- Seven workers have died and 14 were injured after water and debris entered an under-construction tunnel at the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti project in Chamoli, with Jharkhand workers also affected.
India News : A major accident occurred at an under-construction tunnel of the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project in Pipalkoti, Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, after water and debris entered the tunnel on Thursday evening. Seven workers have been confirmed dead, 14 were injured and rescue teams continued operations to locate workers who remained unaccounted for.
Several workers from Jharkhand were also working at the project and were affected by the incident. Preliminary information indicated that workers from districts including Khunti and Gumla were among those at the site.
The accident occurred at around 6:10 pm on Thursday. Workers were reportedly engaged in rebar welding work inside the tunnel when a landslide occurred around 150 metres from the worksite. Water, stones and debris then entered the tunnel.
Rescue Operation Underway
Soon after the incident was reported, teams from the administration, police, SDRF and NDRF reached the spot. Personnel from the Army, ITBP and Garhwal Scouts were also deployed for the rescue operation.
The priority of the authorities was to safely evacuate all workers trapped inside the tunnel. Rescue teams faced challenges because of water and debris inside the tunnel.
Hemant Soren Speaks to Pushkar Singh Dhami
After receiving information about the accident, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami over the phone.
Dhami assured Soren that every possible effort was being made to safely rescue the workers trapped inside the tunnel. The Uttarakhand Chief Minister said NDRF, SDRF, district administration, police and health department teams were involved in the rescue operation.
The injured workers were being treated, while arrangements were being kept ready to shift those in serious condition to higher medical centres.
Jharkhand Government Issues Helpline
The Jharkhand government has appealed to the families of affected workers to contact the state control room and share available information.
The state government said it was committed to ensuring the safe return of every affected worker.
Toll-Free Helpline: 1800-3456-526
WhatsApp Helpline: 9470132591, 9431336472, 9431336427
Details of Injured Jharkhand Workers
The information provided about injured Jharkhand workers includes:
- Khela Ram, 22, Bisra, Jharkhand
- Dina Begra, 26, Torna area, Jharkhand
- Nistar Begra, 24, Berakis Toli, Jharkhand
- Vinod Rayna, 46, Bag, Gumla
- Habil Gudiya, 27, Tapkara, Jharkhand
Details of Those Reported Dead
The names provided in the initial information are:
- Pradeep Panwar, 35, Tehri Garhwal
- Mukesh
- Durlabh Sharma
- Vijay
- Jitendra
The identities of two other deceased workers were still being verified in the information provided.
Recent reports have also identified two Jharkhand workers among those who died, including Vijay Kumar and Jitendra Kumar, so the list of Jharkhand casualties should be treated as subject to official confirmation.
Second Major Accident at the Project
The Vishnugad-Pipalkoti project has witnessed another major accident in recent months. At the end of December 2025, two loco trains collided inside a tunnel of the same project, injuring a large number of officials, employees and workers.
Construction work was stopped for some time following that incident.
Hemant Soren Raises Safety Concerns
Chief Minister Hemant Soren said repeated accidents and incidents of workers getting trapped in under-construction tunnels were concerning.
He said development was necessary, but it should take place with respect for nature and environmental balance.
