Search operations under way at the debris slip-hit site at Kalladi near Meppadi in Wayanad on July 10, 2026.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The Keralam government has officially tasked senior Public Works Department (PWD) officers with overseeing the construction of the strategic Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel road, which links Kozhikode and Wayanad districts.
Under the new directive, the Superintending Engineer of PWD (Roads), Kozhikode North Circle, alongside the Executive Engineers of PWD (Roads) for Kozhikode and Wayanad, will directly monitor all construction activities.
The decision to delegate direct supervisory duties comes in response to earlier concerns regarding the absence of a dedicated monitoring agency. The newly assigned officials will coordinate construction activities and ensure strict compliance with standard safety protocols as well as the environmental stipulations mandated by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Construction work at all tunnel portals has been temporarily suspended by the government following the debris slip at Kalladi in July 2026.
Expert panel report awaited
Addressing the Legislative Assembly recently, the Chief Minister clarified that work will resume only after an expert committee, appointed to evaluate environmental and safety concerns, submits its findings and all potential hazard risks are completely eliminated.
While members of the expert committee have conducted multiple site inspections, the final report is yet to be submitted to the government. Panel sources indicate that crucial documents are still awaited from both the contracting agency and various government departments.
The Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) remains the primary executing agency responsible for the construction of the flagship infrastructure project.
Published – November 10, 2026 10:49 am IST
