The state government has opened financial bids for the Wayanad tunnel project, which is set to advance despite protests from environmental groups. The tunnel project is being tendered in two packages and is moving forward even after the landslide disaster at Mundakkai-Chooralmala.
The government had previously sanctioned ₹2,043 crores for the Wayanad tunnel project. Approximately 90% of the land required for the project has already been acquired across Wayanad and Kozhikode districts. The application for environmental clearance is currently under consideration by a state-level expert committee. However, the Wayanad Nature Conservation Committee is firmly opposed to the project and insists that the government should withdraw from it.
Committee officials have stated that they will approach the court if the government does not back down. They highlighted that the area designated for the tunnel has a history of landslides, emphasizing that the government is not learning from recent incidents. They pointed out that there have been numerous landslides in areas like Vellarimala and Chembra hills, particularly in their western parts.
