Kochi: After 17 days of suspense, 41 rat miners trapped in the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand since November 12 were rescued on Tuesday evening, media reports said.
The rescue was possible after the work on laying pipes through the rubble ended in the morning.
The NDRF and SDRF teams entered the tunnel to evacuate the miners who were administered first aid before being taken to hospital in ambulances.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was updated on the rescue operation.
Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra expressed hailed the rescue team. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh lauded the “remarkable resilience” of the workers. The operation had faced several setbacks owing to the difficult terrain.
The 4.5 km-tunnel is part of the Centre’s ambitious Char Dham project connecting four prominent temples of -Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. The work had started in 2018.
A section of tunnel between 205 and 260 metres from the Silkyara side had collapsed on November 12. The workers who were beyond the 260-metre mark were trapped as their exit got blocked. The part of the tunnel where they are stuck has power and water supply, the reports said.
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