Gopeshwar: At least 60 people were injured late Tuesday when a transport locomotive carrying workers and officials collided with a freight train inside a tunnel at the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydro Electric Project in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, authorities reported.

Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar stated that 109 individuals were on board the locomotive when the accident occurred. While 60 passengers sustained injuries, Kumar confirmed that all had been safely evacuated and were in stable condition as of Wednesday morning.

The collision took place deep within the Pipalkoti tunnel, a critical component of the 444-megawatt project currently under construction by THDC India Limited. One train was transporting personnel to the worksite while the second was moving construction materials when they struck each other, according to the District Magistrate.

Loco trains are the primary mode of transportation within the massive tunnel system, used to shuttle labour, technical staff, and supplies. Following the crash, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Chamoli reported that 10 of the most seriously injured individuals were transferred to the district hospital in Gopeshwar for specialised treatment.

The Vishnugad-Pipalkoti project, situated on the Alaknanda River between Helang and Pipalkoti, is designed to generate 111 megawatts of power through a set of four turbines. The project is currently in its final stages of development and is targeted for completion by next year.

With inputs from PTI