Kuthiran tunnel landslide: GSI team conducts safety inspection

A specialist team from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has conducted an extensive on-site inspection of the Kuthiran tunnel on National Highway 544, following a recent landslide above its entrance.

The assessment was ordered by Thrissur District Collector Shikha Surendran, who also serves as the chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), to evaluate potential structural hazards and ensure public safety along this vital transit corridor.

The GSI team, comprising senior geologists A Ramesh Kumar and S Nishanth, examined the immediate area surrounding the tunnel portal. They collected critical data regarding the current slope of the terrain, structural stability, the geological characteristics of the soil and rock formations, existing drainage channels, and potential future landslide risks on the hillside overlooking the twin-tube tunnel.

To facilitate a comprehensive investigation, the experts have directed the authorities to hand over the original design blueprints, Detailed Project Reports (DPR), and previous geotechnical study reports compiled during the tunnel’s construction phase. Once these technical documents are analysed alongside their field observations, the GSI team will submit a formal report to the Kerala government outlining immediate and long-term engineering solutions to secure the hillside and prevent future occurrences.