Supreme Court Clears Wayanad Tunnel Project; Dismisses Stay Plea

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has given the green light to the LDF government's flagship Wayanad tunnel road project, dismissing an appeal by the Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithi that sought a stay on construction. A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant observed that the tunnel is an essential lifeline for the state's development and that there was no ground to interfere with a project backed by scientific studies and expert committee reports. The court upheld the earlier ruling of the Kerala High Court, clearing all remaining legal obstacles to the project.

The petitioners' contention that the project lacked environmental clearance was rejected outright. Expert committees, including those constituted by the Central government, had already certified that the tunnel poses no environmental concerns. Chief Justice Surya Kant noted that judicial intervention would only delay a project of national importance, and clarified that the committee that granted approval is not a rubber stamp of the Central or state governments. The court also observed that the tunnel will not adversely affect wildlife, and that safety concerns related to the terrain — including the petitioners' argument that the construction site is in an area that witnessed a deadly landslide — would be addressed by engineers. Those with further grievances were directed to approach the National Green Tribunal.

The construction of the 8.7-kilometre tunnel, being built at a cost of Rs 2,134.50 crore from KIIFB funds under the supervision of Konkan Railway Corporation using advanced technology, was formally inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on March 6. Land acquisition, the first phase, has been completed and rock-boring work is now under way. The project was originally conceived during the first LDF government and is now being realised through the sustained political will of the current administration.

Once complete, the tunnel will permanently resolve the chronic traffic congestion at Thamarassery Pass and cut travel time between Kozhikode and Wayanad by half, while giving a major boost to tourism and commerce across the Malabar region.