Kuthiran Tunnel

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Kuthiran Tunnel
കുതിരാന്‍ തുരങ്കം

(Malayalam)

Kuthiran tunnel entry to thrissur 01.jpg
Entrance of Kuthiran tunnel
Overview
LocationKuthiran, Thrissur, Kerala, India
Coordinates10°34′17″N 76°22′52″E / 10.5715°N 76.381°E / 10.5715; 76.381Coordinates: 10°34′17″N 76°22′52″E / 10.5715°N 76.381°E / 10.5715; 76.381
StatusOperational
RouteC2 NH 544
Start10°34′17″N 76°22′41″E / 10.5715°N 76.378°E / 10.5715; 76.378
End10°34′19″N 76°23′10″E / 10.572°N 76.386°E / 10.572; 76.386
Operation
Work begun2016
Opened31 July 2021
(5 months ago) (2021-07-31) (initial segment)
OwnerNational Highways Authority of India
OperatorNational Highways Authority of India
TrafficAutomotive
CharacterPassenger and Freight
Technical
LengthLeft tube 955 m (3,133 ft)
Right tube 944 m (3,097 ft)
No. of lanes3 lanes per tube
(6 lanes total in twin-tube with dual carriageway)
Operating speedLane 1 - 40–80 km/h (25–50 mph)

Lane 2 - 40–80 km/h (25–50 mph)

Lane 3 - 40–80 km/h (25–50 mph)
Tunnel clearance10 metres (33 ft)
Width14 metres (46 ft)
[Interactive fullscreen map]

Kuthiran Tunnel (Malayalam: കുതിരാന്‍ തുരങ്കം) is a twin-tube highway tunnel in the South Indian state of Kerala. The tunnel is located on the National Highway 544 and it is owned and operated by the National Highways Authority of India. This is Kerala's first-ever tunnel for road transport and South India's longest six-lane road tunnel.[1][2][3] Construction of the tunnel started in 2016 and it is still a work in progress.[4]

Nitin Gadkari, the Minister of Road Transport and Highways announced the opening of one of the twin tube tunnels through the social platform Twitter.[5][6] The second tunnel will open in 2022.[7]

Present traffic[]

Kuthiran gradient is situated in the Kuthiran Hills, situated in the western part of Anaimalai Hills. The hills are a notified Wild Life Sanctuary.

Kuthiran gradient was a major traffic bottleneck narrow pass and an accident spot on the crowded Thrissur-Palakkad stretch of the National Highway 544 (India). On completion of works, both the tunnels reduced the distance between Kochi to Coimbatore by 3 kilometres (1.86 mi) and travel time considerably since the tunnel through the Kuthiran avoids hitherto existed vehicular congestions in traversing through the hills.

The works on tunnel took more than a decade to complete due to geological and administrative challenges.

In August 2018 during 2018 Kerala floods, the tunnel was opened for passage of emergency vehicles. In June 2019 the tunnel was opened for four hours following a Gridlock caused due to an accident at Kuthiran Bridge.[8] In January 2020, the tunnel was partially opened to facilitate Power Grid Corporation of India's underground cabling works between Thrissur and Palakkad.[9]

On July 31, 2021, one of the two tunnels in Palakkad - Thrissur direction was officially opened for traffic following an announcement made by Nitin Gadkari through Twitter.[10]

Cost[]

The Pragati group was subcontracted the work by the Hyderabad-based KMC company. Pragathi bagged the sub-contract at a cost of Rs 200 crore.

Dimension[]

The 6 lane twin tube tunnels will have length of almost 1 kilometer, left tube 955 m (3,133 ft) and right tube 944 m (3,097 ft), while the width and height would be 14 and 10 metres (46 and 33 ft), respectively. The tunnels would be located in a gap of 20 metres (66 ft). There are two emergency crossovers inside the tunnel.[11]

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Work on left tunnel at Kuthiran begins". Dailyhunt. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  2. ^ "Work on left tunnel at Kuthiran begins". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  3. ^ "Kuthiran tunnel work resumes". Times of India. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  4. ^ "One tunnel at Kuthiran opened for traffic". Though the Mannuthy-Wadakkanchery six-lane work started in 2010, the tunnel work started only in 2016.
  5. ^ "One tunnel at Kuthiran opened for traffic". The Hindu. Special Correspondent. 1 August 2021. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 1 August 2021.CS1 maint: others (link)
  6. ^ "Kuthiran Tunnel Opening: Big news for Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka! One side of tunnel to be OPENED for public today, says Nitin Gadkari | WATCH video". Zee Business. 31 July 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Kurthiran second tunnel will be opened next year: Minister".
  8. ^ "Major safety lapse as cops open Kuthiran tunnel to clear jam". www.onmanorama.com. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  9. ^ Daily, Keralakaumudi. "Kuthiran tunnel partially opened as Power Grid's trial run commences". Keralakaumudi Daily. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  10. ^ "One of two Kuthiran tunnels in Kerala declared open by Union govt". The News Minute. 1 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India". morth.nic.in. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
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