The Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) has floated tenders for the completion of the proposed Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel road project. The ₹1,643-crore initiative, which will de-congest the Thamarassery Ghat Road, is expected to be a reality in four years.
The plan of KRCL, which was earlier selected as the special purpose vehicle by the State government, is to finalise a competent construction company in four months to speed up works for the twin tunnel which will cover 8.17 km. Submission of bids will be open till February 23.
The acquisition of around 11 hectares from private holders in Kozhikode will be completed soon as the authorities had already held final discussions. As many as 60 landholders in the district will have to be paid ₹40 crore as compensation. According to officials, discussions with land holders in Wayanad are in the final phase for acquiring around seven hectares.
According to Forest department officials, nearly 35 hectares of forest land will be allotted for the project with the approval of the Central government. An equal extent of suitable land would have to be developed as reserve forest in Wayanad for completing the takeover process, they added.
Public hearings based on environmental impact assessment studies by the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority in Kozhikode and Wayanad will be completed within two weeks. The hearing in Kozhikode will be held on December 11 and in Wayanad on December 13.
On October 16, 2020, the blueprint of project which was claimed to be the third longest underpass in the country, was unveiled by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. KRCL was roped in considering its expertise in executing similar projects successfully. To speed up the execution, the Chief Minister included it in the list of 30 special projects directly monitored by him.
