A tunnel under construction in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, flooded on Thursday evening after a sudden surge of water and debris, trapping 22 workers; 12 were rescued, eight have died and two remain missing. Workers at the site say the disaster could have been avoided, alleging that dirty water had begun leaking from the tunnel roof a day earlier and that repeated warnings to engineers and officials went unheeded. Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Minister Madan Kaushik visited the site on Saturday and was reportedly approached by several workers who raised these concerns.
Ankush, a labourer from Gauchar in Chamoli district, said crews install a “rib” (a support arch) to shore up the tunnel roof. He told reporters that clean water had previously flowed through the area but that they noticed dirty water on Wednesday and informed engineers and officials. “They did not come to inspect it. Instead, they told us the rib was settling,” Ankush said.
Workers said the night-shift crew had warned colleagues to enter the tunnel cautiously because the rib appeared to be sinking. Some debris began falling on Thursday afternoon and, according to the workers, the collapse and flooding occurred at about 7 pm. “It is pure negligence, sir-total negligence on the part of the company,” Ankush alleged, adding that inspections only happen after incidents and accusing some staff of neglecting their duties.
The tunnel is part of the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project being executed by Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC), with Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) carrying out the construction work. Attempts to contact company officials were unsuccessful.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said a sudden surge of debris and water trapped the workers and that search operations were under way, with the NDRF, SDRF and district administration actively involved. Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar said a magisterial inquiry would be ordered soon, following directives from the chief minister and the disaster rehabilitation minister, to probe the causes of the accident and any alleged negligence. The workers’ claims now place safety oversight and contractor accountability at the centre of the investigation.
Original Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/chamoli-tunnel-uttarakhand-tunnel-tragedy-leak-debris-were-reported-got-no-response-uttarakhand-tunnel-workers-11915291#publisher=newsstand
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Publish Date: 2026-08-15 22:55:00
