Greens move SC seeking stay on Kozhikode-Wayanad tunnel project

Kozhikode: Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithi (WPSS) filed a petition in Supreme Court seeking immediate stay on the construction works of Anakkampoyil-Meppadi-Kalladi tunnel road connecting Kozhikode and Wayanad districts. They also sought that the environmental clearance accorded to the project by Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) be revoked.

WPSS filed an appeal against Kerala high court's order of Dec 2025 which dismissed its plea contending that the tunnel was cutting through ecologically fragile and landslide prone areas of Western Ghats.

The samithi had said that the environmental clearance was obtained by suppressing facts and the tunnel corridor was being built in an ecologically sensitive area which had witnessed multiple landslides, including Mundakkai-Chooralmala tragedy in 2024.

The first rock blast for Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel road was carried out by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan at Maripuzha on March 6.

The project cost is estimated at Rs 2,134 crore and will be executed by Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd, which is the special purpose vehicle. Bhopal-based Dilip Buildcon will carry out the construction works of the 8.73km tunnel project.

MoEFCC had last month granted Stage-II forest clearance (final approval) for the tunnel road. The project had earlier obtained Stage-I forest clearance for the diversion of 17.263 hectare of forest land. A stretch of 5.76km of the tunnel passes through forest land and 17.263ha of forest land is to be utilized for the project, out of which 16.269ha is for underground usage and 0.994 ha for over ground usage.