Reducing Kozhikode-Wayanad travel by 40 km; Wayanad tunnel receives green flag

The state environment department has approved the Wayanad tunnel after years of deliberation and ambiguity. It is something to cheer about and will usher in the infrastructure overhaul in the state. The travel distance between Kozhikode and Wayanad will be reduced by 40 km for regular commuters, which is a marvellous feat. The benefits of the tunnel will be conspicuous when it becomes a reality. The Environment Department has approved the project with 25 strict conditions, as the tunnel has to be constructed in an area that also includes ecologically vulnerable areas.

In places where there is a possibility of landslides, preparations should be meticulous to not give room for any error. The protection of the endangered Banasura Laughingthrush bird (also known as Banasura Chilappan) should also be ensured. The flow of the Iruvazhanjippuzha should not be messed with. Constant monitoring needs to be done to ensure that the river is not affected in any way by the tunnel work.

The eight-kilometre-long twin tunnel will be the third largest tunnel of its kind in the country. The tunnel starts from Anakkampoyil in Thiruvampady, Kozhikode and reaches Kalladi Meppadi Panchayat, Wayanad. The project document says that the construction of the tunnel, which is estimated to cost Rs 2134 crore, can be completed in four years. The companies have been found, and the project is expected to begin this year.

Thamarassery Churam is a mountain pass that is vital for connecting Kozhikode with Wayanad. It is an arduous task to travel this route during the rainy season. The pass almost everyday witness traffic snarl that may take long hours to return to nromalcy.

The demand to build the tunnel while retaining the pass lanes was in the public domain for a long time. The protest from locals and the threat to environmental safety hindered the move. Environmentalists are always at the forefront protesting against such development plans. It should be seen if the Wayand tunnel project would also end up being another fodder for the environmentalist to mete out their resistance.

Development without harming environment is impossible in India. The reality is just as lucid as that. The duty of the government is to implement the scheme, minimizing the damage. Those who oppose tunnel here should witness the change in Kashmir that is now embellished with series of tunnels. It should be remembered that the world's highest railway has been built in Kashmir. The valley also houses the longest tunnels in the country. Does it mean that the development came without harming the environment there?

Following Kashmir's lead, many North Indian states are building sophisticated tunnels through rugged mountain ranges. Tunnels and skyways like this will inevitably come when the national highways are modernized. The people who commute through Kuthiran in Palakkad know the perks they now enjoy from the old tortuous travel days. Kuthiran became a reality after long years of stalemate. Wayanad project should be bereft of this lax.