Kozhikode: A Chinese company has evinced interest in the 5.5-km Kozhikode-Wayanad tunnel road on BoT (build-operate-transfer) basis considering its tourism potential.
Tiruvambadi MLA George M. Thomas, who is batting for the project, told DC that the company was ready to chip-in with Rs 1,000 crore for the project and that the search for an Indian counterpart to share the venture was on.
"They are ready to invest 70 percent of the total project cost while the Indian company should bear the remaining 30 percent," he said.
Further discussions will be held after receiving the Detailed Project Report (DPR) which is being fine-tuned by the Konkan Railway Corporation. The state government has already cleared the proposal to prepare the DPR for a fee of Rs 5 crore, Mr Thomas said.
The PWD has earmarked Rs 20 crore for the preparatory work. The KRC has handed over a 'letter of intent' to the state government expressing interest in taking up the project.
The tunnel road which will start from Anakkampoyil in Kozhikode district will end in Kalladi, near Meppadi in Wayanad. Both the spots are of the same height from the sea level and the road also would be level.
No forest stretches are necessary for the project as the road starts from and ends in private lands. The cost per kilometre for the road is estimated to be between Rs 65 crore and Rs 100 crore, according to experts.
