P. Sreekumaran
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It was a Red Letter Day for the people of Kozhikode and Wayanad districts. Friday, March 6, 2026 saw the first controlled rock blast at the site of the proposed Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel road project connecting Kozhikode and Wayanad districts.
A long-standing dream of the people of Kozhikode and Wayanad is on the way to becoming a reality with its inauguration by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The day of delight saw hundreds of people, including local residents and local body representatives gathering to witness the live telecast of the function at the Muthappanpuzha ALP School at 12.15 p.m.
The function was presided over by Minister for Public Works Mohammed Riyas. Forest Minister A. K. Sasindran, Linto Joseph, MLA, and Thamarassery Bishop Remigiose Inchananiyil were among those present.
Several preliminary arrangements, including the construction of a bridge, installation of fuel tanks and the setting up of labour camps and crusher units preceded the rock blasting.
The project, a flagship infrastructure initiative of the State Government, had been given the Stage II clearance by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The approval allowed the conversion of 17.26 hectares of forestland under the provisions of the Forest (Conversion) Act, 1980 for the project.
As many as 24 stringent conditions have been stipulated by the Ministry to make sure that the project does not adversely affect the surrounding ecology. Among the conditions are clear demarcation of the diverted forestland at the project cost , undertaking compensatory afforestation on an equivalent extent of non-forestland, and planting at least 1,000 saplings per hectare within two years.
The Public Works Department has it that the 8.73-km twin tunnel road will be among the largest infrastructure development projects in the State. The construction inaugurated by the Chief Minister is progressing at a rapid pace, they said.
The project, monitored by the PWD and financed by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), will be under the supervision of Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, the special purpose vehicle. As per the construction agreement, the project is to be completed within four years at an estimated cost of Rs 2,134.5 crore.
The contract has been awarded to Dilip Buildcon, based in Bhopal and Royal Infrastructure, headquartered in Kolkata.
Not unexpectedly, the Opposition parties in the State, including the Congress-headed United Democratic Front (UDF) have opposed the project tooth and nail. The Leader of the Opposition, V. D. Satheesan has gone to the extent of saying that they would not allow the project to be completed. Now that the project work has been officially inaugurated, will Satheesan continue his opposition to its implementation? Highly unlikely. The reason: it is an election year and continued opposition to the tunnel project would earn the wrath of the people of both Wayanad and Kozhikode districts.
If the inauguration of the Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel project was a memorable day or the people of Kozhikode and Wayanad, the inauguration of a bridge connecting the Perumbalam island in Alappuzha district to the mainland marked the end of an isolated life. Perumbalam, incidentally, is the only island panchayat in the State.
The bridge, being built at an estimated cost of Rs 106 crore, was thrown open by the Chief Minister on March 7. It was celebration time for the people of the island whose days of misery and travel travails will now become a thing of the past.
The Perumbalam bridge is a visible symbol of the determination and will power of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government, which has laid accent on infrastructure development on a war footing.
The very first day of inauguration of the 1.157 km-long bridge saw the plying of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses to the delight of the Perumbalam islanders.
Perumbalam is the biggest island in the Vembanat Lake. Although it is in Alappuzha district, the island borders both Ernakulam and Kottayam districts, too Funds for the project were routed through KIIFB, and the construction was entrusted to the Uralungal Society. It was Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan himself who inaugurated the construction work in 2019. And it was Pinarayi again who threw open the bridge to the public in 2026.
It is a proud moment for the KIIFB, too. It ran into vehement opposition when the idea of former finance minister of Kerala Thomas Isaac became a reality years ago and started working wonders in infrastructure development. KIIFB, initially aimed at development of projects worth Rs 50,000 crore. It has surpassed the target and gone on to creating a record: construction of infra projects worth Rs 62,000 crore! Even the harshest critics of KIIFB had to admit, albeit grudgingly, that the organisation is doing a good job. Incidentally, former Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, who was a prominent critic of KIIFB, himself was among the beneficiaries of KIIFB largesse! (IPA Service)
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