'Finally, God Heard Us': Families Of Uttarkashi Tunnel Workers Celebrate Safe Evacuation — WATCH
Families of Uttarkashi Tunnel Workers expressed their relief and happiness over the successful evacuation. A mode of celebration engulfed the villages of the rescued personnel.
In the remote village of Khirabeda on the outskirts of Jharkhand's capital Ranchi, relief and happiness enveloped the faces of family members upon hearing the news of the successful rescue of three workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand. The villagers, who had been enduring prolonged desperation, celebrated the rescue of 22-year-old Rajendra Bediya, Sukhram, and Anil, who were trapped inside the tunnel for 17 days.
Shravan Bediya, a 55-year-old man paralysed and the father of Rajendra, expressed relief while sitting in his wheelchair outside his hut. He said, "Finally, God heard us. My son could be rescued", as quoted by news agency PTI.
The rescue operation began on November 12 when a section of the under-construction tunnel collapsed due to a landslide, trapping the workers inside.
Anil's brother Sunil, who had been camping outside the tunnel in Uttarkashi, shared the news of the successful rescue over the phone, stating, "My brother could be rescued. I am with him in an ambulance on the way to the hospital." Although the specific hospital was not mentioned, Sunil confirmed that his brother's condition was stable.
For the past week, Sunil had been anxiously waiting near the tunnel along with 40 other workers' families. He remarked on the difficulties, saying, "This was the most difficult time of my life, with none left to tend to his old parents who were in a state of shock. I could somehow arrange the funds to travel to Uttarkashi", as per PTI's report.
In Khirabeda, the mood turned celebratory as villagers distributed sweets (laddoos). Parvati, the paralysed mother of worker Sukhram, who had been inconsolable since the disaster, found joy beyond expression. In Anil's house, where the family survived on the generosity of neighbors as Anil's mother had not cooked for the past two weeks, villagers gathered to share the news broadcast on TV, the report stated.
Sukhram's sister Khushboo shared the collective joy in the village, stating, "Everyone in their village was celebrating." Ram Kumar Bediya, another villager, explained that a group of 13 young people, aged between 18 and 23, had left Khirabeda on November 1 to work in the tunnel. When disaster struck, three of them were inside.
'Today Is Diwali For Your Families': Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren To Uttarakhand Tunnel Workers
Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren welcomed the good news highlighting how the workers were trapped in the tunnel on Diwali, but for their families their rescue now marks this day of celebration as being equivalent to Diwali.
"After 17 days of uncertainty, darkness, and shivering cold in the under-construction tunnel in Uttarakhand, our 41 brave workers have emerged victorious. Salute to all your courage and bravery. The day this incident occurred was Diwali, but today is Diwali for your families. I salute the unwavering faith and prayers of your families and all the countrymen. Heartfelt thanks to all the teams involved in completing this historic and courageous mission," he wrote.
"The role of any worker in the nation's construction cannot be ignored. Nature and time repeatedly remind us that worker safety and welfare play a crucial role in our intentions and policies," he added in what can be considered as remark aimed at the Union government.
हमारे 41 वीर श्रमिक उत्तराखण्ड में निर्माणाधीन सुरंग की अनिश्चितता, अंधकार और कपकपाती ठंड को मात देकर आज 17 दिनों के बाद जंग जीतकर बाहर आये हैं। आप सभी की वीरता और साहस को सलाम।
— Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) November 28, 2023
जिस दिन यह हादसा हुआ उस दिन दीपावली थी, मगर आपके परिवार के लिए आज दीपावली हुई है। आपके परिवार और समस्त… pic.twitter.com/tflDen49iL
During the rescue operations, one of the workers showed a victory sign while he was being rescued.
Meanwhile, celebrations were seen at the residence of Manjit, a worker from Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri, who was trapped in the Silkyara Tunnel in Uttarkashi.
Urmila, mother of worker Vishal, one of the workers who were rescued from the Silkyara tunnel said, " I am very happy with the governments of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, I thank them from the bottom of my heart. My son returns emerging victorious from this battle after 17 days."
She also thanked the personnel involved in the rescue and evacuation operations.
His family members burst crackers to celebrate the rescue.
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