Debris falls inside Uttarakhand’s Silkyara tunnel during rectification work

Debris fell inside the under-construction Silkyara-Barkot tunnel in Uttarakhand on Friday, officials reported Monday. The tunnel, part of the Char Dham all-weather road project, gained notoriety in 2023 when 41 workers were trapped inside for 17 days after a section collapsed.

Officials confirmed that no damage occurred and no one was injured during the recent incident. Ravi Kant, general manager (projects) for Navayuga Engineering Company Limited, the executing agency, explained that the debris fell during work to correct the tunnel's deformed geometry. He noted that the geology in that section is poor and that this specific rectification work is nearing completion.

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The geology in that section is also poor, and this work is nearing completion, with only about 100 metres left. As per the approved drawing, we were carrying out work to correct the geometry. This is a loose portion, and there are a few such locations.

Kant described such incidents as normal during tunneling and rectification processes, attributing the debris fall to a "larger loose portion" opening up. He assured that measures, including reinforcing the area, are being implemented. Navayuga Engineering Company Limited is constructing the 4.5-km tunnel for the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corp Ltd at a cost of approximately ₹1384 crore. The project aims to shorten the distance between the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines by 26 kilometers.

In November 2023, the tunnel made headlines when a landslide caused a cave-in, trapping 41 workers. A specialized team of rat-hole miners was eventually brought in to clear the final section of debris after conventional machinery faced significant hurdles. The rescue operation, which involved the miners working tirelessly for nearly 24 hours, successfully freed the trapped workers.

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A larger loose portion opened up. We are putting a rim around the area and filling it. Similar incidents have occurred during rectification work in the past.