THEY'RE COMING HOME
Hindustan Times|November 29, 2023
After a harrowing 17 days trapped inside a collapsed under-construction tunnel, 41 workers brought out to safety by a team of rescuers that made the impossible possible
Amit Bathla
THEY'RE COMING HOME

Forty-one workers emerged from the grim depths of a collapsed road tunnel in Uttarkashi on Tuesday evening, bringing the curtain down on a daring but painstaking operation that spanned 17 anxious days and multiple heartbreaks but eventually stood as a testament to the endurance of the human spirit, and the perseverance and skill of intrepid rescuers.

Twelve “rat-hole miners” burrowed through a wall of rock, mud and debris with hand-held tools in the final breakthrough on Tuesday, as the country heaved a collective sigh of relief. Hours later, disaster relief personnel pulled out the workers — exhausted and shaken but beaming, and in visibly good spirits — on wheeled stretchers through a 57-metre-long steel chute inserted into the cavernous tunnel between Silkyara and Barkot on a highway that is part of the Char Dham project.

Scenes of jubilation played out at the mouth of the tunnel that collapsed on November 12 as drained relatives of the trapped workers beamed, hugging their loved ones as they were wheeled out. The rescued men were welcomed as heroes with wild cheers and marigold garlands, as officials greeted them after 422 harrowing hours spent inside the tunnel.

“Finally, God heard us. My brother could be rescued. I am with him in an ambulance on the way to hospital,” said Sunil, a resident of Jharkhand, his voice choked with emotion.

The first worker was retrieved at 7.45pm, marking a success in the marathon first-of-its-kind operation where hopes of a rescue were repeatedly dashed due to the fresh collapse of debris and machine breakdown. But the relief personnel continued to make strenuous progress, refusing to be stymied by the cascading volley of challenges before them.

Union minister VK Singh and Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami welcomed the workers as National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) men brought them out.

Esta historia es de la edición November 29, 2023 de Hindustan Times.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición November 29, 2023 de Hindustan Times.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE HINDUSTAN TIMESVer todo
Palestinian PM Resigns Citing 'New Reality' Of War In Gaza
Hindustan Times

Palestinian PM Resigns Citing 'New Reality' Of War In Gaza

The United States and other powers have called for a reformed Palestinian Authority to take charge of all Palestinian territories after the end of war

time-read
1 min  |
February 27, 2024
Future Perfect: The Kids Are All Right
Hindustan Times

Future Perfect: The Kids Are All Right

Gill and Jurel hold out promise by simplifying a challenging chase to help India seal series

time-read
4 minutos  |
February 27, 2024
Akshay feels 'blessed' to have worked with OG Ramayan cast
Hindustan Times

Akshay feels 'blessed' to have worked with OG Ramayan cast

Director Akshay K Agarwal shot a music video, Humare Ram Aaye Hai, with the cast of the 1987 TV show, Ramayanactors Arun Govil, Dipika Chikhlia and Sunil Lahri - in Ayodhya recently.

time-read
1 min  |
January 22, 2024
Musk's firm gets nod for Sat Net; joins Jio, Bharti
Hindustan Times

Musk's firm gets nod for Sat Net; joins Jio, Bharti

Starlink, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, has been allowed to offer satellite broadband services in India, two officials aware of the development said.

time-read
2 minutos  |
January 22, 2024
A temple, 169 years in the making
Hindustan Times

A temple, 169 years in the making

Through decades of design and reworks, hurdles in engineering and construction, HT pieces together how the grandeur of the Ram Temple was reclaimed

time-read
8 minutos  |
January 22, 2024
'Political interference' forces Vihari to quit Andhra cricket
Hindustan Times

'Political interference' forces Vihari to quit Andhra cricket

After Andhra bowed out of the Ranji Trophy at the quarter-final stage with a four-run defeat to Madhya Pradesh in Indore on Monday, senior batter Hanuma Vihari launched a scathing attack on the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA), saying he will never turn up for the state again.

time-read
2 minutos  |
February 27, 2024
Shafali, Kapp lead Capitals to a 9-wicket win over Warriorz
Hindustan Times

Shafali, Kapp lead Capitals to a 9-wicket win over Warriorz

A blazing fifty by Shafali Verma (64₹, 43 balls) helped Delhi Capitals make a mockery of a target of 120 and open their account in the second edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL).

time-read
2 minutos  |
February 27, 2024
Making 'unbelievable things believable', the Ayhika way
Hindustan Times

Making 'unbelievable things believable', the Ayhika way

The India No. 7 was an inspired pick for the world team event and she repaid the faith, beating the Chinese world No.1

time-read
3 minutos  |
February 27, 2024
'Connected TVs to reach 45 mn by 2024-end in India'
Hindustan Times

'Connected TVs to reach 45 mn by 2024-end in India'

With improvement in broadband penetration, Indian households are increasingly opting for connected or addressable TVs.

time-read
1 min  |
February 27, 2024
India chip strategy makes progress as $21 billion in proposals received
Hindustan Times

India chip strategy makes progress as $21 billion in proposals received

The Indian government, after years of watching from the sidelines of the chips race, now has to evaluate $21 billion of semiconductor proposals and divvy up taxpayer support between foreign chipmakers, local champions or some combination of the two.

time-read
1 min  |
February 27, 2024