A serious accident involving two loco trains inside a tunnel of a hydroelectric project has left dozens of workers injured in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. The collision occurred on Saturday, casting a shadow over the ongoing construction work and prompting a large-scale rescue effort.
Details of the Chamoli Tunnel Collision
The incident took place within the tunnel of the NTPC's Tapovan Vishnugad hydel project, a site still remembered for the 2021 flash flood disaster. According to officials, the accident happened when two locomotives, used for transporting material and workers inside the long tunnel, collided head-on.
The force of the impact was significant, causing injuries to a large number of labourers who were on board the trains at the time. Preliminary reports suggest a lapse in communication or signalling inside the confined tunnel space may have led to the two trains being on the same track.
Rescue Operations and Medical Response
Following the collision, rescue teams rushed to the spot to extricate the injured workers from the dark tunnel. The operation was challenging due to the remote and enclosed location. All 60 injured individuals were successfully pulled out and provided immediate first aid.
The injured were then transported to nearby medical facilities. Ten of them, who sustained more serious injuries, were referred to a higher-level hospital in Srinagar, Garhwal, for advanced treatment. The remaining workers are receiving care at local hospitals, and their condition is reported to be stable.
Local authorities, including police and disaster response teams, coordinated swiftly. Senior officials from the district administration and the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), which is executing the project, visited the accident site to oversee the rescue and initiate an investigation.
Investigation and Project Context
An official inquiry has been ordered to determine the exact cause of the collision. Questions are being raised about the safety protocols and communication systems in place for managing rail traffic inside the construction tunnel of the major hydroelectric project.
The Tapovan Vishnugad project has been in the spotlight before. In February 2021, a catastrophic flash flood originating from the same area devastated the project site and surrounding villages, resulting in a massive loss of life. This latest incident adds to the safety concerns surrounding infrastructure projects in the fragile Himalayan region.
While the current focus remains on the treatment and care of the injured workers, the accident is likely to lead to a thorough review of operational safety measures within all tunnel-based construction sites in Uttarakhand. The state government has emphasized the need for strict adherence to safety norms in such sensitive projects.
