The under-construction Silkyara tunnel project, a portion of which collapsed last year, is crucial for the socio-economic development of the region and provides for connectivity to Yamunotri, a main pilgrimage site on Chardham, throughout the year, Nitin Gadkari, minister of road transport and highways said on Thursday.
In a reply in the Lok Sabha, Gadkari said that the project also serves important strategic purposes of the nation.
“The Silkyara tunnel project is crucial for the socio-economic development of the region and provides connectivity to Yamunotri, a main pilgrimage site on Chardham, throughout the year. The project also serves important strategic purposes of the nation,” the minister said.
Responding to questions from Lok Sabha MPs Karti P Chidambaram and Shafi Parambil, Gadkari said that the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) has included the clause to construct escape passage in the Contract Agreement of construction of the two-lane bi-directional Silkyara bend–Barkot tunnel on NH-134 (Old NH-94) as mandated by the cabinet committee.
“The tunnel being constructed is a single tube tunnel with a partition wall in the centre leading to the use of both the lanes in case of emergency as an escape passage for each other,” he said.
The two MPs also asked the ministry if the government was aware of findings from multiple reports that identified construction risks due to the presence of shear zones.
“Shear zones are common in the Himalayan regions; therefore, construction works in hills are carried out taking into account the same. The project was approved considering the risks, such as shear zones, to be addressed through scientific technology and methodology as per the contract agreement,” Gadkari responded.
In 2023, on November 12, a collapse occurred in the under-construction tunnel between Silkyara and Barkot in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi due to debris falling on the Silkyara side. A total of 41 workers were trapped in the collapse. They were rescued safely on November 28.
The 4.5-km two-lane bidirectional tunnel is being constructed as part of the ‘Char Dham Mahamarg Pariyojana’, and will join the Gangotri and Yamunotri axis under the Radi pass. The total cost sanctioned for the project in March 2018 is Rs 1,383 crore.
The construction of the tunnel will ease the journey for pilgrims as it will provide all-weather connectivity and reduce a 25.6-km snow-affected length of NH-134 (Dharasu-Barkot-Yamunotri road) to 4.5 km, resulting in the reduction of travel time to five minutes from 50 minutes at present.
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