Environmental Group Challenges Kerala Tunnel Project in Supreme Court
The Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithi (WPSS) has escalated its opposition to a major infrastructure project by filing a petition in the Supreme Court of India. The environmental organization is seeking an immediate stay on all construction activities for the Anakkampoyil-Meppadi-Kalladi tunnel road, which aims to connect Kozhikode and Wayanad districts in Kerala.
Legal Battle Over Ecological Concerns
In its petition, WPSS has requested the Supreme Court to revoke the environmental clearance granted by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) for the controversial project. This legal action follows the Kerala High Court's dismissal of the group's plea in December 2025, where WPSS argued that the tunnel construction threatens ecologically fragile and landslide-prone regions within the Western Ghats.
The environmental group contends that the project approval was secured through suppression of critical facts regarding the area's vulnerability. According to WPSS, the proposed tunnel corridor traverses an ecologically sensitive zone that has experienced multiple landslides, including the devastating Mundakkai-Chooralmala tragedy in 2024.
Project Details and Recent Developments
The ambitious tunnel project, estimated to cost Rs 2,134 crore, involves constructing an 8.73-kilometer tunnel through challenging terrain. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the project with the first rock blast at Maripuzha on March 6, marking the official commencement of construction activities.
Konkan Railway Corporation Limited has been designated as the special purpose vehicle responsible for executing the project, while Bhopal-based Dilip Buildcon has been contracted to carry out the actual construction work.
Forest Clearance and Environmental Impact
The MoEFCC granted Stage-II forest clearance (final approval) for the tunnel road just last month, following earlier Stage-I clearance for the diversion of 17.263 hectares of forest land. Project specifications reveal that 5.76 kilometers of the tunnel will pass through forest areas, with the total forest land utilization divided between 16.269 hectares for underground usage and 0.994 hectares for above-ground infrastructure.
Key environmental concerns raised by WPSS include:
- The tunnel's path through ecologically sensitive Western Ghats regions
- Historical evidence of landslides in the proposed construction area
- Potential long-term environmental damage from large-scale forest land diversion
- Questions about the thoroughness of environmental impact assessments
This Supreme Court petition represents a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between infrastructure development and environmental conservation in Kerala's Western Ghats region. The court's decision could set important precedents for how India balances transportation needs with ecological preservation in sensitive mountain ecosystems.
