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{{Short description|Tunnel in Kerala, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox tunnel
| name = Kuthiran Tunnel
| image = Kuthiran tunnel entry to thrissur 01.jpg
| caption = Entrance of Kuthiran tunnel
| location = [[Kuthiran, Thrissur, Kerala]], India
| map =
| coordinates = {{coord|10.5715|76.381|region:NO_type:landmark|display=title,inline}}
| route = [[File:NH544-IN.svg|20px|link=|alt=C2]] [[National Highway 544 (India)|NH 544]]
| status = {{green|Operational}}
| start = {{coord|10.5715|76.378|type:landmark|display=inline}}
| end = {{coord|10.572|76.386|type:landmark|display=inline}}
| startwork = 2016
| opened = {{Start date and age|2021|07|31|df=yes|p=yes|br=yes}}
(Left tunnel)
{{Start date and age|2022|01|20|df=yes|p=yes|br=yes }}
(Right tunnel)
| close =
| owner = [[National Highways Authority of India]]
| operator = [[National Highways Authority of India]]
| traffic = Automotive
| character = Passenger and Freight
| toll =None
| vpd =
| construction =
| length = Left tube {{convert|955|m|ft|abbr=on}}<br />Right tube {{convert|944|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| lanes = 3 lanes per tube<br />(6 lanes total in twin-tube with [[dual carriageway]])
| speed = Lane 1 - {{convert|40-80|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}<br />
Lane 2 - {{convert|40-80|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}
<br />
Lane 3 - {{convert|40-80|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}
| hielevation =
| lowelevation =
| height = {{convert|10|m|ft|0}}
| width = {{convert|14|m|ft|0}}
| grade =
}}
{{OSM Location map
|lat = 10.5715
|lon = 76.381
|zoom = 12
|width = 275
|height = 400

|minimap = yes
|mini-width=
|mini-height=
|minipog-x=
|minipog-y=
|scalemark =180

|mark-lat = 10.5715
|mark-lon = 76.378
|mark-title = Kuthiran Tunnel west entrance
|label = West entrance
|label-pos = left

|mark-lat1 = 10.572
|mark-lon1 = 76.386
|mark-title1 = Kuthiran Tunnel east entrance
|label1 = East entrance
|label-pos1 = right
}}
'''Kuthiran Tunnel''' is a twin-tube six-lane highway tunnel in the [[South India]]n state of [[Kerala]]. The tunnel is located on the [[National Highway 544 (India)|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.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://m.dailyhunt.in/news/india/english/deccan+chronicle-epaper-deccanch/work+on+left+tunnel+at+kuthiran+begins-newsid-56413798
|title=Work on left tunnel at Kuthiran begins
|publisher=[[Dailyhunt]]
|access-date=2016-12-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/070816/work-on-left-tunnel-at-kuthiran-begins.html
|title=Work on left tunnel at Kuthiran begins
|publisher=Deccan Chronicle
|access-date=2016-12-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/Kuthiran-tunnel-work-resumes/articleshow/55044428.cms
|title=Kuthiran tunnel work resumes
|publisher=Times of India
|access-date=2016-12-01}}</ref> Construction of the tunnel started in 2016 and completed by December 2021.<ref>{{cite news |title=One tunnel at Kuthiran opened for traffic |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/one-tunnel-at-kuthiran-opened-for-traffic/article35659928.ece |quote=Though the Mannuthy-Wadakkanchery six-lane work started in 2010, the tunnel work started only in 2016.}}</ref>

[[Nitin Gadkari]], the [[Ministry of Road Transport and Highways|Minister of Road Transport and Highways]] announced the opening of one of the twin tube tunnels through the social platform [[Twitter]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-08-01|title=One tunnel at Kuthiran opened for traffic|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/one-tunnel-at-kuthiran-opened-for-traffic/article35659928.ece|access-date=2021-08-01|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-31|title=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|url=https://www.zeebiz.com/india/news-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-161849|access-date=2021-07-31|website=Zee Business}}</ref> The second tunnel opened in January 2022.

==Present traffic==
Kuthiran gradient is situated in the [[Kuthiran]] Hills, situated in the western part of [[Anaimalai Hills]]. The hills are part of Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary.

Kuthiran gradient was a major traffic bottleneck and an accident spot on the crowded [[Thrissur]]-[[Palakkad]] stretch of the 6 lane [[National Highway 544 (India)]] used by long distance traffic coming from Coimbatore, Salem, Chennai and Bengaluru. It was the missing link that was planned to be constructed when the Highway was designed.

The works on tunnel took more than a decade to complete due to geological and administrative challenges. The project was awarded in 2009 but the work on the tunnel only began in 2016.

On completion of works, both the tunnels reduced the distance between [[Kochi]] to [[Coimbatore]] by {{convert|3|km|mi|2}} but travel time got reduced by hours from the ease in traffic jams caused from heavy vehicles traversing through the hills.

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.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Major safety lapse as cops open Kuthiran tunnel to clear jam|url=https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2019/06/19/major-safety-lapse-as-cops-open-kuthiran-tunnel-to-clear-jam.html|access-date=2021-08-01|website=www.onmanorama.com}}</ref> In October 2020, a Gridlock happened after an accident causing long queues extending to kilometers on both sides, and traffic resumed only in the evening after temporarily opening the under construction tunnel.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-10-31 |title=Traffic resumed to normal level at Kuthiran |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/traffic-resumed-to-normal-level-at-kuthiran/article32992632.ece |access-date=2023-01-04 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

On 31 December 2020, seven vehicles collided in an accident and 3 people died at Kuthiran causing a gridlock. These types of gridlocks used to happen regularly at this spot due to frequent accidents, and people who are aware of this used to prefer alternative longer routes just for the sake of a reliable journey time. An RTI query in 2019 revealed 235 people have died in this stretch due to accidents in the past 10 years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Why Kuthiran drives fear into motorists today |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2019/10/01/kuthiran-national-highway-thrissur-accident.html |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=OnManorama}}</ref>

In January 2020, the tunnel was partially opened to facilitate [[Power Grid Corporation of India]]'s underground cabling works between [[Thrissur]] and [[Palakkad]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Daily|first=Keralakaumudi|title=Kuthiran tunnel partially opened as Power Grid's trial run commences|url=https://keralakaumudi.com/en/news/news.php?id=233924&u=|access-date=2021-08-01|website=Keralakaumudi Daily|language=en}}</ref>

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]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-08-01|title=One of two Kuthiran tunnels in Kerala declared open by Union govt|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/one-two-kuthiran-tunnels-kerala-declared-open-union-govt-153253|access-date=2021-08-01|website=The News Minute|language=en}}</ref>

==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 {{convert|955|m|ft|abbr=on}} and right tube {{convert|944|m|ft|abbr=on}}, while the width and height would be {{convert|14|and|10|m|ft}}, respectively. The tunnels would be located in a gap of {{convert|20|m|ft}}. There are two emergency crossovers inside the tunnel.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India|url=https://morth.nic.in/|access-date=2021-07-17|website=morth.nic.in}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Kuthiran Tunnel Timelapse PKD TCR.webm|Time Lapse video of Kuthiran Tunnel
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Kozhikode–Wayanad Tunnel Road]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Road tunnels in Kerala]]
[[Category:Transport in Thrissur district]]
[[Category:2021 establishments in Kerala]]

Kuthiran Tunnel - Revision history

PGPS at 06:04, 4 March 2026