Planning and exicution of rescue of 41 workers struck inside The Sikiyara Tunnel in the state of Uttrkhand India

Biography
Sandeep Sudhera (Retd) has completed B.Tech. (civil engineering) from College of Military Engineering, Pune and M.Tech. (Transportation Engineering) from the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. He is a fellow of the Institution of Engineers (India), and a member of Indian Roads Congress. He has vast experience in infrastructure development, road construction and disaster management. He has planned and built roads in the mountainous, fragile and geologically unstable areas of Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir at altitudes ranging upto 13000 ft above MSL. He retired from the army corps of engineers as Chief Engineer, Project Seabird and in that capacity was involved in planning and construction of the largest Naval Base in Asia. At present, he is the Executive Director (Projects) in National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Govt. of India and is in charge of the roads and tunnel planning and construction in the mountainous state of Jammu and Kashmir. He was the formerly  the  Executive Director (Projects), Uttarakhand and took the lead in the operations  which resulted in the safe rescue of the 41 workers who were trapped inside the Silkyara Tunnel after its  collapse in the month of November 2023.

Abstract:
The key note address will cover the successful rescue operation of 41 workers who were trapped inside the Silkyara Tunnel after it collapsed on the 12th November 2023, in the state of Uttarakhand, India, one of the most successful operations of its kind. The talk will cover the details of the rescue operations,  beginning with the immediate assessment of the situation after the collapse of the tunnel, and the planning and modification of rescue operations thereafter. It will also cover the contingency plans and mobilizations of stand-by equipment, plant and machinery. The talk will also include the man management issues relating to the workers in the rescue team and the measures adopted for the  maintenance of continuous supply chain management of food, water, air and medical assistance to the workers trapped inside the tunnel. All the issues will be narrated by the speaker from first hand knowledge and experience as he was present and in-charge of the rescue operations from day one till the final rescue.