Kozhikode–Wayanad Tunnel Road is a proposed twin-tube tunnel road project in the

South Indian South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territ ...

state of

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

. The proposed tunnel, which is being described as the third longest underpass in India would run through the sensitive hills and forests of the Western Ghats. It would provide an alternate route between

Kozhikode Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second l ...

and

Wayanad Wayanad () is a district in the north-east of Indian state Kerala with administrative headquarters at the municipality of Kalpetta. It is the only plateau in Kerala. The Wayanad Plateau forms a continuation of the Mysore Plateau, the southern ...

and will reduce the distance between Anakkampoil and Meppady from 42 kilometres to less than 20 kilometres. The tunnel road is also expected to lead to a better economic growth and development in the region. Once the construction is completed, the distance between

Kochi Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of K ...

and Bengaluru would be shortened, and the districts of Wayanad and Kozhikode will be linked without crossing the Thamarassery Churam. The construction of the tunnel is expected to begin in 2024 at an estimated cost of ₹2100 crores.

Overview

The tunnel road project is one of 30 significant projects in

that the

chief minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union terri ...

has directly reviewed. It is considered significant since it easily connects business, industrial, and tourism areas such as Bengaluru and

Mysuru Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...

with Kerala. The existing route via the Thamarassery Ghat is time-consuming and frequently disrupted by landslides and rain, making the tunnel road a much-needed option. The Ghat is the most direct route for Wayanad residents to reach railway station, airports and super specialised hospitals. A little accident or technical problem in a vehicle, on the other hand, could cause hours of traffic congestion on the road. The new tunnel road is expected to reduce this traffic congestion in Thamarassery Ghat and also improve the cargo transit from

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

. The twin-tube tunnel's entire length will be 8.17 kilometres, with the Swargam Kunnu-Kalladi section covering 6.8 km. The estimated cost of the project is nearly ₹2400 crores. In September 2020, the tunnel construction survey began. In lieu of the land used for the project, the state government is required by the Central Ministry to plant trees on 17.263 hectares and declare them as reserve forest. The state government must complete this task and notify the Central Ministry within five years.

Route

Kerala Government announced this will be State Highway 83 connecting Kozhikode and Wayanad Districts which be a alternative route for Thamarassery Ghat. Proposed route will be through

Kunnamangalam Kunnamangalam is a growing census town located about 14 km east of Kozhikode (Calicut) city on the Calicut - Bangalore National Highway (NH 766 , Kozhikode - Kollegal). Nearby places are Koduvally, Mukkam, Chathamangalam, and Kattanga ...

- NIT -

Mukkam Mukkam is a major municipality town in Kozhikode, state of Kerala, India. Mukkam is one of the major regional suburb of the Kozhikode district. Mukkam is located about 27 km east of Calicut city on the bank of river Iruvanjippuzha, one of th ...

Thiruvambady Thiruvambady is a major hill town and a suburb in southeastern Kozhikode district in Kerala, India. Thiruvambady is a Panchayat headquarters, and a legislative assembly constituency, situated from the district headquarters of Kozhikode. Geog ...

Anakkampoyil Anakkampoyil is a village located 13 km from Thiruvambady town in Kozhikode district of Kerala, India. Location It is located in the hill side valley of Vellarimala. Nearby attractions include Kadappanchal bridge and Arippara Waterfalls. T ...

- Kalladi -

Meppadi Meppadi is a village in the Indian state of Kerala. It is an extremely scenic hill station on the State Highway between Kozhikode and Ooty. The nearest city is Kalpetta, which is the headquarters of the Wayanad revenue district. Economy Te ...

Kalpetta Kalpetta is a major town and municipality in the Wayanad district, state of Kerala, India. Kalpetta is the headquarters of Wayanad district, as well as the headquarters of Vythiri taluk. It is a bustling town surrounded by dense coffee and te ...

. Central Government also announced a Greenfield Highway is planning connecting Kozhikode and Mysore via proposed Wayanad Tunnel.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kozhikode-Wayanad Tunnel Road Proposed roads in India Proposed infrastructure in Kerala History of Kerala (1947–present)

Overview

Route

See also

References