KOZHIKODE: The Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) has initiated a technical study for the proposed multi-crore road tunnel connecting Kozhikode and Wayanad. Planned from Anakkampoyil in Kozhikode to Meppadi in Wayanad, the proposed road is 7.82km long, 6.9km of which will pass through the tunnel.
Accompanied by Public Works Department (PWD) officials, a team of technical experts from KRCL visited the site where the tunnel would end — Kalladi near Meppadi — on Wednesday to identify areas within the forest. The team visited the starting point, Swargamkunnu near Anakkampoyil, on Tuesday. KRCL, the special purpose vehicle (SPV) for the project, is expected to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) within three months.
“An application has been submitted to the forest department for conducting a survey at Maripuzha, a forested area in Kozhikode. Once the exact starting and end points are decided, the survey process will begin,” said PWD Executive Engineer K Vinayaraj.
Thiruvambady MLA George M Thomas said the state government has already given administrative sanction for the release of Rs 658 crore for the project which will be funded by KIIFB. The construction, expected to be completed within 34 months, will follow an engineering model that ensures protection from landslides, he said.
Tunnel route to be 30km shorter than road via Thamarassery ghat
Kozhikode: Set to be an alternative to the daunting Thamarassery ghat road, the subterranean road would be 30-km shorter. Approach roads and a 70-metre bridge over the Iranjipuzha river are part of the project. Two teams of KRCL, comprising eight experts, are working on the field for survey activities and soil investigation. The teams will camp in the region to complete the study within two months. KRCL has already submitted four alignments for the two-lane under pass. A feasible alignment would be selected after getting the technical study report. The chief minister will officially launch the project on October 5 as part of the government’s 100-day action plan. The CM on Wednesday termed the project important. “The Thamarassery ghat road is teeming with traffic and is vulnerable during the rainy season. An alternative road is the only solution. Once KRCL submits its report, necessary steps will be taken,” he said.