The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has granted final stage II clearance for Kerala's Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel road project, marking a major milestone for the state government's flagship infrastructure initiative. The clearance brings the project into the implementation phase after prior approvals and assessments. The ministry attached a set of 24 environmental conditions to the clearance to guide mitigation and compliance during construction. The decision followed technical appraisals and environmental assessments conducted by designated expert panels.

The approval permits the conversion of 17.263 hectares of forest land subject to strict compliance with the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and the imposed conditions. The conditions cover aspects such as compensatory afforestation, wildlife safeguards, water resource management and continuous monitoring by competent authorities. Officials will be required to submit periodic reports and obtain clearances for ancillary works and temporary land use changes.

The project is estimated to cost Rs 21,345 million (mn), or about Rs 21.345 billion (bn), and is intended to provide direct connectivity between Kozhikode and Wayanad districts. The scheme envisages an eight point seven three kilometre twin-tube tunnel road to reduce travel time and improve economic linkages in the region. Planners indicate that the alignment and design will aim to limit forest fragmentation and incorporate engineering solutions to manage slope stability and drainage.

State authorities will be responsible for meeting the stipulated conditions before major construction activities proceed and for coordinating with central agencies on environmental safeguards. The clearance is likely to accelerate preparatory works, land acquisition processes and contractor mobilisation while drawing scrutiny from civil society and conservation groups. Project proponents are expected to phase interventions to balance infrastructure delivery with biodiversity conservation and to report compliance transparently to regulatory bodies. Timelines for construction will be set out after detailed surveys and permits are completed.

Tags: Kerala Wayanad Tunnel project Forest conservation Kozhikode