Kerala officials inspect Kuthiran tunnels after minor mudslips reported

Representational Pic

The district administration and the NHAI on Friday inspected the Kuthiran twin road tunnels on the Kochi-Salem highway stretch here after two minor mudslips were reported above the eastern side of the tunnels, officials said.

The minor mudslips were noticed in the morning above the middle portion of the two tunnels, near the entrance and exit, they added.

Following the incident, District Collector Shikha Surendran, NHAI officials and MLA K Rajan reached the site to assess the situation.

Rajan told reporters that National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) engineers would conduct a detailed inspection of the hilltop above the tunnels.

"A team from the Forest Department has been directed to reach the top through a side route to facilitate the inspection. The priority is to check whether new water channels have formed due to the heavy rain, as increased runoff could trigger further soil movement," he said.

District Collector said the NHAI civil engineers had inspected the tunnels from below and found no immediate threat.

"However, no inspection has yet been carried out from the top. Forest officials and NHAI representatives are climbing up to examine whether any drainage channels are blocked or if water is accumulating above the tunnels," she said.

The Collector said the administration had sought the assistance of a geotechnical engineering professor from a local engineering college and was also checking the availability of Geological Survey of India (GSI) engineers based in Thiruvananthapuram.

"The rock structure appears stable, but we need to assess the extent of loose soil that could still slide," she said.

Surendran said the administration was also preparing an alternative traffic route through the old Kuthiran road if the inspection found any safety issue.

"If the experts identify any danger, traffic through the tunnels will have to be stopped despite the inconvenience to the public," she added.

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