Char Dham Connectivity: Silkyara Tunnel Nears Major Breakthrough After Last Year’s Severe Setback

The Silkyara Tunnel, which partially collapsed after being severely impacted by landslides last year, is on the verge of a significant breakthrough.

The tunnel is a crucial component of the Char Dham all-weather road project initiated by the central government, located approximately 30 km from Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand.

The under-construction tunnel is part of the ambitious Char Dham project, a national infrastructure initiative to enhance connectivity to the Hindu pilgrimage sites of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri.

The 4.5-km-long tunnel is set to reduce the travel distance from Dharasu to Yamunotri by about 20 km and travel time by about an hour.

The tunnel has been under extensive rehabilitation since the disaster.

As per The New Indian Express report, a two-drift tunnel strategy is being implemented to clear accumulated debris and water from the main tunnel.

With 47 metres of excavation completed in one of the drift tunnels, only seven metres remain, expected to be completed within 10 days. The remaining two drift tunnels are projected to be finished over the next two months, paving the way for the reopening of the Silkyara Tunnel.

The executing agency, NHIDCL (National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited), is overseeing the construction of the drift tunnels with expert supervision to ensure the debris is safely removed.

Rajesh Panwar, Project Manager at Navayuga Engineering, the company responsible for the tunnel's construction, shared the cautious approach being taken: "Following the solidification of the debris, we are carefully excavating the drift tunnel. If everything goes as planned, vehicular movement could resume within two months."

Officials expressed optimism about the project's progress: "After an extended period of halted work following the accident, we're pleased to see the tunnel construction regaining momentum and advancing swiftly," they noted.

The tunnel faced a devastating setback on 12 November last year, when a landslide occurred during construction, trapping 41 workers inside.

A tense 17-day rescue operation, involving top rescue teams from around the world, successfully freed all the trapped workers. Since then, debris from the landslide has continued to delay progress on the Silkyara side of the tunnel.

With excavation nearing completion, the long-awaited reopening of the Silkyara Tunnel appears to be within reach now.

The Char Dham project

The Rs 12,000 crore Char Dham project envisages all-weather road connectivity to four revered Hindu pilgrimage sites in the Himalayas — Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri — besides creating roads of strategic importance for faster movement of troops and military equipment to the border with China.

It comprises widening and developing 825 km of National Highways leading to the Char Dham (four revered Hindu pilgrimage sites) and part of the route leading to Kailash Mansarovar yatra.

Laying the foundation stone in December 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the project as a tribute to those who lost their lives during flash floods in the state.

The government has set a December 2024 deadline for the road connectivity programme. Currently, about 601 of the 825 km have been completed.