Water Leak Warning Reportedly Went Unanswered Before Uttarakhand Tunnel Incident

Workers at an under-construction tunnel in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, have alleged that they noticed signs of water leakage and structural instability before the tunnel was flooded, raising questions over whether the tragedy could have been prevented. Eight workers have died and two remain missing after water and debris entered the tunnel on Thursday evening, trapping 22 workers who were on duty at the time.

Some workers raised concerns about the alleged warning signs when Uttarakhand Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Minister Madan Kaushik visited the site on Saturday. Ankush, a worker from Gauchar in Chamoli district, alleged that dirty water began leaking from the tunnel roof on Wednesday. He claimed workers informed engineers and officials about the issue, but no inspection was carried out and they were instead told that a supporting rib inside the tunnel was settling.

According to Ankush, workers on the night shift had also warned colleagues to enter the tunnel carefully because of concerns that the support structure was sinking. He recalled that debris began falling on Thursday afternoon, before water and debris entered the tunnel at around 7 pm. The worker alleged that the company failed to respond adequately to repeated concerns raised by those working inside the project.

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The tunnel is being executed by Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) as part of the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project, while construction work is being carried out by Hindustan Construction Company (HCC). Attempts to contact company officials for a response to the allegations were unsuccessful. The claims made by workers have not yet been independently established, and an official investigation is expected to examine the circumstances leading to the incident.

Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar said a magisterial inquiry would be conducted following directions from Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and the disaster rehabilitation minister. The inquiry will examine the causes of the accident and whether any negligence contributed to the incident. Authorities are expected to issue formal orders for the probe, which could also examine the workers' allegations about the water leakage and structural concerns.

The flooding trapped 22 workers inside the under-construction tunnel on Thursday evening. Twelve workers were rescued, while eight were killed and two remained missing at the time of the report. Rescue agencies, including the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force and the district administration, continued monitoring the situation as search operations remained underway.

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