Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visits Chippilithode to review proposed Churam Bypass Road project.
Urges authorities to accelerate the technical feasibility study for the 2–2.5 km stretch.
Visit part of wider Wayanad tour focused on development, rehabilitation and communal harmony.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra inspected the proposed site for the long-awaited Churam Bypass Road at Chippilithode in Kerala’s Wayanad, calling for quicker progress on the project’s technical feasibility study to address long-standing connectivity concerns in the region.
During the visit, the Wayanad MP interacted with local residents, government officials and engineers while assessing the terrain and reviewing the proposed alignment of the bypass. The project is expected to span approximately 2 to 2.5 kilometres and aims to ease travel difficulties on the steep and accident-prone Churam section connecting Wayanad with neighbouring districts.
Gandhi stressed the need to expedite the technical consultancy process currently underway. The study was initiated after she raised the issue with Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and formally wrote to him requesting intervention. Following those discussions, the ministry constituted a committee to examine the feasibility of the bypass.
Officials are evaluating possible engineering solutions, including constructing a tunnel through the hill section or building a full bypass road to improve safety and reduce travel time for commuters and transport vehicles using the route.
Local residents have long demanded an alternative to the existing ghat road, which witnesses frequent traffic congestion and safety concerns, particularly during the monsoon season.
Gandhi said the feasibility assessment must move forward swiftly so that the government can arrive at a practical and sustainable solution for the region. She added that improved connectivity is essential for the economic and social development of Wayanad, especially for farmers, traders and residents who rely on the route for daily travel.
The inspection formed part of Gandhi’s broader schedule in Kerala, during which she inaugurated several facilities and met community leaders. Among them was TP Abdulla Koya Madani, president of Kerala Naduvathul Mujahideen, in discussions focused on promoting peace and communal harmony.
The visit came a day after Gandhi and her brother, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, laid the foundation stone for houses funded by the party for victims of the Mundakkai–Chooralmala landslides in Wayanad. The initiatives, she said, reflect a broader commitment to development, rehabilitation and community solidarity in the constituency.
