Twelve rat-miners who ground through a sheer wall of rock, mud and debris to rescue 41 workers trapped after a major collapse inside the under-construction Silkyara tunnel in November 2023 were conferred the Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak at an event in the national capital on Wednesday, a government statement said.

The 12 recipients are Vaqeel Hasan, Munna, Ankur Kumar, Monu Kumar, Devendra, Mohd Rashid, Firoz Qureshi, Jatin Kashyap, Shorabh Kashyap, Mohd Irshad, Nasruddin and Naseem. (PIB)

Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari presented the awards to the rat miners for their “exceptional courage and selfless service” during the 2023 Silkyara tunnel rescue operation in Uttarakhand.

The 12 recipients are Vaqeel Hasan, Munna, Ankur Kumar, Monu Kumar, Devendra, Mohd Rashid, Firoz Qureshi, Jatin Kashyap, Shorabh Kashyap, Mohd Irshad, Nasruddin and Naseem.

Each awardee received the Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak, a certificate, a miniature medal and a ₹2 lakh lump-sum monetary award, which the ministry said was transferred online. Gadkari said the miners’ bravery and willingness to risk their own lives to save others reflected the highest ideals of public service and humanity.

Gadkari described the Silkyara tunnel collapse as one of the most challenging rescue operations in recent years, noting that the incident had caused deep concern across the country. The minister said experts from several agencies, including the ministry of road transport and highways, National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the Indian Army, and the Uttarakhand government worked in close coordination to devise an effective rescue strategy.

In the early hours of November 12, a part of the 4.5-km-long tunnel caved in following a landslide, trapping 41 workers.

In the rescue operation, which was marred by frequent hurdles, a 12-member rat-hole miners’ team was eventually roped in by authorities to clear the final 12 metres of the 57-metre-thick wall of debris. Armed only with shovels, spades, hammers and drills, the 12 men worked for nearly 24 hours to get the job done.