Tunnel road project: Kerala to provide clarifications to EAC in a week
The EAC on infrastructure projects of the Ministry of Environment has cited the proximity of the project areas to the ecologically fragile regions that have witnessed back-to-back landslides as the main reason for not providing clearance at the moment. It has demanded that the State furnish details on studies on geology, landslides, and water drainage, besides a detailed note on possible mitigation measures against landslides and flooding to be adopted during the construction of the tunnel and operation phases.
Since the clarifications sought are mostly regarding the ecological impact of the tunnel, the Department of Environment, under the Chief Minister, is readying the necessary documents to be submitted before the Committee.
'We have all the documents necessary. We expect the clearance to be granted soon,' said Thiruvambady MLA Linto Joseph, who has been an active advocate for the tunnel road. He said that Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, which is carrying out the construction, would coordinate clarifications from the departments concerned.
The State-level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) had recently granted clearance to the ₹2,043.74-crore project, despite concerns raised by environmentalists, with 25 suggestions to mitigate the adverse impacts.
The EAC has noted that the tunnel passes through highly vulnerable terrain prone to landslides necessitating precautions during and after the construction to avert vibration-induced landslides. It also cited the possibility of aggravation of geological and biodiversity vulnerabilities due to the tunnel's alignment. The area is home to some rare bird species such as the Banasura Chilappan and the Nilgiri Sholakkili.
The proposed project involves connecting two existing roads — Anakkampoyil-Muthappanpuzha-Marippuzha road and Meppadi-Kalladi-Chooralmala road — with a four-lane tunnel road that is 8.11 km long, and further linking it to State and National Highways, thus improving connectivity in north Kerala. The tunnel road is expected to be an alternative to the Thamarassery Ghat Road.
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