Landslide hits Wayanad tunnel project site; several feared trapped

3 min readWayanad (kerala)Updated: Jul 7, 2026 12:56 PM IST

The landslide took place after a portion of the hill caved in at the entrance of the under-construction Kozhikode-Wayanad twin-tunnel road. (Source: User Generated)

A landslide in the Meenakshi area of Kerala’s Wayanad district on Tuesday is feared to have trapped some people working on the under-construction Kozhikode-Wayanad twin tunnel project.

Meenakshi is only four kilometres from Chooralmala, one of the worst-hit villages of the devastating 2024 landslides that killed around 300 people and wiped out two villages.

Official sources said Wayanad has been witnessing torrential rain since Monday morning. NDRF teams, which have been camping in Wayanad, have rushed to the spot. Some vehicles, which had ferried workers to the construction site, were found buried. Locals rescued three people and rushed them to nearby hospitals.

The construction of the tunnel has been underway from both sides — in Wayanad and Kozhikode. The construction was inaugurated in August last year.

Key project

The Rs 2,134-crore project is expected to boost travel, tourism and business in north Kerala, apart from providing all-weather connectivity to Wayanad, which at present has only four ghat roads to connect with the rest of Kerala. Besides, the tunnel, which will be connected to the Kozhikode-Mysore NH-766, will improve the state’s road connectivity in Bengaluru.

Several people are feared to be trapped under the debris after a landslide hit Kerala’s Wayanad.

The landslide occurred after a portion of the hill caved in at the entrance of the under-construction Kozhikode-Wayanad twin-tunnel road.

The incident was reported in the Meenakshi… pic.twitter.com/EytVx3ARdw

— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) July 7, 2026

Konkan Railway Corporation is the implementing agency for the project, which is expected to be completed in four years. Construction of the tube tunnels has been awarded to Bhopal-based Dilip Buildcon, while the approach roads and bridges in the project will be constructed by Kolkata-based Royal Construct.

Of the 8.735-km four-lane tunnel road, a stretch of 8.11 km will be the twin tunnels, which will cut through the sensitive Western Ghats. In Wayanad, the tunnel will start at Kalladi. The project also includes two major bridges and three other minor bridges. Every 300 metres, there will be cross-passages to connect the bidirectional twin tunnels.

The Union Environment Ministry’s Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on infrastructure projects has recommended environmental clearance for the project, which will require blasting for construction in the fragile Western Ghats. In early April, the expert panel deferred a decision on the proposal and directed the Kerala government to submit studies on the geology, landslides, and water drainage in the project area. During a meeting on May 14, the panel appraised these studies and recommended conditional clearance for the project.

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India.

Expertise, Experience, and Authority

Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment.

Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes:

Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration.

Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules.

Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More

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