Around 60 workers were injured after two work trains collided inside an underground tunnel at the Vishnugad–Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, officials said Wednesday. The incident occurred late Tuesday evening during a shift change at the construction site near Pipalkoti.
According to the district administration, the trains were operating on a single track within the tunnel and were being used to transport workers, engineers and construction material.
One locomotive was carrying project staff and laborers, while the other was hauling material when the collision took place deep inside the tunnel, according to news agencies.
Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar said 109 people were aboard the train transporting workers and officials at the time of the accident. Nearly 60 sustained injuries, though all were rescued safely and none were reported to be in critical condition.
Emergency medical teams were rushed to the site soon after the collision. Officials said 10 injured workers were taken to the district hospital in Gopeshwar, while 17 others were admitted to Vivekananda Hospital in Pipalkoti.
The remaining injured received treatment either at the site or at nearby medical facilities, with their condition described as stable.
The collision triggered moments of panic inside the confined tunnel, as workers attempted to move to safety amid the chaos. Rescue and relief operations were carried out by project authorities with assistance from the local administration, bringing the situation under control within a short period.
The Vishnugad–Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project, being executed by THDC (India) on the Alaknanda River between Helang and Pipalkoti, is a 444-megawatt power project nearing completion.
Officials said an inquiry would review the circumstances surrounding the collision, as work trains are routinely used to support operations in long underground stretches at such construction sites.
