Dehradun/Lucknow: The partial collapse of the Silkyara-Barkot tunnel in Uttarkashion November 12, which resulted in the entrapment of 41 workers for 17 days before their rescue on Tuesday, was not an isolated event. In fact, the 4.5 km-long two-lane bidirectional tunnel, the longest on the Char Dham all-weather road project, had encountered a series of similar incidents in the past five years.Anshu Manish Khalkho, director (admin & finance) of the National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), the PSU overseeing the project, told TOI on Thursday, Around 19-20 minor to medium-level collapses occurred during the construction of tunnel. We also published the following articles recentlySilkyara tunnel collapsed 20 times in past 5 yearsThe Silkyara-Barkot tunnel on the Char Dham all-weather road project has experienced multiple collapses due to the challenging geology of the region. Around 19-20 minor to medium-level collapses have occurred during the construction. The collapses, also known as cavities, have affected both the Silkyara and Barkot sides of the tunnel. Workers were trapped for 17 days before being rescued. Additional protective measures will be taken to reinforce the area.Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: Highs & lows during rescue operationsRescue operation to evacuate trapped workers temporarily halted due to snag encountered by auger drilling machine; operation to resume in afternoon.Company constructing Silkyara tunnel will bear cost of rescue operationNavayuga Engineering Company Ltd will bear expenses incurred in the 17-day rescue operation to save 41 workers trapped in the Silkyara-Barkot tunnel. Anshu Manish Khalkho, director (administration and finance), National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL), stated that multiple agencies worked tirelessly to rescue the workers. The ministry of road transport and highways will come up with a standard operating procedure to fix responsibility in case such incidents happen again.

Stay updated with all the Dehradun Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.