Wayanad tunnel road gets preliminary approval from union environment ministry
Kozhikode: Thiruvambadi MLA Linto Joseph took to Facebook to announce that the Anakampoil-Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel, a multi-crore project aimed at establishing an alternative greenfield road connecting the hilly district of Wayanad, has received preliminary approval from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The ministry has proposed afforestation of 17.263 hectares of land in lieu of using forest land for the project. MLA said that the afforestation can be carried out on land acquired by the Forest Department in Chullikad, Kollivayal, Madaparambu, and Manalvayal villages in the South Wayanad Division. The state government's environmental impact study is expected to be completed in July, following which the tunnel construction will commence, as stated by the MLA.
The tunnel road project, which is among the 30 key projects in Kerala directly inspected by the chief minister, has been fast-tracked with progress reviewed every three months. Land acquisition for dumping yards and private land is currently underway, bringing the realization of this long-awaited project one step closer, not only for Malabar but for the whole of Kerala, according to the MLA.
The significance of this road lies in its connectivity between business, industrial, and tourist regions such as Bengaluru and Mysuru, and Kerala. The existing route through Thamarassery Ghat is time-consuming and often impacted by landslips and rain-related disruptions, making the tunnel road a much-needed solution. The new path is expected to streamline goods movement from Karnataka, benefiting commercial purposes and reducing traffic congestion in Thamarassery Ghat. Once completed, the journey between Kochi and Bengaluru will be shortened, and Wayanad and Kozhikode districts will be connected without traversing the Ghat.
The total length of the tunnel will be 7.82 km, with the Swargam Kunnu-Kalladi stretch covering 6.8 km. The tunnel construction survey commenced in September 2020, following the Cabinet's approval of the project last year. The Kerala public works department minister, PA Mohamed Riyas, has confirmed in the Assembly that land acquisition procedures for the project have already commenced.
In collaboration with the Kerala government, a Norwegian expert team, led by Dr. Dominic Lang, Director of Natural Hazards at the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, visited Maripuzha and expressed their opinion that the tunnel road would be the most suitable project for the proposed route.
Meanwhile, the greens have raised concerns about carving the Western Ghats and warned the government of protest if it is not ready to address their issues.