CM Lays Foundation for Landmark Wayanad-Kozhikode Tunnel

On August 31, 2025, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan laid the foundation stone for the ambitious 8.73-km tunnel project connecting Kozhikode with Wayanad, in a ceremony held at St. Mary’s School Ground, Anakkampoyil.

In his address, the Chief Minister emphasized the tunnel’s transformative potential for the Malabar region, stating it would provide a major boost to the commercial, industrial, and tourism sectors. “Projects once considered impossible—like the GAIL pipeline and expansion of National Highways—are now becoming realities,” he said, underlining the state’s infrastructure progress. He also credited the revival of the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) for enabling over ₹90,000 crore worth of projects despite various challenges.

The four-lane tunnel, estimated at a cost of ₹2,134 crore, is expected to be completed in four years. Once operational, it will be Kerala’s longest and the third-longest road tunnel in India. The project will offer a safer and faster alternative to the winding Thamarassery Pass, significantly cutting travel time to key destinations like Meppadi and Sultan Bathery.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.