Uttarakhand Tunnel: 21 Workers From Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam Reach Home

It was a grand homecoming for 21 Silkyara tunnel workers from Jharkhand, Odisha and Assam who reached their respective states on Friday.

In Jharkhand capital Ranchi, 15 workers, who spent 17 gruelling days inside the tunnel in Uttarkashi, were given a rousing welcome when their plane landed shortly after 8pm from Delhi.

State Labour Minister Satyanand Bhokta who received the workers at the airport said, "A big mission has been accomplished. The government will extend all help to them." The workers were taken to Chief Minister Hemant Soren's residence in a special bus where he interacted with them and enquired about their wellbeing.

Interacting with workers, Soren said, "Glad you all have returned to Jharkhand after emerging victorious from the Uttarakhand tragedy. The whole country was praying for all of you. All of you will be connected to employment related and other schemes of the state government. I have given instructions about this to the officials. I will keep taking information about it myself." Vijay Horo, a worker from Karra, said the initial three days were harrowing but they were hopeful. Horo, a BA part-2 student, said it was like a new birth for all of them.

"All the 15 workers, their 12 family members and state government officials who were camping in Uttarkashi reached Birsa Munda Airport," state labour secretary Rajesh Kumar Sharma told PTI.

"A dinner has been planned for them at circuit house. They will be staying there tonight. Tomorrow they will be sent to their respective villages," Sharma said.

On their health check-up, the official said AIIMS Rishikesh had already kept them under observation for 24 hours.

BJP MP Deepak Prakash was also at the airport to welcome the workers said, "It is a matter of great joy that our family members reached Ranchi. The success of the operation is credited to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and central agencies." State Congress president Rajesh Thakur while welcoming the workers raised questions over the functioning of the companies in difficult areas and compromising with the safety of workers.

JMM MP Mahua Maji said, "We are happy that our workers returned safe. The Centre should ensure that workers' interests are protected in critical projects." CPI-ML legislator Vinod Singh demanded safety measures for workers.

A three-member team from the state had rushed to the spot soon after the tunnel collapse on Diwali.

In all, 41 workers from Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Assam were rescued from the collapsed tunnel after a gruelling 17-day operation.

In Khirabeda, on the outskirts of Ranchi, family members of Rajendra, Sukhram and Anil, all in their early twenties, are waiting with bated breath for their arrival.

Sukhram's sister Khushboo told PTI that they will celebrate Diwali when they return. The mood in the nondescript village has turned festive.

Khirabeda village saw a total of 13 people going to Uttarkashi on November 1 in search of greener pastures. Little did they know what fate had in store for them. Luckily, only three of the 13 from Khirabeda were inside the tunnel when the disaster struck.

Besides three from Khirabeda, other workers hail from Giridih, Khunti and West Singhbhum, where people have erupted in joy after the trapped workers were rescued on Tuesday evening.

In Singhbhum, the families of the six rescued workers are eagerly awaiting a reunion.

For all barring one - Bhaktu Murmu, whose 70-year-old father 'died of anxiety' a few hours before his son was evacuated along with 40 other workers trapped in the under-construction Silkyara tunnel, it would be a happy union with their families.

In Odisha capital Bhubaneswar, four out of five workers from the state reached the city around 1pm. They also received Rs 2 lakh each from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

The workers along with their family members and accompanied by Labour Minister Sarada Prasad Nayak reached Patnaik’s residence where the chief minister heard their ordeal.

While lauding the patience and survival instincts of the workers, Patnaik said, "Your struggle will remain an inspiration for others who face difficulties in life. You are true heroes of society." The five workers are Raju Nayak, Dhiren Nayak and Bisweswar Nayak from Mayurbhanj district, Bhagwan Batra from Nabarangpur and Tapan Mandal from Bhadrak district. Tapan stayed in Delhi while four others returned to Odisha.

Two workers from Assam, who landed in Guwahati in the evening, were escorted by state government officials.

The duo, 40-year-old Ram Prasad Narzary and 35-year-old Sanjay Basumatary, are from Ramfalbil village in Kokrajhar. They had gone to Uttarakhand in May to work in the under-construction tunnel.

Talking to reporters outside Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, the duo expressed happiness on reaching back safely as they proceeded to their homes in Kokrajhar, about 180 km from here.

Narrating their 17-day ordeal, the workers said initially they were not aware that the exit route was blocked.

"We realised we were trapped only when we tried to leave. For the first 24 hours, there was no food or supplies. Later, when a pipe was inserted, we were provided with oxygen, water bottles and food. After that, we didn't face any shortages." "We chatted among ourselves to pass time. We knew we will be rescued," the duo said.

In Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met the workers from the state who were rescued from the tunnel.

During the meeting at his official residence, the chief minister enquired about their health and well-being individually, said an official spokesperson.

He presented shawls and gifts to all the workers, who said that they kept hope and courage intact all through the difficult period while encouraging each other.

Ankit (25), Ram Milan (32), Satyadev (44), Santosh (24), Jai Prakash (22), Ram Sunder (26) -- all of Shravasti district -- Manjit (22) of Lakhimpur Kheri and Akhilesh Kumar (32) of Mirzapur district were among those who met the chief minister.

Interacting with the mediapersons before meeting the chief minister, one of the workers said that he went to work at the Silkyara tunnel three months ago.

"After being rescued, I met my father who was present at the site. I would now like to go home and spend time with my family members," he said.

Another worker said after managing to send a signal for help they left their fate to God.

"It was when the camera was put in the tunnel that we got the hope that we would be rescued with large-scale rescue work going on outside," he said.

However, there were moments of desperation when the machines developed snags during the rescue operation, he said.

Another worker Ram Sunder said that those trapped inside spent time playing ludo and cards.

He said the company has rendered help to them and he would go again once the work resumes at the tunnel site.