Rescuers are racing against time to save 40 workers trapped inside an under-construction tunnel in Uttarakhand after a portion of it collapsed on Saturday morning. Authorities claimed on Monday that all the 40 people were safe and communication has been established with them.
The incident came just a month after the release of Bollywood film Mission Raniganj starring Akshay Kumar who reprises the role of mining expert Jaswant Singh Gill.
Gill led the rescue mission to save the lives of 65 miners who were trapped in a flooded coal mine at Raniganj in West Bengal in 1989. Interestingly, the rescue operations in Uttarkashi and Raniganj share many similarities.
What happened in Raniganj
As many as 232 miners were at work inside the Mahabir Colliery coal mine when it was struck with a disaster on November 13, 1989. The mine got flooded due to a sudden influx of water.
Though 161 miners, who were near the two lifts in the mine, could be rescue immediately, 64 workers were trapped inside. Six workers lost their lives in the accident.
A major rescue mission was launched and authorities formed multiple teams which used various methods to bring out the miners.
At the helm of the mission was Jasawant Gill, Chief Mining Engineer of Coal India Limited. It was his innovative ideas, including fabrication of a steel capsule, that helped the rescuers brought out the workers.
Gill’s courage and determination didn’t go unnoticed as he was honoured with the highest civilian bravery award ‘Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak’ by then President R. Venkataraman in 1991. Coal India Ltd announced November 16 as ‘Rescue Day’.
Uttarkashi rescue mission
Rescue efforts are still on to save the 40 workers trapped inside the under-construction tunnel in Uttarkashi. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has reached the site to oversee rescue operations.
Police said the rescuers who worked overnight trying to prepare an escape passage for the labourers have provided them with food and water.
The tunnel was being built between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri National Highway.
The District Emergency Operation Centre has shared a list of the trapped workers, as per which 15 are from Jharkhand, eight from Uttar Pradesh, five from Orissa, four from Bihar, three from West Bengal, two each from Uttarakhand and Assam and one from Himachal Pradesh.
