Rescuers have successfully evacuated all 41 Indian workers who were trapped in a collapsed Himalayan road tunnel for 17 days.

The rescue operation involved hauling the men through a 57-meter (187 feet) steel pipe on stretchers equipped with wheels.

The rescued workers were welcomed as heroes, greeted by state officials, and embraced by their families.

Crowds outside the tunnel shouted, “Hail mother India!” expressing relief and joy.

The rescue operation faced challenges due to falling debris and the breakdown of drilling machines in the challenging Himalayan terrain.

Naiyer Ahmad, whose brother was among the trapped workers, expressed gratitude, saying, “We are thankful to God and the rescuers who worked hard to save them.”

The families, who had anxiously waited at the site for over two weeks, celebrated the successful rescue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi commended the workers for their “courage and patience,” while Uttarakhand state chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami praised the “prayers of tens of millions of countrymen and the tireless work of all the rescue teams.”

The health of the rescued workers was assessed by a team of medics, and they were reported to be in fine condition.

Family members expressed their happiness and relief, with one saying, “Not only my husband got a new life, we also got a new life. We will never forget it.”

Last week, the recuse engineers encountered challenges, including buried construction vehicles and metal girders, but eventually dug the final section by hand, using a “rat-hole” technique.

Arnold Dix, president of the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association, noted that the trapped workers were in good spirits, even playing cricket while awaiting rescue.