Tunnel dug for orbital rail gives way for 2nd time in a week, damages homes in Nuh

Gurgaon: A major cave-in occurred for the second time in six days at an under-construction tunnel of Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor (HORC), damaging homes in Nuh district. The incident, which took place in Patuka village under Sahsola gram panchayat on Saturday night around 9pm, caused more than 500 metres of land to collapse, affecting nearly three to four acres of farmland. A Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) pipeline running from Jamnagar to Loni in Ghaziabad was exposed as the soil gave way, but no leakage was reported. No injuries were reported.The affected stretch is located near the point where the tunnel enters Aravali hills and the possibility of seepage caused by weak rock and soil formations is being examined. The tunnel is being constructed at an estimated cost of around Rs 1,200 crore. Work is underway at 80 locations along the HORC project, with experts tasked with monitoring construction. However, the repeated cave-ins have raised fresh questions about the safety of the work, particularly near Aravali hills.The latest cave-in has heightened fears among villagers, who alleged that the construction company had failed to take adequate precautions despite the first incident on Oct 5. Villagers heard a “loud rumbling sound” while inside their homes and rushed outside to find a large pit forming in the fields. The affected area, which initially measured around 300 metres during the night, expanded to more than 500 metres by Sunday morning.A portion of a govt school building was damaged, two houses were affected and one of them was completely razed. A concrete-roofed road connecting the village to Aravali hills was also blocked, while a major electricity tower tilted. A house under construction, where shuttering work was underway, was completely damaged, though nobody was inside at the time. Following the incident, announcements were made from local mosques asking residents to stay away from the site and keep children at a safe distance. Police personnel were deployed to prevent people from approaching the affected area.A team of around two dozen GAIL officials reached the spot to secure the exposed pipeline. More than two dozen senior railway officials, technical experts and investigators also began examining the site. Railway executive director Narendra Chhibber said the incident was unfortunate and the cause of the cave-in was being investigated. He said construction work beneath the tunnel had been stopped after the previous incident five days earlier, ensuring no workers were present when the latest collapse occurred. The affected stretch is located near the point where the tunnel enters Aravali hills, and the possibility of seepage caused by weak rock and soil formations was being examined. Designers and technical experts have been called in, and the area has been barricaded. Chhibber said the damage to farmland was being assessed and affected landowners would be compensated.Senior police officials were rushed to the site on Saturday night and personnel remained deployed there. Residents have been asked to cooperate with the authorities and stay away from the dangerous zone, with action threatened against those violating safety restrictions. Sub-divisional magistrate Jitendra Garg and deputy commissioner Akhil Pilani also visited the site to review the situation and security arrangements.On Oct 5, a large pit measuring around 20 metres across had developed in a farmer’s field. Residents had complained to the police and district administration, alleging negligence by the construction company. They said the latest incident showed that their concerns had not been addressed. Villagers have warned that they will not allow work to continue unless their land is acquired and they receive adequate compensation. They have previously staged protests and approached Parliament and the Union railway minister over their demands.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Gurgaon | Silver Rate in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon | Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Petrol Price in Gurgaon | Diesel Price in Gurgaon | CNG Price in Gurgaon | LPG Price in GurgaonStay updated with the latest Gurgaon news. Download the TOI App.