After the rescue operation to evacuate the 41 workers who were trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi ended on Tuesday, the first reactions from the workers surfaced on Wednesday. Speaking to news agency ANI, Vishwajeet Kumar Verma, one of the rescued workers, narrated his 17-day ordeal of being trapped inside the tunnel.
"When the debris fell, we knew that we were stuck. For the first 10-15 hours we faced difficulty. But later, a pipe was put in to provide us with rice, dal & dry fruits. Later a mic was installed & I was able to talk to my family members...I am happy now, will celebrate Diwali now," Verma said, as quoted by ANI.
Another rescued worker, Subodh Kumar Verma, expressed gratitude and thanked the central and state governments for their efforts to bring all 41 men out safely.
41 Men Make It Home After 400 Hours
The rescue operation to evacuate trapped workers ended on Tuesday and the 41 men reached their respective homes after 400 hours. The family members of the 41 workers broke into celebration after they were safely rescued and reached home after 17 days following the efforts by several teams, including the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force.
The 41 workers were trapped after an under-construction tunnel, part of the ambitious Char Dham all-weather road project, collapsed on November 12 in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district.