DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand's longest tunnel, Silkyara, on the Yamunotri highway connecting the Char Dham Yatra route, achieved a major breakthrough on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone in the region's infrastructure development.
The 4.5 km double-lane tunnel will reduce the distance between Gangotri and Yamunotri by 31.5 km upon completion, enhancing connectivity to the revered Hindu pilgrimage sites.
The completion of the tunnel, currently the longest under construction in Uttarakhand promises to drastically reduce travel time between Dharasu and Yamunotri. "This tunnel will significantly improve the journey for pilgrims and tourists alike," stated an NHIDCL official.
"Once operational, it will cut down the travel time by about an hour between Dharasu and Yamunotri." The dual-lane tunnel is expected to provide all-weather connectivity, a boon especially during the peak pilgrimage season.
The breakthrough ceremony was attended by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ajay Tamta. Prior to the breakthrough, Chief Minister Dhami participated in the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony at the newly constructed Baba Baukhnag temple, situated near the tunnel's entrance.
Fulfilling a vow made during the challenging rescue operation last November, Dhami announced a significant symbolic gesture. "In honor of Baba Baukhnag's blessings and to commemorate the safe evacuation of the 41 workers, this tunnel will now be known as Baba Baukhnag Tunnel," declared Chief Minister Dhami at the event.
According to officials from the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), the tunnel is a crucial part of the ambitious Char Dham project, a national initiative aimed at improving connectivity to Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri. While the breakthrough marks a major success, NHIDCL officials indicated that the tunnel is still approximately two years away from being open to vehicular traffic.
The achievement comes 17 months after the commencement of construction and notably after a challenging period last year. On November 12, 2023, a section of the tunnel collapsed, trapping 41 workers for 17 agonizing days. The incident garnered national and international attention, transforming the site into the epicenter of a large-scale rescue operation.
The rescue effort involved a multi-agency approach, incorporating expertise from global specialists and various Indian organizations including the Indian Army, Border Roads Organisation (BRO), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), NHIDCL, ONGC, RVNL, SJVN, and THDC.
Initially, Australian tunneling expert Arnold Dix led efforts using an auger machine, but success remained elusive.
Ultimately, the expertise of Col Deepak Patil, then General Manager (Project) of NHIDCL, proved pivotal. His technical acumen led to the deployment of seven rat-hole miners from Delhi, who, after a 16-day operation, successfully reached and safely extracted all 41 trapped workers on the 17th day.
Following the worker rescue, NHIDCL faced the daunting task of removing approximately 60 meters of debris inside the tunnel. Construction work remained suspended for about a month after the collapse. Upon resumption, modern machinery was employed to clear the debris, and crucially, an 'escape tunnel' was also constructed alongside the main tunnel. This escape tunnel is designed to provide a safe evacuation route for workers in the event of future incidents like debris falls.