EAC defers clearance for Anakkampoyil-Meppadi tunnel road project

EAC on infrastructure projects of the Union Ministry of Environment has deferred from recommending clearance to the proposed Anakkampoyil-Meppadi tunnel road that connects Kozhikode and Wayanad districts. File

The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on infrastructure projects of the Union Ministry of Environment has deferred from recommending clearance to the proposed Anakkampoyil-Meppadi tunnel road that connects Kozhikode and Wayanad districts in Kerala, citing that the road would pass through ecologically fragile areas that have witnessed back to back landslides.

The road passes close to Puthumala and Chooralmala that witnessed landslides in 2019 and 2024 respectively. The EAC has demanded the Kerala State government to furnish details on studies on geology, landslides and water drainage, besides a detailed note on possible mitigation measures against landslides and flooding to be adopted during the construction of the tunnel and operation phases.

The State-level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) had recently granted clearance to the ₹2,043.74 crore project, despite the concerns raised by environmentalists, with 25 suggestions to mitigate the adverse impacts. The project size mandates approval only at the state level. However, the tenure of the members of the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, which is to give final nod to the recommendations of the SEAC, has ended and hence the ball is now in the court of the EAC.

The EAC has noted that the tunnel passes through highly vulnerable terrain prone to landslides necessitating precautions during and after the construction to avert vibration-induced landslides. It also cited the possibility of aggravation of geological and biodiversity vulnerabilities due to the tunnel’s alignment. The area is home to some rare bird species such as the Banasura Chilappan and the Nilgiri Sholakkili.

The proposed project involves connecting two existing roads, the Anakkampoyil- Muthappanpuzha- Marippuzha road and the Meppadi- Kalladi- Chooralmala road with a four-lane tunnel road, and further connecting it to the State and National highways, thus improving connectivity in North Kerala.