UTTARAKHAND, India: Construction has resumed on an Indian tunnel that collapsed last year, trapping 41 workers for 17 days, according to reports on Tuesday.
At least one of those individuals is already back on the job. Manik Talukdar, a worker from Bengal who was among those trapped in the under-construction Silkyara road tunnel, informed a media outlet that he was “on my way back” to his subterranean duties. Despite the ordeal, Talukdar expressed determination, stating, “It was a fateful thing, but that doesn’t mean we should stop working out of fear.”
The majority of the trapped workers were migrant labourers who had travelled long distances from their homes to work on the tunnel in the northern Uttarakhand state, situated high in the frigid Himalayan foothills. Surviving in the tunnel after the collapse on November 12 was made possible through a narrow tube that facilitated the delivery of air, food, and water as they awaited rescue. Talukdar dismissed concerns of another collapse, acknowledging the inherent risks of their profession: “We are aware of the risks involved in our job.”
Following numerous challenges during the rescue operation, including falling debris, apprehensions of further cave-ins, and breakdowns of drilling equipment, military engineers and skilled miners manually excavated the final section using a technique known as the “rat-hole” method. A three-person team worked at the rock face within a metal pipe wide enough for only one person, with the lead worker digging and passing material to the individual behind him.
The highways ministry granted permission last week for work to resume, nearly two months after the collapse.
