Two worker trains collided in a Uttarakhand hydropower tunnel late on 30 December 2025, injuring over 60 at the Tapovan Vishnugad project in Chamoli. Rescue teams acted swiftly; no deaths reported as investigations probe signalling failures and safety lapses.
A late-night shift change at the NTPC-run Tapovan Vishnugad hydropower project in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district descended into chaos on 30 December 2025 when two internal transport trains collided inside a 12-km headrace tunnel, injuring at least 60 workers and prompting a massive rescue operation.
The crash occurred around 11 pm during the handover between night and day shifts, with over 30 workers per train among the victims; Chamoli District Magistrate Himanshu Kumar confirmed SDRF teams and 20 ambulances reached the site within 30 minutes, airlifting six critically injured to AIIMS Rishikesh while treating others at local hospitals-all stable by 31 December morning with no fatalities.
Project officials cited a possible signalling error or miscommunication, unions highlighted overworked shifts and poor lighting, and the state government ordered a high-level probe amid calls for accountability.
Tunnel Terror Unfolds
Deep within the dimly lit headrace tunnel-carved through the fragile Himalayan geology—the battery-operated trains, designed for ferrying workers and materials, smashed head-on amid the roar of machinery and confined darkness.
Eyewitness accounts paint a harrowing picture: workers screamed as metal twisted and dust choked the air, with some trapped under debris for over an hour. Chamoli District Magistrate Himanshu Kumar told reporters, “Our SDRF and NDRF teams, equipped with thermal imagers, extracted everyone by 2 am; six with fractures and head injuries were airlifted.”
Project executive engineer Ravi Shankar added, “Initial findings suggest a track signal glitch during the shift transition; we’ve halted operations for a full safety audit.”
Among the injured were mostly local labourers from Uttarakhand and Bihar, many with families waiting topside, humanising the toll of such remote worksites.
Rescue Race Against Time
The response swung into action with military precision. Over 100 rescuers, including police, fire services, and project staff, navigated the tunnel’s steep 5-degree incline using stretchers and oxygen kits. By midnight, 40 mildly injured workers walked out with bruises and sprains, while ambulances ferried the rest to Chamoli District Hospital and Joshimath’s community health centre.
Health Minister Satish Kumar Pokhriyal praised the coordination: “Oxygen and plasma were air-dropped; all victims are out of danger.” Labour unions, however, decried delays in extracting the last few, with CITU leader Rajendra Singh stating,
“Workers toil 12-hour shifts in hazardous conditions-better transport and lighting could have prevented this.” As dawn broke on 31 December, medical teams reported no complications, but psychological support was promised for trauma.
A Pattern of Peril in the Hills
Uttarakhand’s hydropower push, vital for India’s green energy goals, has a shadowed history of such disasters. The 2013 Kedarnath floods devastated the Vishnuprayag project, killing dozens; a 2021 Subansiri tunnel collision injured 40; and a 2023 Lata Tapovan rockfall trapped workers for days.
Experts link these to the region’s seismic risks-Chamoli sits on fault lines-and rushed construction timelines. Post-2021, the Uttarakhand government mandated LED lighting, two-way radio systems, and shift buffers in tunnels, yet unions claim NTPC skirted corners amid a 520 MW project deadline.
Environmentally, the Tapovan Vishnugad-on the Dhauliganga River-has faced protests over ecological damage, with locals fearing flash floods. This incident reignites debates on balancing development with worker welfare in India’s 200+ GW hydropower ambitions.
Safety Gaps and Calls for Reform
Preliminary probes point to human error-a night-shift driver possibly misreading signals in poor visibility—compounded by single-track limitations in the tunnel. NTPC’s safety manual requires dual escorts and speed limits, but enforcement lags, per anonymous workers.
The All India Trade Union Congress demanded a judicial inquiry, halting work until independent auditors review protocols. State Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced ₹2 lakh compensation per injured worker and a safety task force.
Nationally, this echoes broader concerns: India’s construction sector logs 1,000+ annual fatalities, per Labour Ministry data, urging tech like AI-monitored tracks.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Tragedies like Chamoli’s tunnel crash lay bare the fragile line between nation-building and human sacrifice, where migrant workers power our clean energy dreams yet bear the brunt of skimped safeguards.
The Logical Indian stands for empathy-driven progress-demanding rigorous audits, worker dialogues, fair wages, and community vetoes on risky sites to weave safety into development’s fabric, fostering harmony between ambition and lives.
