Uttarakhand: As world celebrates International Labour Day on May 1, the celebrations in India this year would be incomplete without a special mention about the 41 workers of Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand in November last year, who, despite being trapped in the tunnel for 17 days, kept courage and high spirits and returned victorious from a near death experience. The story of the 41 fighter workers of the Silkyara tunnel being built in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand and the rat miners who reached out to the workers during the last stage of the operation deserves a special mention on Labour Day 2024.
Workers Trapped on Diwali: It was the morning of Diwali on 12 November 2023. The whole country was preparing to celebrate Diwali when a part of the Silkyara-Barkot tunnel being built to connect the road being built from Dharasu to Yamunotri in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, collapsed. The way out of the tunnel debris was completely closed and 41 workers working in the tunnel got trapped inside.
As a massive rescue operation began, the survival of the workers was the priority of the rescuers with there being no way to communicate with the workers leave apart sending water or food inside.
Massive Rescue Operation Begins: As the news about the 41 workers being trapped inside the tunnel broke, authorities launched a massive rescue operation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself and his office took cognizance of the Silkyara Tunnel accident. PM Modi assured the whole country that the government will leave no stone unturned in the rescue operation and will bring out the laborers trapped inside the tunnel safely.
World's Largest Rescue Operation: The world's largest rescue operation began in Silkyara Tunnel. Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami set up a camp office in Silkyara itself. The eyes of the whole country as well as the whole world were fixed on the Silkyara Tunnel Rescue in Uttarkashi. Media from the country and the world had gathered outside the Silkyara Tunnel.
International Tunnel Experts Rushed in: The rescue operation to save 41 workers in Silkyara tunnel saw the Centre entrusting the responsibility to international tunnel experts. Australia's international tunnel expert Arnold Dix himself was leading the rescue operation in Silkyara.
Workers Rescued After 17 Days: During the 17-day rescue operation, there were ups and downs every day. Sometimes the blade of the auger machine broke and sometimes there was an attempt to reach out to the workers from an alternate tunnel proposed from the top of the tunnel. After all the ups and downs, the rescue operation was successful on the 17th day as the 41 workers breathed in the open air.
Rat Miners do Wonders: When the auger machine also got damaged by the debris of Silkyara tunnel, rat miners were deployed in the rescue operation and they carried out the rescue operation at a faster speed than expected and on 28 November, all the workers trapped in the tunnel were rescued. The rat miners played an important role by risking their own lives and brought out the workers trapped in the tunnel safely.
