KOZHIKODE: Kerala’s long-pending tunnel project received a decisive legal clearance on Monday as the Supreme Court declined to halt the Kozhikode-Wayanad twin tunnel project, dismissing petitions challenging its environmental approval and effectively allowing construction to proceed.
A Bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi upheld an earlier verdict of the Kerala High Court, which had validated the environmental clearance granted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The judges found no grounds to revisit or overturn the High Court’s detailed findings.
Highlighting Kerala’s challenging terrain and growing traffic pressures, the court described the proposed tunnel as a transformative intervention. It observed that, if implemented in accordance with prescribed safeguards, the project could emerge as a critical lifeline for the state, easing mobility while also potentially reducing surface-level ecological disruption, including risks to wildlife movement.
Rejecting claims of procedural lapses, the Bench stressed that the clearance process was neither arbitrary nor superficial. It noted that multiple expert bodies had conducted thorough evaluations and imposed stringent environmental conditions. As long as these safeguards are strictly followed, the court saw no compelling evidence to suggest the project would cause irreversible ecological damage.
The ambitious project involves an 8.7-km twin-tube tunnel cutting through the Western Ghats, linking Kozhikode and Wayanad.
Designed to bypass the heavily congested Thamarassery Ghat stretch, the Rs 2,134 crore initiative aims to drastically reduce travel time and improve year-round connectivity between the coastal and highland regions.
Opposition to the project has been led by environmental groups, including the Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samiti, which argued that the tunnel passes through fragile, landslide-prone ecosystems. Petitioners contended that the project required a higher level of scrutiny and alleged that its environmental clearance was granted without adequate scientific appraisal.
Activists also voiced fears about long-term ecological consequences, warning that tunnelling through sensitive mountain systems could destabilize slopes, disrupt underground water channels, and damage wildlife habitats. Concerns were raised about potential impacts on elephant corridors and the possibility of water depletion in the region due to excavation activities.
While dismissing the petitions, the court left the door open for future legal recourse. It clarified that if any violations of environmental norms occur during construction, affected parties are free to approach the National Green Tribunal for redress.