Uttarakhand: Nearly 40 feared trapped as under-construction tunnel collapses

A tunnel under construction in Uttarakhand collapsed today, trapping several workers inside. The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning, around 4 am, when a 150-metre-long section of the tunnel caved in.

The tunnel, part of the Char Dham Road Project, is designed to connect Silkyara to Dandalgaon in Uttarkashi, reducing the journey from Uttarkashi to Yamunotri Dham by 26 kilometres.

Upon receiving news of the incident, the district administration immediately issued an alert and Uttarkashi Superintendent of Police Arpan Yaduvanshi arrived on scene. Rescue operations are currently underway, led by the State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) and local police.

Reports suggest that up to 36 workers may be trapped inside the collapsed tunnel. In order to access the trapped workers, approximately 200 metres of debris will need to be cleared. A small opening has been created to insert an oxygen pipe and provide aid to the trapped workers. As of now, no casualties have been reported.

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