole" mining technique,banned in some parts, employed after high-tech auger machines failed to drill through the nearly 60 metres of debris and rock that had trapped the workers.

Under this technique, labourers manually dug through the rocks over a 12-metre last stretch.

Three teams of the National Disaster Response Force(NDRF)were inside the tunnel to bring out the trapped workers.

PM Modi, Gadkari laud agencies for rescue operation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media X to hailthe success of the rescue operation and thanked the personnel involved in evacuating the trapped workers.

"The success of the rescue operation of our labour brothers in Uttarkashi is making everyone emotional. I want to say to the friends who were trapped in the tunnel that your courage and patience are inspiring everyone. I wish you all well and good health. It is a matter of great satisfaction that after a long wait, these friends of ours will now meet their loved ones," he said.

"The patience and courage that all these families have shown in this challenging time cannot be appreciated enough. I also salute the spirit of all the people associated with this rescue operation. His bravery and determination have given new life to our labor brothers. Everyone involved in this mission has set an amazing example of humanity and teamwork."

Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari, too, thanked the agencies involved for their "well-coordinated effort" in making the mission successful.

“I am completely relieved and happy as 41 trapped labourers in the Silkyara Tunnel Collapse have been successfully rescued. This was a well-coordinated effort by multiple agencies, marking one of the most significant rescue operations in recent years. Various departments and agencies complemented each other despite facing numerous challenges. Tireless and sincere efforts by everyone, coupled with prayers from all, have made this operation possible. The dedicated endeavors of the rescue teams have yielded favorable results,” he said.

The incident happened on the morning of November 12 in the Himalayan state when the 41 workers, who were constructing a tunnel, were trapped after a landslide caused part of it to cave in.

Contact with the trapped men was established soon after the collapse, and they were provided with oxygen, food, and water while they waited for their rescue.