People cheered as 41 men safely emerged from a partially collapsed Himalayan highway tunnel in northern India after being stranded for more than two weeks.

During the 17-day ordeal, rescuers used a small pipe to provide the trapped workers with oxygen, food and medicine.

After failed attempts with heavy machinery, rat-hole miners who are experts in a banned method of coal mining were called to the scene Monday.

They manually drilled a narrow passage, and the trapped labourers were individually wheeled out Tuesday.

According to multiple reports, all the rescued men are fine and are being monitored in hospital.