After all 41 workers trapped underground in a tunnel in Uttarakhand's Silkyara were rescued on Tuesday, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra said the operation reminded everyone "that no tunnel is too difficult to emerge from" and the same has uplifted the spirits of every Indian citizen.

Taking to his X page, Mahindra said: "It's time for gratitude. Thank you to EVERY single person who worked tirelessly over the past 17 days to save these 41 precious lives. More than any sporting victory could have, you have uplifted the spirits of a country & united us in our hope. You've reminded us that no tunnel is too difficult to emerge from, no task is impossible when our actions & prayers are collaborative & collective. #Uttarakhand."

Since being shared, his post has amassed a lot of reactions online.

"Very well said, sir. Hats off to all the people involved. you guys have done amazing work," said a user.

The mammoth rescue operation to evacuate the 41 trapped workers in the Silkyara tunnel came to an end Tuesday after a 17-day multi-agency drill. All 41 labourers were brought out of the tunnel in approximately an hour bringing a sigh of relief nationwide.

After several high-tech machines failed, the rescuers relied on the banned manual "rat-hole"-mining technique to drill through the nearly 60 metres of rock that threatened to bury the workers.

All the rescued workers were taken to the make-shift hospital in Chinyalisaur for medical check-ups and acclimatisation to the temperature outside, which has dropped much over the last two weeks.

Rat hole mining, a banned mining technique, made the rescue operation successful in clearing the last few meters after the operation was stalled after high-tech machines, or augers, failed to drill through the 60-meters of the collapsed portion.

Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had gone down the pipe first to assess the condition of the trapped men and guide them through rescue protocols.

Each worker was strapped to the stretcher that was then manually pulled up through 60 metres of rock and debris.