Historic Breakthrough at Silkyara Tunnel Brings New Hope

The successful breakthrough of the Silkyara bend-Barkot road tunnel was hailed as a historic milestone. It promises a one-hour reduction in travel time and improved connectivity as part of the Char Dham Yatra. The project had faced challenges, including trapping 41 workers, who were later rescued.

Nitin Gadkari, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister, celebrated the breakthrough of the Silkyara bend-Barkot road tunnel as a historic achievement on Wednesday. This significant development promises to save an hour of travel time, enhancing connectivity in the region.

The breakthrough was especially noteworthy as it came after 41 workers, trapped for over two weeks, were successfully rescued. Both ends of the tunnel had been excavated, marking a major engineering accomplishment in the Char Dham Yatra project.

The occasion also featured the consecration of the Baba Baukhnag temple at the tunnel's entrance, attended by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Plans are to rename the tunnel after the deity, as the rescue mission was attributed to divine intervention.

(With inputs from agencies.)