Wayanad: Despite widespread concerns following the Mundakkai landslide, the state government is moving ahead with the Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel project, even as environmental groups raise strong objections.
On Thursday, the tender for the project was awarded to Bhopal-based infrastructure development company Dilip Buildcon Limited. The company’s bid of Rs 1,341 crore was the lowest, while the government had estimated the project cost at Rs 1,600 crore.
Though the project initially enjoyed strong public support, fear has now gripped residents living in the valleys of the Western Ghats in both Kozhikode and Wayanad districts. The state government is still awaiting Environmental Clearance from the Union Ministry for Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MOEFCC), without which the final construction agreement with the company cannot be executed.
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Thiruvambadi MLA Linto Joseph told Onmanorama that there is no opposition to the project from the general public, but some parties are against it for political reasons. When asked about the project’s environmental impact, Linto Joseph stated, "The state government has already conducted a Social Impact Assessment Study, which includes an environmental evaluation."
“We are hopeful that the MOEFCC will grant clearance soon,” he added, noting that Union Minister for Surface Road Transport Nitin Gadkari recently reiterated the central government’s support for tunnel roads, emphasizing plans to promote 50 such projects across the country.
Meanwhile, construction of the 17.1 km approach road from Thiruvambadi to Marippuzha, the entrance of the tunnel project, is progressing rapidly. The Uralungal Labour Contract Society is executing this Rs 108 crore road project.
Environmentalists' protest
Various environmental organisations in Wayanad have unified in opposing the project, citing the Mundakkai-Chooralmala disaster as evidence of the region’s extreme environmental sensitivity.
N Badusha, president of the Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithi, told Onmanorama that while street protests may not be feasible, the organisation plans to raise public awareness about the project’s environmental risks. “If the government proceeds despite the immense loss of life, we will pursue legal remedies,” he said. “If such a reckless project goes forward, the people will pay a far higher price for their silence, as nature has already taught us in the Mundakkai-Chooralmala region.”
Before the landslide, the project was seen as a "route of hope" for Wayanad residents, offering an alternative to the Ghat Road of National Highway NH 766. One of the LDF government’s flagship projects, the 8.17 km Kozhikode-Wayanad Tunnel Road, is expected to alleviate the traffic congestion experienced by travellers between Wayanad and Kozhikode. Despite road-widening efforts, heavy traffic along the 9 km stretch of NH 766 in the ghats regularly results in hours-long jams.
The project is fully funded by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) scheme. The Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL), known for its expertise in constructing rail tunnels, has been selected as the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for the project. Envisioned in 2018, the project was intended to solve the persistent traffic snarls along the ghat section of NH 766.
