The Ministry of Road Transport and Highway on Sunday set up a committee of three independent experts to investigate the reasons for the collapse of a tunnel under construction at Ramban on the Jammu-Srinagar highway where ten workers were killed and two injured. The tunnel had collapsed on Thursday evening.
A ministry spokesman said the committee includes leading experts who have already traveled to the site to investigate the reasons for the collapse and propose corrective measures. Further action will be taken based on the Committee’s report.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has already started a process to handle such an emergency and has also taken all possible measures to avoid such occurrences in the future, the spokesperson said.
The stretch between Digdole and Khooni Nallah of the Ramban-Banihal section is prone to frequent landslides and rock blasting due to fragile geology. Considering the strategic importance of maintaining all-weather connectivity in Srinagar and after assessing the challenges to ensure the stability of hill slopes on the existing alignment, tunnels and viaducts are proposed under 3 packages in the Ramban section Banihal.
The works of the 4-lane twin-tube tunnel from Digdole to Panthyal on the Jammu-Srinagar highway has been awarded to M/s Ceigall India Limited in JV with Patel Engineering Limited. Construction work started on February 1, 2022.
On May 19, around 10:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., landslides and rock blasting started while the execution of the gallery portal support installation works at Khooni Nallah was also in progress. Before the workers could be moved, a huge mass of rock suddenly fell over the false steel portal erected for the construction of a gallery which collapsed, resulting in the trapping of 12 workers there. Senior NHAI officers immediately reached the site and salvage work was immediately initiated by SDRF, NDRF and J&K Police, the spokesperson said.
Two workers were rescued immediately and were hospitalized, and all possible medical assistance was provided to them. Rescue work was hampered by intermittent rock blasting and bad weather. The trapped workers did not survive and the bodies of 10 of them were found on Saturday evening.
Those whose lives could not be saved are given a worker’s allowance and an ex gratia supplement of Rs 2 lakh by the EPC contractor, which equates to at least Rs 15 lakh. The injured are also adequately compensated. In addition, UT administration has also announced ex gratia relief of Rs one lakh. It remains to be determined whether the impact of the incident is due to work execution or natural reasons, the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) chief Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami has called for a judicial investigation into the incident to identify the culprits. This is no ordinary incident but it appears to be criminal negligence, he said.
Compensation to the tune of Rs 40 lakh be given to relatives of the deceased workers, Tarigami demanded.
