New Delhi: After the successful rescue of all 41 workers from the Uttarkashi tunnel, they were airlifted to AIIMS-Rishikesh for further medical checkups on Wednesday. They were flown to AIIMS Rishikesh in IAF's transport aircraft Chinook.
41 workers were rescued from the collapsed tunnel in Uttarkashi after 17 days of relentless efforts by multiple agencies, on Tuesday evening.
An official at AIIMS-Rishikesh said the rescued workers will be kept at the hospital for at least 24 hours.
Doctor Narendra Kumar, Assistant Professor, AIIMS Rishikesh said, "It is difficult to say how long will it take (for the workers to stay in hospital). There will be an initial assessment by a team of doctors...Only after that will we be able to clearly say. They will perhaps have to stay here for 24 hours..."
He said that none of the workers have suffered any injuries. "All 41 workers have been brought to us...None of them have suffered any injuries...Main role is of psychiatry and internal medicine and doctors," Kumar said.
"They don't seem to be under any sort of mental stress. Still, we have teams of psychiatrists and doctors of internal medicine who will do their initial examination. After that evaluation, blood investigation, chest x-ray, and whatever other requirements the doctors deem correct will be done. After all of these, we will decide who needs observation or discharge." he added.
Speaking to ANI, Dehradun DM Sonika said, "All the workers have been brought to the wards. Medical protocols are being followed, and all the workers are being examined and they're under observation..."
The workers were kept under medical observation at a hospital in Chinyalisaur after their evacuation.
Earlier on November 12, a portion of the under-construction Silkyara tunnel, a part of the ambitious Char Dham all-weather road project, collapsed leading to 41 labourers being trapped inside about 30 km from the district headquarters of Uttarkashi.