‘Need for safety audit of tunnels being built, especially in fragile Himalayan ecosystem’

SHIMLA: The workers trapped in Silkyara tunnel might soon see an end to the ordeal. The rescue operation has already entered the thirteenth day. The relatives of the trapped workers, who reached the site, are anxiously waiting for the safe return of their loved ones.

The involvement of the national and international experts, and challenges which came in the way to the safe evacuation process, has now led the Central government to order a safety audit of the tunnels being built in the country, especially Himalayan region.

Of total 29 under construction tunnels, 12 tunnels are alone in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, six in the Jammu and Kashmir region and the rest in other states including Uttarakhand.

The ongoing Kiratpur-Manali Four –lane project has maximum tunnels, three or four of these are already complete. One tunnel is also coming-up near Kandaghat in Shimla-Parwanoo four lane project.

The environmentalists have already raised questions on the Shimla-Parwanoo four lane project which has seen massive devastation during recent monsoon rains and floods that led to complete disruption of the road communication to the state capital and other parts of the state.

“There is a need for review because of environmental damages caused to the fragile Himalayan ecosystem,” demanded Tikender Singh Panwar, former deputy mayor of Shimla and urban planning expert.

The Uttarkashi tunnel collapse of loose debris falling and blocking the main tunnel has once again brought to light the warnings that were issued by the geological and technical experts.

“The imminent necessity to ensure safety measures and protocols along with standard operating procedures to be followed whilst constructing such projects in the IHR. The incidents of 2023-floods in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the Teesta River Dam tragedy etc., all but raise a formidable stand post and that is about the development trajectory and the immediate necessity to intervene,” he asked.

Meanwhile, the government while ordering a safety audit says this was aimed to ensure safety and adherence to the highest quality standards during construction. The NHAI will undertake a safety audit of all 29 under construction tunnels across the country.

Even as efforts to save the lives of 41 workers trapped in the 4.5 km under construction Silkyara-Barkote tunnel at Uttarkashi have entered the final stage, the incident is also a reminder of a similar tunnel collapse at Bilaspur in 2015.

Three construction workers, all from Himachal Pradesh, who got trapped inside the NHAI tunnel no. 1, were rescued after meticulous planning and sustained efforts on the ninth day by the NDRF teams through a vertical pipeline.

Manasi Sahay Thakur, a senior IAS officer, who was then Deputy Commissioner of Bilaspur recalled: “What initially looked as a routine operation of fallen mock removal turned out to be something unprecedented as the debris continued to come in blocking the entire passing. This made the operation very difficult and challenging.”

“On reaching the spot, a sudden sense of foreboding also engulfed me as I evaluated the seriousness of the situation, and I came to the decision that I will have to lead the operation to its logical end,” she said.

Balbir Thakur, retired IPS officer, who was also SP Bilaspur recalled: “The Bilaspur rescue operation was challenging in many ways as there was no such incident of under-ground traffic tunnel in the region.”

The administration first focussed on establishing two-day communication with the trapped workers. Their family members are also assured about early evacuation once a two-day audio facility was set-up. Finally, the vertical evacuation proved a way forward,” he said.