Concerns rise for Indian workers trapped for 72 hours following Uttarakhand tunnel collapse

40 Indian laborers have been trapped in a tunnel for over 72 hours after a part of it collapsed due to a landslide in northern Uttarakhand state. Rescue teams from the state and federal government have been using a large drill to reach the workers through the debris. Contact has been established with the trapped men, who are uninjured, and they have been provided with food, water, and oxygen through pipes. However, it is unclear how much longer it will take to rescue them. To expedite the operation, authorities are bringing in advanced drilling equipment from Delhi, which will be airlifted by the Indian Air Force. The state government initially planned to insert a metal pipe for the workers to escape through, but progress has been hindered due to natural obstacles. The rescue efforts will resume at a faster pace once the new equipment arrives. In the meantime, construction workers and family members of the trapped laborers have staged protests outside the tunnel, demanding quicker action. The accident occurred early on Sunday when debris from a nearby landslide blocked the tunnel, cutting off the oxygen supply to the workers. The tunnel is part of a government project to improve connectivity to religious sites in Uttarakhand, a region known for its Hindu pilgrimage sites. State Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami assured that all trapped workers are safe, and rescue operations are ongoing with the collaboration of national and state disaster relief teams.