Adani Group denies links to collapsed Uttarkashi tunnel, slams 'nefarious' attempts to defame it

New Delhi: Billionaire Gautam Adani's group on Monday said it has no direct or indirect involvement in the construction of Uttarakhand's Silkyara tunnel, where 41 construction workers are trapped since it collapsed more than two weeks back.

In a statement, an Adani group spokesperson said the conglomerate does not own or hold any share in the company involved in the construction of the tunnel.

"We clarify with utmost emphasis that the Adani group or any of its subsidiaries has no direct or indirect involvement of any kind in the tunnel's construction," it said. "We also clarify that we do not own or hold any shares in the company involved in the tunnel's construction.

The construction workers have been trapped 260 meters inside the Silkyara-Barkot tunnel since November 12 when a part of the under-construction tunnel collapsed following a landslide.

The Silkyara tunnel, which is part of the Char Dham all-weather accessibility project, is being built by Hyderabad-based Navayuga Engineering Company Limited.

Strongly condemning any "nefarious attempts" to link its name to the collapse, the Adani group said, "At this time, our thoughts and prayers are with the trapped workers and their families".

The statement came after a buzz on social media that the company constructing the tunnel had Adani links.

Former BJP MP Subramanian Swamy in a post on X said: "This Uttarakhand tunnel was built by which private company? Who were its share holders when the collapse took place? Was one of them Adani Group? I am asking not implying."

In another post, he said, "At some level the Company has the ashirwad of Adani, so I am informed. But I am checking it thoroughly because the collapse is an outrage."

"It has come to our notice that some elements are making nefarious attempts to link us to the unfortunate collapse of a tunnel in Uttarakhand," the Adani group said in the statement. "We strongly condemn these attempts and those behind them."