Jammu and Kashmir tunnel collapse: Special committee formed to probe incident

An expert committee has been set up to look into the tunnel collapse incident in Jammu and Kashmir`s Ramban district in which 10 workers were killed, officials said on Sunday.

A rescue operation was launched soon after the caving in of the tunnel on late Thursday (May 19) night.

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Before workers could be moved out, suddenly, a huge rock mass also fell following which 12 workers got trapped there.

Two workers were rescued immediately and hospitalised.

The rescue work was hampered by intermittent shooting stones and bad weather.

The rescue operation concluded on Saturday after the bodies of all 10 missing persons were retrieved from the debris, officials said.

The joint rescue operation was conducted by the army, police, NDRF, SDRF, ITBP, civil QRTs, and the NHAI as well as the machine operators.

It is, however, yet to be determined if the incident happened to the work going on there, or due to natural reasons.

"A committee of 3 independent eminent experts has been constituted by Central government which has already moved to site to investigate the reasons for collapse and remedial measures. Further action will be taken based on report of Committee. NHAI has already initiated process to handle such emergency situation and also taking all possible measures to avoid such mishaps in future," an official said.

The stretch between Digdole and Khooni Nallah of Ramban Banihal section is prone to frequent landslides, shooting stones due to fragile geology.

Tunnels are proposed under three packages in Ramban Banihal section.

The twin tube tunnel work in 4-laning from Digdole to Panthyal on Jammu Srinagar Highway was awarded to Ceigall India Limited in JV with Patel Engineering Limited.

The construction work started on February 1.