Centre grants final approval for Wayanad tunnel road project

Kozhikode: The Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) has granted stage-II forest clearance (final approval) for the proposed Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel road connecting Kozhikode and Wayanad. "The Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel road, one of Kerala's dream projects that is progressing at a rapid pace, has now received stage-II clearance from MoEFCC. This marks the final clearance required for the construction of the tunnel road," PWD minister PA Mohamed Riyas said in a Facebook post. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had inaugurated the construction work of the Rs 2,134 crore 8.73km twin-tunnel road on Aug 31, 2025. The preliminary works of the road has been progressing, and the tunnel boring works are slated to commence soon. The project had earlier obtained stage-1 forest clearance for the diversion of 17.263ha of forest land earlier. A stretch of 5.76km of the tunnel passes through forestland and 17.263ha of forest land is to be utilized for the project. MoEFCC had granted environmental clearance for the construction of the tunnel road in June 2025 However, environmentalists had raised concerns about the adverse ecological impact of the project as it passes near high landslide prone area which had witnessed catastrophic landslides in 2018 apart from the Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslides in 2024.