Kozhikode - Wayanad Tunnel Project
Tunnel Overview
The Wayanad Tunnel Project is a landmark infrastructure development aimed at transforming connectivity between Kozhikode and Wayanad through the proposed Anakkampoyil–Kalladi–Meppadi tunnel route. Designed as a modern twin-tube tunnel through the Western Ghats, this project will provide a safer and faster alternative to the existing Thamarassery Ghat road, significantly improving travel efficiency.
Wayanad Tunel Route details
- The Wayanad Tunnel Project, part of State Highway 83 by the Kerala Government, offers a faster alternative to the Thamarassery Ghat, connecting Kozhikode to Wayanad District via Kunnamangalam, NIT, Mukkam, Thiruvambady, Anakkampoyil, Kalladi, Meppadi, and Kalpetta.
- Built with advanced engineering standards, the tunnel will feature two lanes in each direction, making the Wayanad Tunnel Project the longest road tunnels in Kerala.
- The tunnel will include modern safety and smart infrastructure such as ventilation systems, fire safety, CCTV surveillance, emergency call systems, traffic signals, and dedicated escape routes, along with cross passages every 300 meters to ensure maximum safety and efficiency for travelers.
Kozhikode - Wayanad Tunnel Map
Wayanad Tunnel Construction Timeline & Status
Commencement & Excavation (2025 – Early 2026): Following the official inauguration on August 31, 2025, preliminary site works including temporary bridges and worker camps were completed. A major milestone was reached on March 6, 2026, when Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the first controlled rock blast at Marippuzha, officially transitioning the project into the high-intensity tunnel-boring phase.
Infrastructure Integration (2026 – 2028): Over the next 24 to 36 months, the 8.73 km twin-tube tunnel will undergo simultaneous drilling from the Kozhikode and Wayanad ends. This phase includes the installation of critical safety systems such as ventilation, fire safety equipment, 24/7 CCTV monitoring, and cross-passages every 300 meters to ensure passenger safety and emergency access.
Completion & Commissioning (Expected 2029 – 2030): Per the official construction agreement with Dilip Buildcon and Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL), the ₹2,134.5 crore project is slated for completion within a four-year window. The target for final commissioning and public opening is late 2029 or early 2030, providing a landslide-free alternative to the Thamarassery Ghat road (NH 766).
Wayanad Tunnel Project News & Updates
Travel Time Reduction
The Kozhikode Wayanad Tunnel is expected to reduce travel time between Kozhikode and Wayanad by approximately 45 to 60 minutes, while also shortening the distance between Anakkampoyil and Meppadi from 42 km to less than 20 km.
Government Approvals
The Anakkampoyil–Kalladi–Meppadi (Wayanad) Tunnel project achieved a definitive regulatory milestone on February 24, 2026, when the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) granted the Stage-II (Final) Forest Clearance for the diversion of 17.263 hectares of forest land, effectively green-lighting full-scale construction.
Explore Wayanad – Kerala’s Most Beautiful Hill District
Bhopal-based Dilip Buildcon Limited has been awarded the primary contract for the tunnel construction, while Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) serves as the implementing agency and special purpose vehicle.
The tunnel route officially starts at Anakkampoyil (near Marippuzha) in Kozhikode district and concludes at Kalladi (near Meenakshi Bridge) in the Meppadi panchayat of Wayanad.
The project is estimated to be completed within a 48 to 60-month window, placing the official commissioning and public opening around late 2029 or early 2030.
The project features an 8.73 km twin-tube tunnel system being constructed at an estimated total investment of ₹2,134.5 crore funded by the KIIFB.
