Kerala's Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel road gets final forest clearance
Kerala's Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel road just cleared its last big hurdle—final forest approval from the central government.
This means a twin-tube tunnel (total length about 8.73km, with 5.76km passing through forest) is officially happening, with 17+ hectares of forest land set aside for construction.
The source does not specify when the foundation stone was laid, and now things are moving ahead.
Travel time will reduce from 90 minutes to just 30
The ₹2,134 crore project is being executed by Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd as the Special Purpose Vehicle, with Kerala's Public Works Department overseeing the work, and funded by the state's infrastructure board.
Konkan Railway Corporation is leading it, with Dilip Buildcon and Royal Infrastructure handling construction.
Once done, travel between Anakkampoyil and Meppadi will shrink from 42km to just 20km—a huge time saver for anyone heading through State Highway 83 instead of battling Thamarassery Ghat traffic.
Environment ministry has laid down strict conditions
The source does not specify a tunnel-boring start date.
But there are strings attached: the environment ministry wants strict wildlife safety steps, no new roads or camps in forest areas, and at least a thousand new saplings planted per hectare within two years.
Work on early prep is already underway
This tunnel should make life easier for people traveling through Kerala's landslide-prone Western Ghats—less congestion, smoother rides, and hopefully a boost for Malabar's economy too.
Early prep work like bridges and camp sheds is already underway.