Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue Mission- Explained Pointwise + Infographic

The Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue mission has been the longest rescue operation conducted in India. 41 workers were trapped inside the collapsed Silkyara tunnel since November 12, 2023. The rescue operation lasted for almost 17 days. It was a test of grit and perseverance – for men on both sides of the 57 metres of debris – as the rescue operation suffered one setback after another. Finally, the mission ended in a success with the safe evacuation of all 41 workers.

How did the Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue Mission Unfold?

While efforts for rescuing the trapped workers continued, a system of supply of food and water through a pipe was set up for them. A communication system was also established to keep the spirits of the trapped workers high.

Sequence of Attempts of the Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue Mission

Effective Coordination between different agencies- 652 government employees were deployed in the rescue operation that lasted 17 days. Seven government agencies including the Prime Minister’s Office, ONGC, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and armed forces were all involved in the rescue mission. This mission involved a range of experts, from international experts to the rat-hole miners, who proved to be crucial in the mission.

What lessons can we derive from the Tunnel Rescue Mission?

1. Example of India’s jugaad capabilities- Unlike the highly paid and trained British, Australian and Irish divers who played the lead role in the Thai cave rescue, the hazardous last-mile operation at Silkyara was carried out by the most marginalised and poorest workers in the Indian labour chain.

2. Co-opting Indigenous expertise in Disaster Management- The capabilities demonstrated by rat-hole miners at Silkyara has made a case for their co-option into the standing institutions of state disaster management.

3. Spotlight on the safety of the invisible migrant workers – The Uttarakhand tunnel rescue mission has once again turned the spotlight on the plight of the invisible migrant workers. The last time they drew the nation’s attention was because of their travails during the lockdown in the pandemic.

4. Need to protect the fragile Himalayan ecosystem- The Uttarakhand rescue mission has refocussed our attention on the huge environmental risks that the Centre and state governments have been taking in indiscriminately building largely unneeded and poorly engineered infrastructure in the fragile Himalayan ecology.

5. Inter-agency co-ordination- The rescue mission involved multiple agencies like the NDRF, ONGC, armed forces, state agencies, which showed remarkable inter-agency co-ordination under the aegis of the PMO. This effective co-ordination can serve as a blueprint for further disaster management missions.

What should be the way forward to ensure safe tunnel construction?

1. Detailed geotechnical studies- Currently, in India the design and construction of a tunnel project is done simultaneously. More detailed geotechnical studies like the petrographic analysis (geological analysis of the rock structure and strength), needs to be done to incorporate in the design and the construction of the tunnel project.

2. Regular monitoring by specialist geologist- Regular site visits of an independent specialist geologist must be conducted to check for probable failures and to determine the rock’s stand-up time. (Rock-stand up time- It is the duration for which a rock can remain stable without any support. Support is given to the rock within its stand-up time.)

3. Supports provided to the tunnel must be tested for adequacy- Supports of the tunnel like shotcrete (sprayed concrete that works as a membrane to prevent parts of the rock from falling), rock bolt (a long anchor bolt for stabilising rock excavations), steel ribs and tunnel pipe umbrella need to be properly tested for its adequacy to prevent tunnel collapse.

4. Arrangements for safe evacuation in case of collapse- There must be deployment of NDRF personnel & proper safety equipments to ensure safe evacuation in case of any mishap. The construction companies must submit a safety plan along with the bid for the projects.

5. Detailed EIA studies- Detailed EIA studies must be conducted before taking any major infrastructural projects in the fragile Himalayan region. The 10-year-old notification waiving environmental impact assessments for projects of less than 100 km must be reconsidered, as this waiver of EIA can be misused by breaking up bigger projects into smaller ones.