The public works department (PWD) has approached the ministry of Environment and forests (MoEF) seeking clearance for the proposed 8km-longmega tunnel road projectbetweenKozhikodeandWayanadin the Western Ghat region.
The Rs 2,080-crore four-lane tunnel project aims at reducing the travel time, mainly for interstate motorists betweenKeralaandKarnataka, by half an hour. Government documents submitted to the MoEF show that around 63% of the land required for the project go through forest land. Of the 54.62 hectares of geographical area that will be acquired for the project, 33.72 hectares fall under the ambit of forest.
Meanwhile, ecologists have raised the fundamental question that how can such a mega project be undertaken without conducting a detailed study on the impact of the of the region.