18 workers trapped in Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project tunnel in Chamoli, several rescued
Sunil Negi
CHAMOLI: Panic gripped Pipalkoti in Chamoli district after a sudden rush of debris and water entered an under-construction tunnel of the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project, trapping 18 workers inside. The incident took place during ongoing excavation work when a large amount of muck and water reportedly gushed in without warning, blocking the exit and cutting off the laborers who were on duty at that time.
Rescue teams from the district administration, police, SDRF and NDRF rushed to the site immediately after receiving information and launched operations to reach the trapped workers. Heavy machinery has been deployed to remove the debris, while pumps are being used to clear the accumulated water from inside the tunnel. Officials said the first priority is to establish contact with the workers and ensure an alternate passage for their evacuation.
Senior district officials including the Chamoli District Magistrate and police officials reached Pipalkoti and are camping at the site to monitor the rescue. Engineers of the project have also been roped in to assess the stability of the tunnel structure before personnel are sent further inside, given the risk of more debris and seepage.
The Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project is a 444 MW run-of-the-river project on the Alaknanda river and has been under construction for several years. The tunnel where the incident occurred is part of the project’s head race tunnel system. Workers and locals said there was a sudden roar and within seconds water and silt filled a section of the tunnel, leaving no time for those inside to come out.
Relatives of the trapped workers have gathered at the site, and medical teams have been kept on standby. The administration has said that all possible resources are being used and that the rescue operation will continue through the night. No casualty has been confirmed so far, but officials are yet to make contact with the 18 men believed to be stuck several hundred meters inside.
The incident has once again raised questions about safety measures in Himalayan hydro projects, especially during the monsoon when the risk of water ingress and landslides increases. Authorities have assured a detailed probe after the rescue is completed.
This situation reminds us about about the Silkyara, Uttarkashi tunnel episode tears ago when 50 workers were trapped in a postion of the tunnel that had fallen down and blocked the passage completely with the entire Uttarakhand and Central government involved in the rescue operation finally proving to be successful.
By Sunil Negi
