Wayanad tunnel road: Kerala govt firm despite environmental concerns

The Kerala government is proceeding with the ambitious Wayanad Tunnel Road Project, with the construction tender being awarded to a Bhopal-based company on Thursday (September 5). After completion, the project will significantly ease traffic between Wayanad and Kozhikode through the congested Thamarassery Ghat Road on NH 766.

The Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi road will connect three districts – Wayanad, Kozhikode, and Malappuram. It begins at Maripuzha, Anakkampoyil in Thiruvambadi Panchayat at one end and concludes at the Kalladi Meenakshi Bridge in Wayanad. Dilip Buildcon won the tender, competing against 13 other companies.

"The work should begin soon. One by one, all hurdles have been cleared. Some additional documents will be presented soon. This is one project most people in this belt are looking forward,’’ Thiruvambady MLA Linto Joseph told The Federal.

"Minimal environmental damage"

Asked about the possible environmental impact, especially in the wake of recent landslides, Linto said, ‘’The state government has done extensive studies, even on the environmental aspect. During his Norway visit, the chief minister had elaborate talks with Norwegian Geotechnical Institute officials. In 2022, Dominik H Lang, its director, visited the places where the tunnel was to come up. We have picked up places where there is minimal environmental damage.’’

Linto also referred to Union Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari’s recent statement in which he talked about the necessity of building tunnel projects across the country, as it would be the safest infrastructure project in terms of ecology.

Third-longest tunnel in India

The twin tunnels, with four lanes, will be the third-longest in India at 8.11 km. The Konkan Railway Corporation will oversee the construction.

After the recent landslide disaster in Wayanad, some environmental groups had raised concerns about the construction of a tunnel in the region. However, political parties across the spectrum in the state are in favour of building the tunnel, which they hope will lead to comprehensive development in the hilly region.

The government has already completed the land acquisition for the project in Kozhikode and Wayanad and the landowners have also received their compensation.

Land acquisition over

The land needed for the project has been fully acquired, and compensations have been distributed. The state government confirmed that the regional office of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has granted Stage-1 forest clearance for 17.263 hectares of forest land to be used for the project. A year-long Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was completed in March 2023, and the State Environmental Appraisal Committee inspected the tunnel site in May 2024.

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