Major Milestone For Char Dham Road Project: Excavation At Silkyara Tunnel Set To Complete Months After Collapse

A critical breakthrough is set to be officially achieved on Wednesday (16 April) at the Silkyara site in Uttarakhand, as both ends of the Silkyara Bend–Barkot tunnel, excavated from opposite directions, are set to meet, marking a major milestone for the long-stalled Char Dham road connectivity project.

TOI reported that the 4.5 km tunnel project, under construction by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), was brought to a standstill after a partial collapse in November 2023 left 40 workers trapped underground.

A harrowing 17 day rescue operation captivated the nation before all workers were successfully brought to safety. Following the incident, the government opted to salvage the project, citing both the significant investment and strategic importance.

"All issues have been addressed while carrying out digging work and excavation of the debris. Necessary changes have also been made taking into account all safety concerns," an official said.

Excavation started in January 2024 under strict safety protocols. With the excavation now complete, sources indicated that finishing works will be undertaken over the next year to prepare the tunnel for operational use.

However, the project has not been without controversy. A detailed investigation into the collapse exposed gross negligence by multiple parties, including NHIDCL, the DPR consultant, the construction firm, and the authority engineer (AE).

The probe noted that the fixing of alignment did not meet basic principles of tunnelling, and criticised the contractor's inaction despite 21 minor collapses flagged by the AE.

The report further highlighted a lack of coordination and information flow among the stakeholders and urged the government to carry out inquiries and initiate penal action against delinquent personnel and officers.

Despite these findings, the government has yet to take formal action against those deemed responsible.

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