NEW DELHI: Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday attended the breakthrough ceremony of the Silkyara Tunnel, marking a key milestone in the Char Dham Yatra infrastructure project. The tunnel, spanning 4.531 km and built at a cost of Rs 853 crore, is expected to shorten the distance between Gangotri and Yamunotri by 26 km — boosting tourism, trade, and employment in the region.
The ceremony turned emotional as everyone recalled the harrowing 2023 incident when 41 workers were trapped inside the tunnel for 17 days during construction. The complex rescue mission — guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and led on-ground by chief minister Dhami — garnered global attention.
“The Silkyara tunnel rescue was the longest and most complex rescue mission in the world,” Dhami said, adding, “Every individual involved in the mission demonstrated an extraordinary example of humanity and teamwork.”
Acknowledging those who made the operation successful, he expressed gratitude to NDRF, SDRF, rat miners, engineers, and cooperating agencies.
“With the guidance of the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the full support of the Government of India, the state government successfully conducted this extremely challenging operation,” Dhami said. He praised the courage of the trapped workers, calling their resilience a morale booster for everyone involved.
Later, CM Dhami took part in the consecration of Baba Boukhnag Temple, a vow he made during the rescue. “When Baba Boukhnag was enshrined at the tunnel’s entrance, the rescue operation progressed successfully,” he said. He prayed for the state’s prosperity, fulfilling his promise to build a temple in gratitude.
