Overview

• The Silkyara Tunnel project, a key initiative for the Char Dham Yatra, reached a major milestone with its breakthrough ceremony on April 16, 2025.
• Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami fulfilled his vow by consecrating the Baba Boukhnag Temple, dedicated to the deity credited with aiding the 2023 rescue mission.
• The tunnel, spanning 4.531 km, will reduce travel distance between Gangotri and Yamunotri by 26 kilometers, boosting tourism, trade, and employment in the region.
• The 2023 rescue operation, described as the world's longest and most complex, successfully saved 41 workers trapped for 17 days under the leadership of PM Modi and CM Dhami.
• Further developments include renaming the tunnel after Baba Boukhnag, upgrading local health facilities, and enhancing tourism with a new helipad and tourist destination at Boukhnag Tibba.