Silkyara crisis: Why no escape passage was built: Experts
Shishir Prashant
As the ordeal of 41 workers inordinately prolonged, the ecological and safety issues concerning the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand have come back to haunt the central and state governments alike.
After NTPC’s head race underground tunnel allegedly created land subsidence in Joshimath town, it was now the turn of the highly controversial Silkyara tunnel to come under scanner.
In 2018, the cabinet committee on economic affairs under Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given approval to 4.531 km long 2-Lane bi-directional Silkyara-Barkot Tunnel with escape passage. However, it was not yet clear as to why such escape passage was not built even after the construction of 3.94 km of the underground passage that would cut short the chardham journey 20-24 km reducing the travel time by one hour, experts said.
Top official of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), the implementing agency of the tunnel, were tightlipped on the issue. The project falls under NH-134 (old NH-94) in the hill state. The project is being built under Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Mode. This is funded under NH (O) Scheme of Ministry of Road Transport and Highway (RT&H) and forms part of ambitious Chardham Plan.
Initially, the construction period of the project was 4 years but it has already been delayed by two years. The total project cost is Rs. 1383.78 crore.
“The construction company should have built an escape passage in the tunnel,” said Dr Sushil Kumar, a geologist.
Even the mandatory hume pipes were removed from the tunnel just days before the tunnel collapsed on November 12 which trapped 41 workers inside.
The construction of the Silkyara tunnel will provide all weather connectivity to Yamunotri and Gangotri shrines of the Chardham Yatra.
Experts noted that the construction company did not take help of the experts immediately after the collapse occurred. “Some precautions have to be taken when such landslides occur. JCBs are avoidable at this juncture inside the tunnel. The result was that there were more landslides which spread from 35 meter to 60 meters,” said a top official at the site of the tunnel.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also said his government would hold safety review of all underground tunnel projects in the state.
Meanwhile, leader of the opposition and Congress leader Yashpal Arya visited Silkyara and sought a CBI probe against Navyug Engineering Ltd which is constructing the silkyara tunnel. “There are lots of lapses in the construction works. The major lapse was that there was no escape passage. We are demanding a CBI probe against the construction company under the supervision of honourable High court judge,” said Arya. Ends