Keral’s government recently postponed the will of the project Anakkampoyil-Mepadi Tunnel Road and plans to provide the necessary clarification for a week.
EAC projects on infrastructure projects of the Ministry of the Environment quoted the proximity of project areas into environmentally fragile regions that witnessed their backs to each other as the main reason for not providing permits at the moment. It required the state to provide details of studies on geology, land and water drainage, in addition to a detailed remark on possible mitigation against landslides and floods to be accepted during the construction of the tunnel and operating phases.
Given that the desired clarification usually concerns the ecological impact of the tunnel, the Ministry of the Environment under the main minister is preparing the necessary documents to be submitted before the committee.
“We have all the necessary documents. We expect the permission to be granted soon,” said Thiruvambady Mla Linto Joseph, who was an active advocate of the tunnel road. He said Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, which carries out construction, would coordinate the clarification of the relevant departments.
The Committee on the State Level (SEAC) assessment (SEAC) has recently granted a project permission of 2,043,74 GBP, despite the concerns of the environmentalist, with 25 proposals to mitigate adverse impacts.
EAC noted that the tunnel passes through high -vulnerable terrain susceptible to landslides, which requires preventive measures during and after construction to avert the landslides caused by vibrations. He also quoted the possibility of deteriorating the vulnerability of geological and biodiversity due to the tunnel leveling. This area is home to some rare bird species such as Banasura Chilappan and Nilgiri Sholakkili.
The proposed project includes the interconnection of two existing roads-annakkampoyil-Muthappanpuzha-Maripuzha Road and Mepadi-Kalladi-Chooralmala Road-with a four-lane tunnel road, which is 8.11 km long, and further connects it with state and national highways. The tunnel journey is expected to be an alternative to the Thamarassery Ghat road.
Published – May 5, 2025 20:18
