Video of Kerala’s Kuthiran tunnel shared as Kashedi tunnel in Mumbai

The video shows the Kuthiran tunnel in Kerala whose first side opened in 2021.

A video showing a motorcycle entering a tunnel as a crowd cheers them is widely circulating on social media. The users claim that the video shows the Konkan Kashedi tunnel on the Mumbai-Goa highway.

The caption of the video states, “Newly opened *Kashedi Tunnel* on Mumbai Goa highway.”

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We found that the video does not show the Kashedi tunnel in Mumbai Goa highway. The video actually shows the Kuthiran tunnel in Kerala. This tunnel’s first side was opened for traffic in July 2021.

Fact Check- 

A Google reverse image search on key-frames in the viral video revealed that the video belonged to a tunnel in Kerala. The work on the Kuthiran tunnel in Kerala was completed last year. The tunnel is located on the National Highway 544 and it is owned and operated by the National Highways Authority of India. It is situated in the Thrissur district of Kerala. It is a very important link connecting Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Further, we found that the tunnel in Kashedi Ghat has not been inaugurated yet. 

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari tweeted about the inauguration of the Kuthiran tunnel on July 31, 2021. About 1.5 km long subway will be taken to Peechi- Vazahani wildlife Sanctuary.

Below you can see a comparison image showing the similarity between the viral video and the Kuthiran tunnel in Kerala. We can see the same board in Malayalam language at the entrance of the Kuthiran tunnel.

You can see a video of the Kuthiran Tunnel in Kerala below. 

What is the status of Kashedi tunnel?

According to Loksatta‘s September 2020 report, work is underway on the battlefield to complete the Kashedi Ghat tunnel on the Mumbai-Goa National Highway was on time and was expected to be completed by 2021. Excavation on the other side of the subway starts at some distance from Bhogaon Khurd in Poladpur (Dist. Raigad) taluka. According to the news of TV-9 Marathi in March 2022, the work of the second tunnel has reached the final stage.

Conclusion- 

Fact Crescendo found the claim made along with the viral video to be False. The video does not show the Kashedi tunnel in Mumbai Goa highway. The video actually shows the Kuthiran tunnel in Kerala.