As the 17-day-long? arduous rescue operation culminated on Tuesday, the 41 rescued workers who remained trapped within the rubbles and debris inside Uttarkashi's collapsed Silkyara tunnel, are now?airlifted?to AIIMS Dehradun by the Indian Air Force's Chinook helicopter.

The workers, as per reports, will be?thoroughly examined by the doctors and specialists at AIIMS to ascertain whether any of them?suffered any trauma or infections during the last 17 days.

But, before being esccorted to AIIMS, the workers met Uttarakhand Chief Minister Dhami?at the local Chinyalisour hospital, where they were taken after being rescued Tuesday evening.CM Dhami announced a compensation of rupees one lakh for each of the workers who remained trapped inside the collapsed tunnel for 17 days.

Yesterday, the workers were promptly taken to a community health centre, where a special 41-bed ward had been set up. Before this, the workers were given a quick medical checkup inside the tunnel.

?The Silkyara tunnel, part of the Centre's ambitious Char Dham project, collapsed due to a landslide on November 12.