Wayanad Tunnel Project: Anakampoyil Kalladi Meppadi Tunnel Road Route Map, Latest Update & Status (2026)
The Wayanad Tunnel Project, officially known as the Anakampoyil Kalladi Meppadi Tunnel Road, is one of Kerala's most important road infrastructure projects. The proposed tunnel will improve Kozhikode-Wayanad connectivity, significantly reduce travel time and provide an all-weather route through the Western Ghats. This page tracks the latest Wayanad Tunnel Project updates, route map, alignment, tunnel length, construction status, DPR progress and official announcements.
Latest Wayanad Tunnel Project Update
As of 2026, the pre-construction activities for the Wayanad Tunnel Project and the associated Wayanad Tunnel Road are in progress. The land acquisition is actively moving forward, and Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) is preparing the construction bidding documents. Final clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is expected soon.
Tunnel & Route Length
The project features a total alignment length of 8.7 km. The actual underground twin-tube tunnel segment is approximately 6.8 km long, which will make it one of the longest underground road tunnels in India once built.
Alignment
The proposed alignment starts from Swargam Kunnu near Anakampoyil in Kozhikode district and emerges at Kalladi near Meppadi in Wayanad district. It completely bypasses the ecologically sensitive, landslide-prone, and heavily congested Thamarassery Ghat Road (Churam).
Construction Status
The project is currently in the Proposed / Pre-Construction stage. Financial backing is sanctioned via KIIFB, and execution is managed by KRCL. Civil construction is planned to commence once forest clearance and statutory approvals are fully secured.
Travel Time Reduction
By avoiding the narrow curves and bottleneck conditions of the Thamarassery Ghat road, the tunnel corridor will reduce the travel distance between Kozhikode and Wayanad, saving up to 1.5 to 2 hours of travel time for passenger and commercial transit.
Project Timeline
With land acquisition progressing and pre-qualification tenders underway, the main civil works are expected to begin soon. The targeted operational completion date is proposed for 2029.
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Wayanad Tunnel Project Route Map
View and download the latest Anakampoyil Kalladi Meppadi Tunnel Road route map showing the project alignment, major junctions, districts covered and connectivity corridors.
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Anakampoyil Kalladi Meppadi Tunnel RoadCost • Route • Timeline
| Parameter | Technical Details |
|---|---|
| Project Name | Anakampoyil Kalladi Meppadi Tunnel Road |
| Total Length | 8.7 km |
| Estimated Cost | ₹2,100 Crore |
| Expected Completion Date | 2029 (Proposed) |
| Total Packages | 1 Package |
Latest Developments
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Frequently Asked Questions
The Wayanad Tunnel Project is a proposed road infrastructure corridor designed to connect Kozhikode and Wayanad districts in Kerala via an underground twin-tunnel, avoiding the landslide-prone and congested Thamarassery Ghat road.
As of 2026, the project is in the pre-construction phase. Land acquisition processes are actively moving forward, and Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) is preparing the construction bidding documentation while waiting for final MoEFCC environmental clearances.
It is the official name of the Wayanad Tunnel Project. The tunnel starts at Swargam Kunnu near Anakampoyil in Kozhikode and ends at Kalladi near Meppadi in Wayanad.
It refers to the same underground passage project (Anakampoyil Kalladi Meppadi Tunnel Road) designed to establish a direct, all-weather bypass connection between Kozhikode and Wayanad districts.
The total length of the project alignment is 8.7 km, which includes a 6.8 km twin-tube underground tunnel section, making it one of the longest road tunnels in India.
The project has a target completion year of 2029 (Proposed), depending on the progress of bidding, forest land acquisition clearances, and civil construction phases.
The interactive GIS route map, alignment details, and package layouts can be viewed directly in the Route Map section of this page.
It is a proposed 8.7 km long road project consisting of a 6.8 km underground tunnel section and approach roads, bypassing the Thamarassery Churam ghat section.
It is a landmark infrastructure project connecting Kozhikode and Wayanad via India's third-longest road tunnel bypass through the Western Ghats.
It refers to the bypass route corridor designed to link Anakkampoyil in Kozhikode with Meppadi in Wayanad via a 6.8 km twin-tube tunnel system.
No, the project is not on hold. Pre-construction activities like land acquisition, soil testing, and KRCL bid preparation are actively underway in 2026.
The Anakkampoyil–Kalladi–Meppadi Tunnel Road is a twin-tube, four-lane road project connecting Kozhikode and Wayanad through the Western Ghats. The project is being implemented through Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) and includes tunnel, bridge and four-lane approach-road works. The overall project cost is ₹2,134.50 crore.
The route connects Anakkampoyil and Marippuzha in Kozhikode district with Kalladi near Meppadi in Wayanad. The alignment uses the existing Anakkampoyil–Muthappanpuzha–Marippuzha side and connects through the tunnel to the Kalladi–Meppadi side, providing an alternative to the existing ghat-road connection.
The project alignment runs from the Marippuzha side in Kozhikode towards Kalladi in Wayanad. The route includes a four-lane approach, a bridge across the Iruvanjippuzha near Marippuzha and the twin-tube tunnel through the Western Ghats before connecting to the Meppadi–Kalladi side.
The project alignment is approximately 8.73 km long. Kerala Government information gives 8.73 km for the road, including about 8.1 km of twin-tunnel section. Contract documentation specifies the Package-II tunnel-road section from Km 0.460 to Km 8.735, with a package project length of 8.275 km.
The estimated overall cost of the Anakkampoyil–Kalladi–Meppadi tunnel road project is ₹2,134.50 crore. The tunnel-road construction package itself was awarded for ₹1,341 crore including GST, so the package value should not be confused with the total project cost.
Construction has started, but the tunnel works are currently suspended following a fatal landslide near the Kalladi construction area in July 2026. Before the suspension, excavation had progressed from the Anakkampoyil side, with the right tunnel reaching about 75 metres by early July. The Kerala Government ordered investigations into the landslide and project safety.
A major recent development is the grant of Stage-II final forest clearance by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in September 2026. However, construction has not yet resumed after the July 2026 Kalladi landslide, and an expert committee report on the incident was still awaited in September.
Tunnel construction was suspended after a landslide near the Kalladi project site in July 2026 caused multiple fatalities. The Kerala Government ordered separate investigations into the incident, geological and technical risks, and whether the contractor complied with the environmental conditions attached to the project's clearance.
The project is designed as a four-lane road with two separate tunnel tubes, providing two traffic lanes in each direction. The tunnel package is formally described as a twin-tube unidirectional tunnel with two lanes in each traffic direction, together with four-lane approach roads.
The tunnel-road construction package has a contractual execution period of 48 months. However, the project does not currently have a reliable firm completion date because construction was suspended after the July 2026 landslide and the resumption depends on the findings of the ongoing safety and technical investigations.
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