'Silkyara Tunnel: A History of 20 Collapses in 5 Years'
The Silkyara-Barkot tunnel in Uttarkashi, the longest on the Char Dham all-weather road project, has experienced around 19-20 minor to medium-level collapses in the past five years. The recent partial collapse resulted in the entrapment of 41 workers for 17 days before their successful rescue. The collapses were attributed to the challenging geology of the region, with an identified "red zone" or "shear zone" requiring additional protective measures. The tunnel construction has faced significant rock deformation, and the geological conditions have proven more challenging than predicted.