DEHRADUN: The Silkyara Tunnel on the Yamunotri Highway, a crucial part of the Char Dham Yatra route, is set for a breakthrough on April 16. According to officials privy to the matter, only three metres of the tunnel are left to be cleared.
“Preparations are under way for a ceremony to commemorate this milestone. Both CM Pushkar Singh Dhami and Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari are slated to attend the event,” said an official.
The executing agency has, however, clarified that significant work needs to be done before the Yamunotri Highway tunnel is open to traffic. According to the agency, even after the tunnel becomes passable, another year will be dedicated to installing the necessary modern infrastructure.
“Following the breakthrough, it will take approximately one year to equip the tunnel with modern facilities, such as benching, inverts, final lining, and a central wall, along with soil removal,” a spokesperson for the executing agency stated, adding, “Only after this extensive work will the tunnel be opened for traffic flow.”
This timeline indicates that while the breakthrough on April 16 marks a crucial step, commuters and pilgrims using the Char Dham route will need to wait longer before experiencing the full benefits of the tunnelised section of the highway.
The Silkyara-Polgaon tunnel, approximately 4.5 km in length, was launched in 2018–19 with a budget of `853.79 crore. It may be recalled that a harrowing cave-in had trapped 41 construction workers for 17 days in November 2023. The construction work was resumed after two months in January 2024. The project is a part of the Narendra Modi government’s Char Dham road project aimed at improving connectivity to pilgrimage sites in Uttarakhand.
Seventeen months after the Silkyara Tunnel collapse, last Monday, Col Deepak Patil, former General Manager (Project) at NHIDCL, emphasised the importance of tunnels in disaster-prone regions. Addressing officials at the R S Tolia Uttarakhand Academy of Administration’s Disaster Management cell in Nainital virtually, Col Patil noted, “Tunnels can serve as a lifeline in disaster-prone regions, providing a safe and reliable means of transportation.”
He also warned about the potential dangers of constructing multi-storey buildings in such areas. In his 150-minute virtual address, Col Patil reiterated that tunnels are vital in Himalayan infrastructure. He urged that tunnels should get priority in road projects to minimise environmental damage. He further cautioned against river-path routes.