Uttarkashi tunnel collapse: NDMA discloses each worker’s rescue took 3-5 minutes

New Delhi | Updated: 28 November, 2023 10:36 pm IST

NDMA reveals it took 3-5 minutes for each worker's rescue in Uttarkashi tunnel collapse.

NEW DELHI: During a meeting hosted by the National Disaster Management Authority, Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain, a member of the NDMA, revealed that the entire operation to rescue the 41 trapped workers would require three to five minutes individually.

Hasnain told The New Indian, “Unless anything unforeseen happens, it will take only three to five minutes to rescue each one of them out of the tunnel. I hope nothing of that sort happens and the operation goes smoothly.”

The statement from Lt. General resonated with the workers’ morale, as the rescue mission is considered successful, enabling all 41 workers to safely exit the feared tunnel. All rescued workers are currently being transported to the makeshift hospital in Chinyalisaur, located 35 kilometres away from the incident site.

Hasnain hailed the camaraderie and team work showcased by the Indian Army and the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited, who went arm in arm to rescue the workers from the place of incidence. “The amount of teamwork that the Indian Army and the NHIDCL have shown is exemplary and worth noting. They put their lives on the line and have achieved such progress. That is praiseworthy,” he said.

Also Read: Uttarkashi tunnel collapse: All 41 workers rescued

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, and President Droupadi Murmu have all praised the rescue operation. Furthermore, the evacuation process involves strategically stationing a Chinook helicopter at the site for the prompt airlifting of the 41 workers following their rescue from the Silkyara tunnel.

The collapse of the Silkyara Bend-Barkot Tunnel in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand occurred on November 12, leading to the entrapment of 41 people. A collaborative effort, led by the National Disaster Relief Forces in conjunction with the State Disaster Relief Forces, and supported by various organisations including ONGC, SJVNL, RVNL, NHIDCL, and THDCL, successfully rescued the trapped individuals.