Three rescued, ten missing in J&K highway tunnel collapse

Jammu, May 20, 2022

Ten labourers were reported missing and three were rescued on Friday after a portion of an under-construction tunnel collapsed on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Ramban district of Jammu & Kashmir.

Police sources said the collapse occurred late Thursday night and that around ten workers, mostly non-locals, were still missing.

"Chances of survival of the trapped persons remain slim as the debris is all around.

"A joint rescue operation was launched immediately after a portion of the tunnel at Khooni Nallah collapsed on Thursday night.

"At around 10.15 p.m. on May 19, the Ajit tunnel of T3 caved-in near Khooni Nallah Ramban, trapping more than a dozen labourers of Sarla Company working at the site," sources said.

Three persons were rescued and shifted to the district hospital Ramban, from where one of them, Vishnu Gola, 33, of Jharkhand has been referred to GMC Jammu for advanced treatment.

"Rescue operation is still going on.

"It is likely to take more time as rock breakers are being used to create space for reaching the trapped persons," sources added.

Deputy Commissioner, Ramban, alongwith Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ramban, Project Director NHAI and representatives of the construction company are at the spot.

Deputy Commissioner, Ramban, Masrat-ul-Islam said the construction company officials have informed the administration that ten persons were missing.

Asked about the well-being of the missing persons, he said that "nothing can be said as of now.

"The length of the tunnel is around three meters only and whether they are inside it or outside the tunnel area is not specifically known also.

"Debris is all around. There are chances of suffocation also. The rescue operation has been going on since midnight.

"It is a delicate operation as far as vulnerability is concerned. Shooting stones are continuously happening and even heavy machinery cannot be employed given the fact that shooting stones fall continuously."

IANS