Uttarakhand tunnel workers say they flagged leak, got no reply

Workers at the under-construction tunnel in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, have alleged that the company ignored repeated warnings of a water leak before the tunnel flooded on Thursday, killing eight workers and leaving two missing. Ankush, a worker from Gauchar, told NDTV that dirty water was seen seeping from the roof on Wednesday, and engineers were informed but did not inspect the site. He claimed the night-shift crew also warned colleagues about a sinking support rib.

Disaster Management Minister Madan Kaushik visited the site on Saturday and heard the workers' complaints. The tunnel is part of the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project executed by THDC, with construction by Hindustan Construction Company. Officials from HCC could not be reached for comment.

Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar said a magisterial inquiry would be conducted on the orders of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. The inquiry will investigate the cause of the accident and whether negligence played a role.