In the ongoing push for the construction of alternative roads to Wayanad from Kozhikode, environmental activists remain steadfast in their opposition. They assert that vested interest groups, potentially linked to land mafia cartels, are the driving force behind these demands. These groups managed to thwart the expansion project of the Ghat Road, despite approval for sufficient forest land from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEF).
The Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithy (WPSS), a prominent environmental organization in the district, released a statement indicating that bypass tunnels and alternative roads may not offer a sustainable solution to the traffic congestion on the Ghat Road. The release alleges that political leaders are collaborating with these vested interest groups, who have acquired substantial land in the Western Ghat region, where the proposed alternate roads are planned.
The statement further highlights that although the central government has allocated adequate land for widening the Ghat Road, the state government has not yet utilized it. If the allotted land proves insufficient, the political parties should exert pressure on the central government to secure additional land for road expansion.
Additionally, the Kozhikode-Kuttiady-Pakramthalam road, an existing but less-known alternative, could be expanded and reinforced without requiring forest land. This expansion could potentially be executed under the BOT (Build Operate and Transfer) model to expedite completion.
Concerns are raised about the planned tunnel road, which is expected to traverse the landslide-prone “red zone” of the Western Ghats. Notably, this area includes the Puthumala landslide zone, where a tragic avalanche claimed 17 lives in 2019. The region witnesses numerous minor landslides during the monsoon season.
The environmental activists argue for a comprehensive ban on heavy vehicles from 6 am to 12 midnight daily, not just the existing partial restrictions. Meanwhile, Kozhikode District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh has imposed new traffic restrictions for large transport vehicles on the Wayanad Ghats road, especially on public holidays and Fridays preceding a second Saturday, from 3 pm to 9 pm. Similar restrictions will be in place on all Mondays from 6 am to 9 am.
The Nilgiri-Wayanad Railway and National Highway Action Council also advocate for widening the Ghat Road rather than endorsing prolonged and costly construction projects through ecologically sensitive zones. They assert that all panchayats adjacent to the Western Ghats are seeking connecting roads to Wayanad through their areas and recommend inviting experts to evaluate the feasibility of tunnel roads, as well as strengthening and widening the Ghat Road.
Moreover, they suggest that if necessary, a tunnel could be constructed from the seventh bend of the Ghat Road to Thalippuzha near Lakkidy, covering a distance of less than 2 kilometers. The council emphasizes that simple and more straightforward solutions receive less attention as vested interest groups may not support such easy resolutions.
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