Relief from hectic journey through Thamarassery Pass: Tunnel connecting Kozhikode and Wayanad by 2030

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 8.735 km tunnel connecting Kozhikode and Wayanad districts will be completed by 2030. 8.11 km of it is a double tunnel, each with a double track. The construction period is four years.

The safest New Austrian Tunneling Method is being used. Although there is a 100-year guarantee, experts say that there will be no problem for 200-300 years. The construction work is being done by Konkan Rail. The construction contract can be awarded once the central notification is issued within two weeks.

The tunnel road extending from Aanakkampoyil in Kozhikode to Meppadi in Wayanad will be a solution to the hectic journey through Thamarassery Pass. Both tunnel faces will be drilled simultaneously. Concrete will be poured at the drilled site. Each tunnel will have a diameter of 12 meters including concrete walls. The tunnels will be D-shaped. The maximum height will be 10 meters. There will be a distance of up to 10 meters between the two tunnels and a connection at intervals of 300 meters. This will be the means of escape in case of accidents.

The tunnel will have a 50 cm thick reinforced concrete shell. This will also help in thermal control. It will be a concrete road.

A fire station, hospital and ambulance should be set up near the tunnel. 14.995 hectares of private land should be acquired for the tunnel. Ten acres of land is required for the disposal of mining waste. As a replacement to the 34.3 hectares of forest land to be acquired, 17.27 hectares should be planted with trees and made a reserve forest.

Solid rock, no worries

• The study report says that the 150 million year old rock is safe and will not collapse. The Atal tunnel was made by drilling into unstable rock in the Himalayas. There is a river above it

• Construction will be done with minimal environmental damage in the environmentally sensitive area. State-of-the-art technology will help in this. The Konkan Railway is a tunnel with a length of 82 km

Construction cost: 2134.5 crore

Maximum speed: 80 km

Hi-tech road

• Security check system at both gates

• Surveillance and speed cameras at 50-meter intervals

• Phone at 75-meter intervals to call the control room

• Automatic system to detect accidents

• Air quality check at every kilometer