Uttarakhand CM Dhami Unveils Book on Silkyara Tunnel Rescue Operation

Book ‘Wo 17 Din’ by Rajiv Ranjan Singh details the 17-day rescue of 41 workers trapped in Silkyara tunnel. Uttarakhand CM lauds the operation's success and teamwork.

on Jul 30, 2024

Uttarakhand CM Dhami Unveils Book on Silkyara Tunnel Rescue Operation

On Monday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami released the book ‘Wo 17 Din,’ which chronicles the 17-day rescue mission for 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel. CM Dhami, who closely monitored the rescue efforts, described the operation as a significant achievement. He credited the successful extraction of the workers to the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and congratulated the book’s author, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, praising the book’s positivity.

The incident occurred on November 12 of the previous year when a section of the tunnel between 205 and 260 meters from the Silkyara side collapsed in Uttarkashi district. This collapse trapped 41 workers beyond the 260-meter mark. Over 17 intense days, rescuers managed to safely extract all the trapped workers, who hailed from various states including Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, and Assam.

The rescue operation saw the critical involvement of rat-hole miners from Uttar Pradesh. When heavy machinery failed to clear the debris, these skilled miners used their expertise in rat-hole mining, a method involving the creation of small tunnels to reach and rescue the trapped workers. Vakeel Hasan, the leader of the rescue team, compared the moment of contact with the trapped workers to offering water to someone dying of thirst, highlighting the emotional significance of the successful rescue.

The operation also enlisted the expertise of Australian tunnel experts Arnold Dix and Chris Cooper, alongside various state and central government agencies, showcasing a collaborative effort that culminated in the safe rescue of all workers without injury.