The Uttarakhand unit of Congress party has raised questions on the decision of the government to resume work in the under-construction tunnel in Silkyara, Uttarkashi. The vice president of the State Congress Suryakant Dhasmana said that the report of the investigation for the tunnel collapse incident is yet to be released and in such a situation the resumption of the work exposes the intent of the government.

Interacting with the media-persons on Wednesday Dhasmana said that it appears that the union ministry of road transport and State government have rejected all the objections raised in different quarters about the tunnel collapse incident.

He said it is clear that the work execution agency completely neglected the decision of the cabinet committee chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 20, 2018 that had approved the proposal to construct the tunnel with a condition that an escape passage will be constructed along with the tunnel. Dhasmana said that neglecting the condition laid down by the cabinet committee, the Navayuga construction company has dug the four km long tunnel without the escape passage. He added that the manner in which the work of the tunnel is done has given strength to the apprehension that blasting was done in the tunnel.

The Congress leader said that the rat- hole miners helped in evacuation of the 41 labourers who were trapped in the tunnel.  He said that it is clear that the work execution agency was responsible for the tunnel collapse incident that had put the lives of the 41 labourers in peril but no punitive action against the company has been taken as yet. The government is patting it back for the rescue mission which was actually accomplished by the rat hole miners. Dhasmana said that the disaster management plan proved a failure and the preparedness of the government was exposed in the incident.