Uttarkashi tunnel collapse: Trapped labourers yet to be rescued, heavy machines airlifted from Delhi to remove debris

Lucknow: Attempts to rescue 40 labourers who were trapped after the collapse of a portion of an under-construction tunnel on the Yamunotri (origin of river Yamuna) National Highway in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district have not succeeded even 72 hours after the incident, triggering protests from the family members of the labourers.

Officials who were present at the spot and supervising the rescue operations said that heavy machines were airlifted from Delhi to remove the debris at a faster pace so that the labourers could be rescued.

Fresh landslides hindered efforts to insert steel pipes through the debris, the officials said adding that all the 40 labourers were safe and were being provided food through pipes.

Sources said that the machines, which were airlifted from Delhi, could speed up the work of removal of the debris. The officials expressed confidence that the trapped labourers would be rescued in the next few hours.

Meanwhile, family members of the trapped labourers held a demonstration near the tunnel to protest against alleged delay in rescuing them. They also alleged that the incident happened due to the negligence of the company which was given the work of construction.

Reports said that all attempts to persuade the protesting family members to call off their protests failed. There were also reports of scuffle between the police and the protesters.

As many as 40 labourers from Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Assam were trapped after a portion of the tunnel caved in on Sunday. The spot is 200 metres away from the entry of the tunnel toward Silkyara.

The tunnel, which is 4.5 kilometre long was being constructed from Silkyara to Dandalgaon on the Yamunotri National Highway under the Char Dham Road project. The tunnel would reduce the distance from Uttarkashi to Yamunotri by around 26 kilometres.