Silkyara Tunnel in Uttarakhand

• 17 Apr 2025

Why in News? 

 On April 16, 2025, Uttarakhand completed excavation of the 4.53-km Silkyara Tunnel, which will be named after local deity Baba Baukhnag. 

 Key Points 

• Inauguration of Temple: 
  • The Chief Minister of the state inaugurated the Baba Baukhnag temple at the mouth of the Silkyara Tunnel. 
  • He called the tunnel breakthrough a symbol of advanced engineering, faith, and dedication. 
  • The construction of the tunnel was tendered to Hyderabad-headquartered Navayuga Engineering Company by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), a fully owned company of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India. 
• Char Dham Connectivity and Strategic Importance: 
  • The double-lane tunnel, part of the Char Dham all-weather road project, is a major infrastructure project. 
  • With an estimated cost of Rs 1,384 crore, the tunnel will cut the distance between Gangotri and Yamunotri by 25 km, improving regional connectivity. 

 Char Dham Yatra 

 

• The Char-Dham yatra in Uttarakhand consists of visiting four temples, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri. 
  • Yamunotri Dham: 
    • Location: Uttarkashi district. 
    • Dedicated to: Goddess Yamuna. 
    • River Yamuna is the second-most sacred river in India after River Ganga. 
  • Gangotri Dham: 
    • Location: Uttarkashi district. 
    • Dedicated to: Goddess Ganga. 
    • Considered the most sacred of all Indian rivers. 
  • Kedarnath Dham: 
    • Location: Rudraprayag district. 
    • Dedicated to: Lord Shiva. 
    • Situated on the bank of the Mandakini River. 
    • One of the 12 Jyotirlingas (divine representations of Lord Shiva) in India. 
  • Badrinath Dham: 
    • Location: Chamoli district. 
    • Home to the sacred Badrinarayan Temple. 
    • Dedicated to: Lord Vishnu. 
    • One of the holy shrines for Vaishnavites.