Patel Engineering Ltd. has disclosed a serious incident at its Samardung Tunnel project located in North Sikkim. The incident occurred on July 20, 2026, at approximately 1:00 PM in the Adit-3 - Face 4B Tunnel section of the project.
The incident involved a sudden release of suspected methane gas that was embedded or trapped in the rocks, resulting in a gas burst/explosion inside the tunnel. This generated dense fumes and toxic gases, trapping 25 project personnel with confirmed casualties (though the exact number of casualties is not quantified in the disclosure).
The company's project team is working in close coordination with multiple emergency response agencies including the district administration, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local authorities to support ongoing rescue operations.
Patel Engineering has stated that a detailed investigation will be undertaken to ascertain the exact cause of the incident. The company expressed condolences to the bereaved families and stated they stand by them during this difficult time.
This disclosure was made to both Bombay Stock Exchange Ltd. and The National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. as a regulatory compliance requirement.
Financial Impact
Financial impact not quantified in the disclosure. The potential operational and project timeline impacts are not specified.