Silkyara Tunnel, Collapsed in Nov ’23, Nears Completion and Reopening

Uttarakhand’s Silkyara Bend-Barkot tunnel, which collapsed during construction in November 2023, is set to witness a major milestone on Wednesday, with the two excavated ends expected to meet-marking an official breakthrough. The project had been stalled for months following the cave-in that trapped 40 workers and triggered a 17-day rescue operation that ended with all workers safely rescued.

The 4.5-km tunnel, part of the Char Dham road connectivity project, will see excavation work officially completed with this development. According to sources, the remaining work, including lining and safety systems, is expected to be finished within the next year, paving the way for the tunnel’s full operationalisation.

Following the collapse, the government chose to resume the project, citing the significant investment already made and the strategic importance of the infrastructure. Construction resumed in January under the supervision of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), which was given a green light by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

“All concerns related to safety and excavation have been addressed, and necessary changes were implemented during debris clearance and digging,” said an official associated with the project.

However, questions still remain over the accountability for the collapse. A detailed probe report had highlighted serious lapses by multiple stakeholders, including NHIDCL, the firm responsible for the detailed project report (DPR), the construction contractor, and the authority engineer. It found the tunnel alignment did not follow basic tunnelling principles and noted that the contractor failed to act on 21 minor collapses flagged earlier by the supervising agency.

The report also underscored poor coordination among involved parties and recommended penal action against responsible officials following a thorough inquiry. Despite the findings, no significant action has yet been taken against any of the entities involved.

ET