New Delhi: During the winter session of Parliament on Tuesday, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha, criticized the Central government for the Silkyara tunnel collapse in Uttarakhand. He emphasized that the disastrous situation in Uttarkashi could have been avoided if the government had heeded the warnings of geologists who had red-flagged the risks associated with such tunnels.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Chowdhury highlighted the incident in which 41 workers were trapped inside the tunnel in Uttarkashi, emphasizing that the situation still haunts the nation. He reiterated the reasons cited by experts for the collapse, including fractured or fragile rock, water seepage, a landslide-prone Himalayan rock system, insufficient geological and geotechnical studies, improper examination of the CR zone, and the absence of an escape tunnel design.
Chowdhury further criticized the government's response, stating that rat hole miners were engaged only at the last moment to rescue the trapped laborers. He expressed dissatisfaction with the government's lack of a prompt and clear response, pointing out discrepancies between media statements and those made by the concerned minister.
The incident occurred on November 12, when laborers were trapped after a portion of the under-constructed tunnel collapsed as part of the ambitious Char Dham all-weather road project. The rescue operation, lasting over 400 hours, faced various challenges, but the teams successfully evacuated the trapped workers. Ambulances transported the rescued individuals to a community health center, where a special 41-bed ward had been prepared for their arrival.
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