Wayanad tunnel road project faces uncertainty as construction remains stalled

KALPETTA: The construction of the Kalladi-Anakkampoyil tunnel road connecting Wayanad with Kozhikode district is facing an uncertain future, with work remaining suspended for the past three months. Construction was halted following a landslide at Kalladi, the Wayanad entrance to the tunnel, on July 7. Several people were injured in the incident.

Those forced to move out of their homes following the landslide are living in rented houses and paying high rents. The government has not provided rent assistance, while families who lost their houses completely have yet to receive financial assistance. Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan had opposed the tunnel road project when he was the Leader of the Opposition. Against this backdrop, the government's decision on the project is crucial.

The soil piled up near the tunnel entrance has not yet been removed. Prof. Santhosh G. Thampi and Dr Jude, an engineer with the Environment Directorate, were appointed to study the removal of the soil. An expert committee led by geoscientist Dr C. P. Rajendran was also formed to examine the feasibility of continuing the tunnel road project. Although the experts visited the site and completed their inspections, they have not submitted their reports yet.

The Congress-controlled Meppadi grama panchayat has passed a resolution calling for the construction of the tunnel road to resume. However, the area around Vellarimala, which includes the Wayanad entrance to the tunnel, has been declared an extremely ecologically sensitive zone by the Central government.

The construction work on the tunnel road was inaugurated by then Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on August 31, 2025. Rock-cutting work began on March 3. The project is intended to provide an alternative route to the Thamarassery Ghat road.