NHAI, its contractor may face music

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 27

What led to the collapse of the Tihra tunnel on September 12? Where is the third worker, Hriday Ram? These questions remain unanswered in the ‘secret inquiry report’ submitted by Mandi Divisional Commissioner Devesh Kumar after eight months of the incident. The inquiry officer and top officials have termed the ‘exhaustive inquiry report’ a secret document.

Sources said the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which is executing the Kiratpur-Ner Chowk four-laning project, its main contractor firm IL&FS and sub-contractor may face the music for not following the standard operating procedures laid down by the Safety Council of India (SCI).

Assisted by two technical experts, the Divisional Commissioner examined the NHAI documents covering geological and topographical aspects and inspected the 1.2-km Tihra tunnel site in Bilaspur to verify the facts.

The inquiry officer checked whether the NHAI and its contractor firms supplied enough oxygen, food and drinking water inside the tunnel. Though the officials refused to divulge any details, the fact that the two workers remained without food, water, light and ate log books for nine days said it all. While teams of the BRO, SJVNL and NDRF succeeded in rescuing the two workers — Satish Tomar and Mani Ram, the third worker, Hriday Ram, could not be traced.

The Divisional Commissioner took the help of two technical experts — a hydropower tunnel expert and a former director of technical education — to complete the inquiry report. “We have submitted the report to the government,” said Devesh Kumar.