India, July 10 -- In the aftermath of the tragic landslide that occurred on July 7, 2026, at Kalladi in Kerala's Wayanad district, a debate is raging over whether the state should go ahead with the ambitious Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi twin tunnel project.

Until now, public debate centred on whether the Rs 2,134-crore tunnel project would reduce travel time between Kozhikode and Wayanad, ease pressure on the accident-prone Thamarassery Ghat Road and improve trade and tourism.

Now, the issue is no longer confined to engineering. It has become a test of environmental governance, institutional accountability and the ability of governments to pursue development in landscapes where climate change is making old assumptions increasingly unrel...