KALPETTA: Wayanad’s three-decade dream of reliable road connectivity will take a definite step closer to reality on Sunday when Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurates the construction of the twin tunnel linking Anakampoyil, Kalladi, and Meppadi -- a project that promises to end the district’s crippling isolation and unlock new avenues of growth.
For years, heavy rain, road accidents, or even minor landslips on the Thamarassery ghat road have cut Wayanad off from the rest of Kerala. The plea for an alternative route has echoed for decades. Local residents believe the twin tunnel will not only end this crippling isolation but also open new doors for development.
“Even over the past few days, we struggled when landslips forced a closure of the ghat road. No other district in Kerala faces such isolation. Some people oppose the project citing environmental issues but those concerns shouldn’t stop our basic development. We don’t have good hospitals or schools, nor railways or an airstrip. If the ghat road closes, our only fate is helplessness,” said Minhaj Khalid of Kalpetta.
He said successive governments ignored the demand for almost 30 years. “When the first Pinarayi government announced the twin tunnel, we thought it would remain just a promise. Today, we are hopeful,” he added.
Tourism and trade groups are equally enthusiastic. “The twin tunnel will transform accessibility and boost tourism. At Meppadi, where the road ends, most families survive on tourism,” said Wayanad Tourism Association secretary Saifulla K Hassan.
Traders see the project as an economic turning point. “It will ease the movement of goods, especially coffee, tea, banana, pepper, cardamom, fruits, and vegetables, strengthening the Bengaluru-Mysuru-Kochi industrial corridor,” said Jojin, a member of the Wayanad Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi.
Experts say the project is safe and scientifically sound. “The twin tunnel will pass through charnockite rock, which is highly stable,” said John Mathai, a former scientist with the National Centre for Earth Science Studies.
“The main challenges will be at the soil-rich endpoints and ensuring proper ventilation for the 8-km stretch. Overall, this is the safest and most environmentally viable solution. Expanding the Thamarassery ghat road is no longer possible without risking its stability. The tunnel will also leave the top forest layer untouched.”
The Anakampoyil-Meppadi twin tunnel, one of Kerala’s largest infrastructure projects, will stretch 8.73 km from Marippuzha in Kozhikode district to Meenakshi Bridge in Wayanad district, including 8.11 km of double tunnels.
The alignment will feature six curves, two main bridges, and three minor bridges across the Iruvazhinji river, with cross-passages connecting the tunnels every 300 metres. The project requires 33 hectares, of which 5.7 km is forest and 2.9 km private land. The tunnels will be equipped with modern systems including ventilation, firefighting, radio, telecommunication, surveillance, lighting, and emergency response facilities.
The Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, the special purpose vehicle (SPV) for the project, said the construction of the tunnel will begin first on the Wayanad side. The Wayanad entrance will be at an altitude of 851 metres above sea level at the Meenakshi Bridge in Kalladi.
The construction is expected to take four years, with the twin tunnel initially opening as a two-lane road before being upgraded to four lanes. Progress will be monitored by an expert committee every six months, and officials have assured compliance with environmental and safety standards.
PROJECT DETAILS
Cost: Rs 2,134 crore
Total length: 8.753km (Anakkampoyil in Kozhikode to Kalladi in Wayanad)
Estimated construction time: 4 yrs
Travel time saving: 30-45 minutes between Kozhikode and Wayanad; up to 1 hour for Bengaluru-bound travellers
Purpose
Bypass Thamarassery Ghat to reduce congestion and improve safety
Environmental concerns
Landslide-prone terrain, disruption to elephant migration routes, impact on biodiversity
Legal challenge
Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samithi petition in HC against environmental clearance
Environmental clearance conditions
Landslide hazard micro-mapping, vibration and weather monitoring, wildlife corridors, species monitoring, periodic audits