Toxic gas kills 20 in Sikkim tunnel, efforts on to save 5 workers
Tunnel safety failures, toxic-gas hazards, and rescue operations in Himalayan hydropower construction
- An under-construction tunnel at the project was the site of a suspected methane-gas release that caused the disaster.
- Rescue work continued after the incident, and rainfall affected operations.
- Seven bodies had been identified, and the victims were reported from West Bengal, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Assam.
What happened
A suspected methane-gas release in an under-construction tunnel of NHPC’s Teesta State-VI hydroelectric project in Sikkim killed at least 20 workers and left 5 others trapped. The blast-like release filled the tunnel with smoke and toxic gases, while rescue work continued despite rainfall affecting operations.
The company said 25 people were inside the tunnel at the time. Seven bodies had been identified, and the victims were reported from West Bengal, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Assam.
UPSC can frame the Sikkim tunnel incident around occupational safety in large infrastructure projects, the adequacy of rescue protocols in difficult terrain, and the regulatory responsibility of project owners and contractors. The incident also fits questions on balancing hydropower expansion with environmental and worker-safety safeguards.
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