By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
A welder was killed early Thursday when a concrete block fell on him inside the underground silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand where 41 workers had remained trapped in November 2023.
The welder identified as Naresh Ganjhu (22) of Narayanpur, Jharkhand, died instantly in the incident which occurred around 2 am, top government officials said.
The Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand was in focus Nov 2023 when a portion of the 4.531 km long passage had collapsed trapping 41 workers inside which led to an intense day and night 17-day rescue operation by multi-agencies. All the 41 workers miraculously came out safely on Nov 28.
The centre had also set up an expert committee to investigate reasons for collapse of the under-construction Silkyara tunnel and provide recommendations on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to be followed in new constructions of such underground roads.
Significantly, the state government had also set up an expert committee soon after the Silkyara incident.
The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) is constructing the tunnel through Hyderabad-based Navayuga Engineering Company ltd. The Silkyara tunnel project in Uttarakhand is part of the Centre’s strategic 900-km Chardham all-weather road project which aims to improve connectivity.
In 2018, the cabinet committee on economic affairs under Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given approval to the 2-Lane Silkyara-Barkot Tunnel with escape passage. The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) was the implementing agency and the contract of construction of the Rs. 1383.78 crore tunnel project was awarded to Navyuga Engineering Company. However, the escape passage had not been constructed when the workers got trapped.