The Supreme Court of India on Monday dismissed a petition challenging the environmental clearance for the proposed Kozhikode-Wayanad twin-tube tunnel project. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi characterized the infrastructure development as a “lifeline” for the state, emphasizing its role in alleviating severe road congestion.
The ruling upholds a previous order by the Kerala High Court, which had similarly rejected a plea from the NGO Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithi. The organization had sought to stall the project, citing concerns over the fragile ecology of the Western Ghats.
The project involves the construction of an 8.735 km twin-tube unidirectional tunnel road, complemented by a four-lane approach. Once completed, it will provide direct connectivity between the Kozhikode and Wayanad districts, bypassing existing routes that are frequently bogged down by heavy traffic.
During the hearing, the bench addressed the practical necessity of the tunnel. “The project is of national importance and would be a lifeline for the people of Kerala,” the court observed. The judges noted that the state’s high population density makes land procurement for traditional road widening extremely difficult, leading to immense congestion on current transit points.
Senior Advocate Shyam Divan, representing the NGO, raised alarms regarding the project’s location in a high-risk, eco-sensitive zone prone to landslides. However, the Supreme Court remained firm, stating that the project had already undergone rigorous scrutiny by domain experts.
The bench noted that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) granted the clearance after ensuring adequate safeguards were in place to mitigate environmental risks. The court expressed confidence that technical experts had suggested sufficient measures to address the concerns raised by the petitioners.
While rejecting the primary challenge to the construction, the Supreme Court provided a window for future oversight. The bench granted the NGO the liberty to approach the National Green Tribunal (NGT) if any specific violations of the Environmental Clearance (EC) conditions occur during the actual construction phase.
The tunnel, being executed by the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Government of Kerala, is expected to drastically reduce travel time and improve safety for commuters traveling through the mountainous terrain of northern Kerala.
