A video of bike riders entering a tunnel as spectators cheer them has been shared on social media with a claim that it shows visuals from the newly opened Kashedi Tunnel on Mumbai Goa highway.
BOOM found that the video is from Kuthiran Tunnel in Kerala.
The video shows several bikes entering the newly constructed tunnel as others film them on camera and cheer the riders. The video is doing the rounds on WhatsApp and Facebook with the caption, "Newly opened *Kashedi Tunnel* on Mumbai Goa highway."
Click here to view the post.
The same video was shared on Facebook with a similar caption in Marathi.
The Marathi caption translates to, "Konkan Kashedi ghat bypass is the biggest project in Konkan region ; thanks to the efforts of Nitin Gadkari, road, transport, - highway union minister".
(Original Text in Marathi: कोकण कशेडी घाट बायपस कोकणातील सर्वात मोठा भोगदा माननिय श्री नितीन गडकरी - रोड, ट्रान्सपोर्ट - हायवे, केंद्रीय मंत्री यांच्या प्रयत्नाने.)
Click here to view the post.
BOOM also received the video on its helpline number requesting a verification of the claim with the video.
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Fact Check
BOOM performed a reverse image search on one of the keyframes from the video and found a tweet carrying the same clip from August 7, 2021.
The caption with the video states, "Kuthiran Tunnel on NH47 connecting Palakkad and Thrissur opened in early August 2021."
Click here to view the tweet.
Taking a cue, we ran a keyword search on Twitter and found a tweet from National Highways Authority of India's (NHAI) official twitter handle carrying the photo of Kuthiran Tunnel in Kerala.
Click here to view the tweet.
We found similarities between the tunnel seen in the video and the photo of Kuthiran Tunnel. The comparison can be seen below.
Furthermore, Prasar Bharati News Services also tweeted the video of 1.6 km long Kuthiran Tunnel on August 1, 2021 with similar visuals.
Click here to view the tweet.
According to a Ministry of Road Transport & Highways press release published on August 1, 2021, "Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari instructed to open one side of the Kuthiran Tunnel in Kerala in a tweet message yesterday. The 1.6 km long tunnel is designed through Peechi- Vazahani wildlife sanctuary. The road will improve connectivity to important ports and towns in North – South Corridor without endangering wildlife."
Earlier in 2021, BJP Gujarat State General Secretary Ratnakar tweeted that the Kuthiran tunnel can reduce a two hour journey to ten minutes and praised the BJP-led central government for developing the infrastructure. The tweet sparked a controversy about the actual time saved following the one sided opening of the tunnel. The report can be read here.
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