Dehradun: Nearly 40 workers trapped inside a under construction tunnel in Uttarakhand, after a part of the under-construction structure collapsed on Sunday. Efforts are on to open the tunnel and rescue the trapped workers from the tunnel.

According to the police sources the incident occurred around 4 am when a 150-metre-long portion of the 4 ½ kilometer long tunnel collapsed.  The tunnel is meant to connect Silkyara to Dandalgaon in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi. It is being built under the Char Dham Road Project and aims to reduce the journey from Uttarkashi to Yamunotri Dham by 26 kilometres.

The Uttarkashi SP Arpan Yaduvanshi reached the spot immediately when he received the tunnel collapse information.  The rescue operations are being conducted by the SDRF and the police. Authorities said that nearly 200 metres of the slab will have to be cleared to open the tunnel. A narrow opening has been made to insert an oxygen pipe in the tunnel and help the trapped labourers. No casualties have been reported so far.

Speaking to the media persons Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that I have been in contact with the officials from the time I got to know about the incident. NDRF and SDRF are at the spot. We pray to God for the safe return of everybody.