Leaders across party lines hailed rescue operation at an under-construction tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi
Union minister V K Singh and uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami welcomed the workers as National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) men brought them out through a steel chute that lined a 60-metre passage. An ambulance with the first of the 41 workers left the mouth of the tunnel around 8 pm, about an hour after a group of rat-hole mining experts dug through the last stretch of rubble. There was hugging and cheers as the ordeal ended.Before this, the workers were given a quick medical checkup as they emerged out of the steel pipe. cm Dhami said no worker was in a critical situation. But the labourers will be kept under medical observation for some time before being sent home, he said.Union minister Nitin Gadkari said this was a well-coordinated effort by multiple agencies, marking one of the most significant rescue operations in recent years.Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath thanked everyone who made their invaluable contribution to saving the lives of workers.Assam cm Himanta Biswa Sarma said the country breathes a sigh of relief as the Silkyara Tunnel rescue operation concludes successfully with the rescue of 41 workers. “For the last 17 days, the entire nation was united in praying for their safe return, who displayed remarkable resilience and courage,” he wrote on X.Odisha cm Naveen Patnaik appreciated the dedication of the agencies, rescue teams and engineers involved in the marathon operation.Congress leader Rahul gandhi congratulated workers for their evacuation and also saluted the people involved in the rescue operation.