Uttarkashi Tunnel Rescue: Light At The End Of The Tunnel For The 41 Men, Their Kin And Rescue Team

It is nothing short of a second life for the 41 construction workers who had been trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, as they were evacuated on Tuesday.

The construction workers were pulled out to safety after a heroic and persistent effort by various agencies in the face of mounting challenges.

AFP

How did families of the rescued men react?

The men crawled out through the pipes, one by one, to the jubilation of locals, the rescue team and the families of the workers who were camping at the site and some back home.

Anxious relatives who had been camping in the area were emotional as they were united with the workers after days of uncertainty. Back home, many said they would celebrate Diwali now as the shadow of despair that had fallen on the families disappeared.

AFP

The workers' families, mostly from Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, were glued to television and phones after the news emerged that they could be recused at any time. Sweets were distributed, and crackers burst in some places.

Some family members also made video calls with the workers to ensure their well-being.

Joyous atmosphere at the house of Sanjay Basumatary & Ramprasad Narzary at Ramfalbil Village in Kokrajhar, #Assam after the two were rescued after 17 days.

Also, watch a selfless man providing uninterrupted streaming using his mobile internet.#UttarakhandTunnelRescue pic.twitter.com/FazSb06mLx

¡ª Karthik Reddy (@bykarthikreddy) November 28, 2023

What the evacuated workers said

And the 41 men are also eagerly looking forward to meeting their loved ones.

One of the rescued men, Subodh Kumar Verma, said that the workers inside the tunnel were 'determined' to be evacuated.

"An atmosphere of fear was created among the labourers after a part of the tunnel suddenly collapsed. 18-24 hours passed in the shadow of fear, and after that, when we started getting food and drink, we got some relief. The administration had also arranged for oxygen. We had full faith that the administration would take us out," he said.

Verma further said that he was eagerly waiting to meet his family.

"I am in touch with my family on the phone continuously," Subodh said.

Vishwajeet Kumar Verma, another evacuated worker, said he had full faith that he would be rescued and see the outside world again.

"The debris had fallen at the beginning of the tunnel, and I was on the other side. The road of about two and a half kilometres was empty. We used to roam around inside the tunnel to spend our time. There was a little fear in the beginning, but as we got food, and water and talked to our families, our morale kept going higher and higher. We had full faith that very soon we would see the outside world," Vishwajeet said.

Where are the evacuated workers

The evacuated workers are at the Chiniyalisaud Community Health Centre, where they are undergoing a medical checkup.

AFP

What doctors said

All of them are reportedly healthy and are being given food as per the doctors' advice.

"The workers were not diagnosed with any major ailments. Some of the workers faced difficulty passing urine and allergies, and we treated them accordingly. Water, juice, and food were constantly provided to the workers," Dr. Pravin Kumar, Health Director of Garhwal Division and in charge of the rescue operation, said.

How NDRF celebrated

Even the NDRF team who pulled the 41 men out could not hide their joy.

#WATCH | NDRF personnel Manmohan Singh Rawat, who was among those who rescued the 41 workers from the Uttarkashi's Silkyara tunnel says, "The moment I reached inside the tunnel, the reaction of the workers was of extreme happiness. We used to keep reassuring them that they would¡­ pic.twitter.com/9uEXfEHPJA

¡ª ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2023

National Disaster Response Force personnel who took part in the Silkyara tunnel rescue operation celebrated the successful evacuation of the 41 workers by cutting a cake.

#WATCH | Uttarkashi tunnel rescue | NDRF personnel engaged in the rescue operation begin celebration as the 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel were successfully rescued. pic.twitter.com/ZxIxAskZ5U

¡ª ANI (@ANI) November 28, 2023

REUTERS

"I want to congratulate everyone as the workers have been successfully rescued. Whenever I celebrate my birthday, I will remember this scene and this rescue operation," Dr Shailesh Kumar Chaudhari from NDRF said.

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