KOZHIKODE: The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has granted conditional clearance to the proposed four-lane tunnel road project between Kozhikode and Wayanad. The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) under the MoEFCC, in its meeting held on May 14 and 15, recommended implementation of the Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel project with strict compliance to environmental conditions.
Earlier, the State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) had approved the proposal in March. “With the Centre’s official nod, the project can now proceed to contract execution. The construction will be undertaken jointly by the Public Works Department (PWD), Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), and Konkan Railway,” said MLA Linto Joseph. The contract has been awarded to Bhopal-based Dilip Buildcon and Kolkata-based Royal Infrastructure through a tender process.
The total project cost is estimated at Rs 2,134 crore. The 8.11-km tunnel will require 17.263 hectares of forest land. It will be equipped with modern safety and monitoring systems, including tunnel ventilation, fire extinguishing equipment, tunnel radio, CCTV surveillance, emergency call systems, and cross passages every 300 metres. Over-height vehicles will be detected and signalled to avoid their entry into the tunnel.
The Union ministry has imposed 60 conditions to safeguard biodiversity and ensure geological stability. The ecologically sensitive project zone is home to several endangered species, including the Banasura laughingthrush (Banasura chilappan). The SEAC has mandated stringent conservation measures and also recommended to the government to establish the Appankappu elephant corridor. Given the region’s vulnerability to landslides, the EAC has emphasised the need for detailed geological and landslide studies.
Despite the green signal, environmental groups continue to oppose the project. Activists have raised concerns over its proximity to the landslide-prone areas of Mundakkai-Chooralmala and Puthumala in Meppadi. The latest landslide was reported on May 30 near the site of the 2024 Mundakkai-Chooralmala incident, following heavy rain, as confirmed by the Wayanad district collector. Meanwhile, members of the Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samithi and the Western Ghats Protection Council have conducted protest meetings and dharnas against the project.