Adhir raises Uttarakhand tunnel collapse issue, cites reasons for collapse

New Delhi : Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Tuesday raised the issue of the collapse of the part of the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand in which 41 workers were trapped for 17 days.

He also highlighted several other similar incidents saying these could have been averted, provided if the government had shown a little patience with the geologists, who had earlier red-flagged that these kinds of tunnels could be disastrous

He also asked for clarification from the government whether an escape route was planned in the tunnel or not.

Speaking in the House, Chowdhury said, “I would like to speak on the Silkyara Bend-Barkot tunnel rescue. Forty-one workers were trapped for 17 days in the tunnel. It's not an isolated incident. I would also like to report recent incidents of collapses in the Himalayas.”

Citing other incidents he said, Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (SLHEP), Teesta River Flash Flood, KiratPur- Nerchowk Tunnel Collapse in Himachal Pradesh in 2015, Tehri Hydroelectric Tunnel Collapse in 2004.

He also cited the reasons for such incidents and said that the reasons cited by experts are -- fractured or fragile rock, water seepage, landslide-prone Himalayan rock system, lack of geological and geotechnical studies, improper study of CR zone and failure to design an escape tunnel.

He highlighted that at the last moment, rat hole miners were engaged to rescue those labourers.

“What I feel that the situation in Uttarkashi could have been averted, provided if the government had shown a little patience with the geologists who had earlier red-flagged that these kinds of tunnels could be disastrous,” Chowdhury said. He also said that the government is still not responding to such incidents.

“Even there is ambiguity and contradiction between the statements of the media and that made by the concerned minister. There was an escape route which was stated by the expert but the minister stating that yes there was an escape route. I want to clarify the issue from the government side,” he asked.

In a mega multi agency operation that went on for 17 days, 41 trapped workers were rescued from the Silkyara tunnel. On November 12, an under-construction tunnel collapsed in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi leaving 41 workers trapped.