Avalanche Buries BRO Camp in Uttarakhand: 33 Rescued, 22 Still Trapped

03 Mar 2025 CW Team

A massive avalanche buried a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp in Mana village, Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, leaving 33 workers rescued and 22 still trapped under deep snow. Rescue efforts were halted overnight due to harsh weather and the risk of further avalanches.

Uttarakhand’s Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman confirmed that 55 workers were present at the site when the avalanche struck early Friday morning, with two workers on leave. Despite challenging conditions, more than 65 personnel, including the Army’s Ibex Brigade and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), have been engaged in the rescue operation. Four of the rescued workers are reported to be in critical condition and are receiving treatment at the ITBP camp in Mana.

The avalanche, which occurred between 5:30 am and 6 am, buried workers inside eight containers and a shed under seven feet of snow. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed, though poor weather has delayed their arrival.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh assured that all efforts are being made to rescue the remaining workers. The Indian Air Force’s Mi-17 helicopters are set to join the search-and-rescue operations on Saturday morning.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed officials to prioritize the evacuation of the injured, ensuring proper medical care in hospitals, including AIIMS Rishikesh. With heavy snowfall and rain predicted, authorities remain on high alert to prevent further emergencies.

(Business Standard)

Building Material

11 Dec 2025

Suraj Estate Wins Euromoney Award for India’s Best Residential Developer

"Suraj Estate Developers Limited has received the Euromoney Real Estate Award 2025 for ‘India’s Best Residential Developer’, positioning the company among globally benchmarked leaders in the sector. The recognition reflects its four-decade legacy in delivering high-quality residential and redevelopment-led projects across South Central Mumbai. The Euromoney Real Estate Awards, presented by the London-based Euromoney magazine, are widely regarded as one of the most credible global assessments of performance in real estate, banking and finance. Winners are selected through surveys of inte..

Lloyds Metals, Tata Steel Sign MoU to Explore Strategic Collaboration

"Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with Tata Steel Limited to evaluate potential areas of strategic cooperation across mining, logistics, pelletisation and steelmaking. The MoU was signed by B Prabhakaran, Managing Director of Lloyds Metals, and Mr T V Narendran, CEO and Managing Director of Tata Steel. The partnership framework aims to leverage the natural operational synergies between both companies and assess opportunities in greenfield steel projects, iron ore mining, slurry pipeline infrastructure, pellet manufacturing in iron ore–ric..

IndiaAI, Gujarat Govt Host Regional Conclave Ahead of 2026 AI Summit

The IndiaAI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, along with the Government of Gujarat and IIT Gandhinagar, convened a Regional Pre-Summit Event at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar. The initiative is part of the build-up to the India–AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled for 15–20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The conclave brought together senior policymakers, technology leaders, researchers and industry practitioners to examine how AI can accelerate economic, digital and social transformation across sectors. The programme focused on the overarching th..