"Project of National Importance," Supreme Court Refuses Plea Against Wayanad Twin Tunnel Road

The Supreme Court today dismissed an SLP filed against the Kerala High Court decision refusing to interfere with the Environmental Clearance granted for construction of Twin Tube Unidirectional Tunnel Road with Four Lane Approach for providing direct connectivity between Anakkampoyil – Kalladi - Meppadi in Kozhikode and Wayanad Districts.

The Wayanad Twin Tunnel Project (Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi road) is a high-stakes ₹2,134 crore infrastructure initiative in Kerala aimed at creating an 8.7-km twin-tube tunnel link between Kozhikode and Wayanad districts to bypass the treacherous Thamarassery Ghat. 

"This is not a case where a mechanical decision has been taken. Once all conditions are followed the project can have no adverse impact. Only compliance has to be seen and NGT can appoint an independent observer and if there is any non-compliance NGT can be approached. The High Court rightly felt that if any condition is not followed in that event petitioners can approach NGT. In view of the liberty we see no reason to interfere with High Court judgment. The petitioner shall be at liberty to approach NGT," a CJI Surya Kant led bench observed today.

CJI Kant underscored that the project was one of national importance and was getting delayed due to constant litigation.

In December 2025, a division bench of the Kerala High Court dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithi (an NGO), allowing the project to proceed. A bench of Justice A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Jobin Sebastian had observed, “On a holistic consideration of the materials before us therefore, we do not find any procedural lapse having been occasioned by the statutory authorities while granting Environmental clearance to the project in question. As for the scientific aspects of the case, we have already indicated that the jurisdiction exercised by us in these matters does not enable us to question the scientific wisdom informing the decision of expert bodies appointed under the Statute, and any dispute in relation to such matters must be adjudicated before the National Green Tribunal.”

The petitioners had argued before the High Court that the Environmental clearance was granted in a mechanical manner without due application of mind by the authorities under the Environment (Protection) Act and Rules, and that such action cannot be legally countenanced in relation to a construction project proposed in an ecologically sensitive area that has witnessed many natural disasters in recorded history and severe floods and landslides in 2018, 2019 and 2024. 

It was the specific case of the petitioners that the proposed tunnel is situated in close proximity to Mundakkai and Chooralmala villages that were worst affected in the 2024 landslide.

High Court had found that the Central Government and the State Government had undertaken a detailed exercise while considering the application preferred by the project proponents for Environmental clearance before eventually granting the same. "The conditions specifically incorporated in the Environmental clearance certificate also reveal the safeguards that have been put in place by the regulatory authorities while granting the Environmental clearance. The multi-tiered scrutiny by scientific experts effectively ensures that the factors relevant to striking a balance between human development needs and environmental safeguards have been duly taken into account while granting Environmental clearance to the project," the high court had found.

Case Title: WAYANAD PRAKRITHI SAMRAKSHANA SAMITHI Vs UNION OF INDIA

Bench: CJI Kant and Justice Bagchi

Hearing Date: April 6, 2026