Kerala HC OKs Kozhikode-Wayanad Tunnel Project

The Kerala High Court has rejected a Public Interest Litigation filed by the Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samity, an NGO, which sought to halt the construction of a twin-tube tunnel corridor linking Kozhikode and Wayanad districts. The samity had raised concerns over the environmental clearance granted by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC), citing potential damage to the region's fragile ecosystem.

The proposed 8.73-km tunnel corridor aims to significantly reduce travel time between the two districts. The NGO argued that the clearance was granted mechanically, ignoring the ecologically sensitive nature of the area and its history of natural disasters like floods and landslides. They also contended that the environmental impact assessment was not comprehensive enough.

However, a bench of the High Court concluded that there were no procedural lapses in the granting of environmental clearance. The court noted that the MoEFCC had justified the clearance, stating that in-principle approval was given before recent landslides, and affected areas were kilometers away from the project alignment. The dismissal was without prejudice to the petitioners approaching the National Green Tribunal if new issues arise during implementation.