Patnaik expresses concern over workers from Odisha trapped in Uttarakhand tunnel collapse

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday said he was deeply concerned about the situation in Uttarakhand where several workers, including some from the state, are trapped inside an under-construction tunnel that collapsed.

Among the 40 workers trapped in the tunnel in Uttarkashi, five are from the state, officials said.

The workers from the state were identified as Tapan Mandal and Bhagaban Batra of Nabarangpur, and Bisweswar Nayak, Raju Naik and Dhiren of Mayurbhanj, they said.

'Deeply concerned to know that several workers including workers from Odisha have been trapped following collapse of an under-construction tunnel in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand. Praying for the safe and speedy rescue of all the workers,' Patnaik said.

A portion of the tunnel being built between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri National Highway caved in on Sunday morning.

All the 40 workers trapped inside the tunnel are safe and communication has been established with them, officials said.

Rescue efforts by personnel from multiple agencies, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), have been going on.

Besides the five labourers from Odisha, 15 are from Jharkhand, eight from Uttar Pradesh, four from Bihar, three from West Bengal, two each from Uttarakhand and Assam, and one from Himachal Pradesh, officials said.