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SC Upholds 7-km Twin-Tunnel Project in Kerala's Western Ghats, NGT Empowered for Compliance Monitoring

EnvironmentInfrastructurePolityHIGH
Target:UPSC GS-IIIMPSCSSC GATeachingPrelims HighMains MediumStatic GK Link
06 Apr 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:7 km tunnelThird-longest in country
Bodies:Supreme Court of IndiaKerala High CourtNational Green Tribunal (NGT)Central Expert Appraisal Committee
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What This Article Covers

1.SC upheld Kerala HC order, refused to cancel EC for the 7-km twin-tunnel project in the Western Ghats.

2.Bench emphasized the project's national importance and directed adherence to EC conditions, with NGT as the monitoring body.

3.The ruling highlights the judiciary's balancing act between development in land-scarce states and environmental safeguards in ecologically sensitive zones.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

The Supreme Court has upheld the Kerala High Court's decision, refusing to cancel the Environment Clearance for a 7-km twin-tunnel project through the Western Ghats linking Wayanad and Kozhikode. The Court termed it a 'project of national importance' and directed that compliance with the clearance conditions be monitored, with the National Green Tribunal as the grievance redressal forum.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Tunnel Length7 km (third-longest in the country)
Connecting DistrictsWayanad and Kozhikode (Kerala)
Judicial BenchCJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi
Expert CommitteeCentral Expert Appraisal Committee

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Tunnel Length: 7 km (third-longest in the country)
  • ›Connecting Districts: Wayanad and Kozhikode (Kerala)
  • ›Target this Data: 7-km tunnel (third-longest in India) in Western Ghats.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: National Green Tribunal (NGT) for monitoring compliance.
  • ›Target this Committee: Central Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) that appraised the project.

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which specialized tribunal has been empowered by the Supreme Court to monitor compliance with the conditions of the Environment Clearance for the Wayanad tunnel project?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the Supreme Court's judgment on the Wayanad tunnel project:

1. The Court cancelled the Environment Clearance (EC) granted to the project.

2. The Court stated that the project is of national importance and cited Kerala's land limitations.

3. The Court directed that any violation of EC conditions should be addressed by the Central Expert Appraisal Committee.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

What is the length of the twin-tunnel project through the Western Ghats, as mentioned in the news, which is described as the third-longest in the country?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What was a primary reason cited by the Supreme Court for upholding the tunnel project in the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats?

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