Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday officially launched the construction of the Anakkampoyil–Kalladi twin-tunnel four-lane road project, a long-awaited infrastructure initiative aimed at transforming connectivity between the state's Kozhikode and Wayanad districts.
The foundation ceremony was held at St. Mary’s School Ground in Anakkampoyil. Describing the project as a landmark in Kerala’s transport development, the Chief Minister said it was a key promise in the LDF’s 2021 election manifesto.
Once completed, the twin tunnels will not only be the longest in Kerala but also the third longest in India. "The project will ease the heavy traffic on the Wayanad ghat road and give a major boost to trade, tourism, and the state economy," he said.
The concept of building a tunnel road linking Kozhikode and Wayanad dates back to the late 1990s. It was first mooted by then CPI-M MLA Mathayi Chacko and later championed by his successor George M. Thomas, who strongly argued that a tunnel would be more viable than a conventional forest road, balancing both connectivity needs and environmental concerns.
The Rs 2,134.5-crore project stretches 8.73 km, with 5.58 km falling in Wayanad and 3.15 km in Kozhikode. Of this, 8.1 km will be developed as a twin-tube tunnel capable of carrying four-lane traffic. Once operational, the new link will cut the travel distance between Anakkampoyil and Meppadi to 22 km from the existing 42 km, significantly reducing travel time.
Hyderabad-based Dilip Buildcon Pvt Ltd has been entrusted with the main construction works, while Royal Infrastructure Company will handle the approach roads. The Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd (KRCL) has been designated as the implementing agency, with KITCO Ltd serving as the consultant.
A tripartite agreement has already been signed between KRCL, the Kerala PWD, and the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) to execute the project. Equipped with state-of-the-art safety and monitoring mechanisms, the tunnel will include ventilation systems, firefighting units, CCTV coverage, traffic signals, tunnel radio, emergency call points, and illuminated escape routes to ensure the highest standards of safety.
While the launch marks the beginning of a milestone project in Kerala’s infrastructure journey, experts and local communities continue to urge caution. They point out that large-scale construction in ecologically fragile regions such as Wayanad must take into account lessons from past tragedies, including the deadly Mundakkai–Chooralmala landslide of last year, to ensure that development does not come at the cost of environmental security.