KOZHIKODE: Who was responsible for ensuring that the contractor followed safety norms? Were repeated warnings acted upon? And if oversight mechanisms existed at multiple levels, how did a disaster of this magnitude occur?
As rescue operations continue at the landslip-hit Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi twin tunnel construction site, questions regarding the chain of responsibility governing one of Kerala’s largest hill infrastructure projects are dominating public discourse.
While authorities described the incident as occurring amid heavy rain, calls are growing for a probe into whether administrative lapses, engineering failures, or non-compliance with safety directives contributed to the disaster.
The project is being executed by the Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd (KRCL), the Special Purpose Vehicle appointed through the KIIFB. Actual construction was entrusted to Dilip Buildcon Ltd, and the public works department (PWD), roads division, Kozhikode, has been overseeing the contractor’s work.
Sources indicate that retired PWD executive engineer Hashim had been responsible for supervising the project. After the change in government, the position remained vacant.
Since June 1, assistant executive engineer Sarith has been handling oversight responsibilities. Coordination at the district level is being carried out by the Wayanad district collector.
A KRCL official told TNIE that the tunnel excavation work was being undertaken by Dilip Buildcon and that the landslip was the result of an extreme natural event rather than a construction-related failure.
KRCL also confirmed that its engineers were at the site carrying out routine supervision when the landslip occurred. It said a comprehensive assessment would now determine the exact cause of the collapse.
Rejecting allegations that PWD bore direct responsibility for the disaster, Minister P K Basheer said the project execution rested entirely with KRCL under arrangements made during the previous LDF government. The present government reviewed the project after assuming office and repeatedly raised concerns about safety risks, he said.
“A site inspection by PWD Secretary Adeela Abdulla, chief engineers and the Wayanad district collector was held after a June 12 online review meeting on June 12. It was observed that a large volume of excavated earth was stacked near the construction area. KRCL was instructed that no work should continue during rainfall, labourers should not be deployed under hazardous weather conditions, and the accumulated earth should be removed,” Basheer said, adding that another review meeting was held on July 1.
“We communicated all these directions to Konkan Railway. The PWD neither executed nor supervised the construction,” he said.
He also confirmed that all mandatory clearances from the Environment Ministry were obtained before construction commenced. On whether the contractor ignored the government’s instructions, Basheer said circumstances leading to the incident would be examined.
Adeela said repeated safety concerns had been raised by the minister during review meetings over the previous three weeks. Instructions to prohibit deploying labourers at the site during adverse weather led to fewer casualties, she said.
In a statement, contractor Dilip Buildcon Ltd said the project was carried out in strict accordance with approved engineering standards, environmental regulations and safety protocols. “Given its location in an ecologically sensitive region, the project is subject to extensive regulatory oversight from multiple agencies, including monitoring by the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee, and all excavated material is handled in accordance with the approved methodologies. With such additional and strict compliance procedures, the room for technical error remains very limited,” it said. The company said it would fully cooperate with investigators and remain focused on supporting rescue efforts and families affected by the tragedy.
Past tragedies
A chronological look at landslides and mudslides that left Wayanad reeling
1984: Mundakkai
An early major landslide in Meppadi region that flagged the vulnerability of Mundakkai hillsides decades before the recent tragedies
1992: Kappikkalam
A severe landslide event in Kappikkalam killed 11, highlighting the fragile nature of the terrain during heavy monsoon
June 2007: Valamthode
Triggered by continuous monsoon rain, the disaster left four dead and caused significant terrain damage in Valamthode region
Aug 2018: District-wide swarm
During the Kerala flood, multiple small to large-scale landslides erupted concurrently across Wayanad, causing widespread infrastructure collapse and road blockages across Western Ghats passes
August 8, 2019: Puthumala
A massive landslide struck the Puthumala hills near Meppadi, swallowing an entire village enclave and claiming 17 lives
August 2020: Makarankodu and Kurichiyarmala
Heavy monsoon spells caused several mid-sized landslides and mudslips in areas like Kurichiyarmala and Makarankodu, forcing the evacuation of dozens of families to relief camps
July 30, 2024: Chooralmala & Mundakkai
One of the deadliest natural disasters in Kerala’s history. Triggered by extreme rainfall exceeding 500mm, a series of catastrophic landslides erased the Mundakkai, Chooralmala and Punchirimattom villages, resulting in 298 fatalities and massive displacement
