A landslide on Tuesday near the under-construction Kozhikode–Wayanad twin tunnel project in Kerala’s Wayanad district has left one person dead and seven workers missing, raising concerns over alleged safety lapses at the construction site.
According to a report by The Indian Express, Wayanad district collector Meghashree D R had written to authorities on June 20 directing that work at the twin tunnel project near the Meenakshi area be temporarily stopped until the accumulated soil from tunnelling activities was removed.
Kerala Minister for Environment and Climate Change Sunny Joseph told The Indian Express that the soil dumped at the site later collapsed, leading to Tuesday’s landslide. The incident has left at least one person dead, while seven workers involved in the tunnel project remain missing. Several others have been hospitalised.
“The district collector had given standing instructions to remove the soil that was accumulating at the site. The order was not considered, and the construction company went ahead with the tunnelling work,” Joseph said.
The minister termed the incident a “manmade disaster”, alleging that safety warnings were overlooked. “This is a manmade disaster because the warning was ignored. We are seriously looking into the lapses that put lives in danger,” he said.
Tunnel Project Under Scrutiny After Deadly Landslide
The tunnel project is being implemented by the Konkan Railway Corporation. Construction of the twin tube tunnels has been awarded to Bhopal-based Dilip Buildcon, while approach roads and bridges are being constructed by Kolkata-based Royal Construct. The tunnel is designed to connect Anakkampoyil in Kozhikode with Meppadi in Wayanad.
The project, estimated to cost around Rs 2,400 crore, includes an 8.2-km tunnel road and is aimed at reducing travel time between Kozhikode and Wayanad districts. It is also expected to improve connectivity, tourism and commercial activity in north Kerala.
Officials said Wayanad had been witnessing heavy rainfall since Monday. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), already stationed in the district, were rushed to the site. Rescue teams recovered vehicles used to transport workers, while local residents rescued three people and shifted them to nearby hospitals.
The tunnel project had received approval from the Supreme Court earlier this year after the court dismissed petitions filed by environmental activists challenging the environmental clearance granted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
However, the court had clarified that any violations of environmental norms during construction could be challenged through legal proceedings.
The project passes through the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats. The 8.735-km four-lane road tunnel includes twin tunnels stretching over 8.11 km, along with bridges and connecting passages. The Union Environment Ministry’s Expert Appraisal Committee had recommended conditional clearance after reviewing studies related to geology, landslides and drainage in the region.
The Kerala government has said it is examining alleged lapses and will look into whether safety protocols were followed during construction.
