Residents and environmental activists have blocked the construction of an approach road allegedly being built for a proposed quarry on the historic Kolagappara near Krishnagiri in Wayanad, alleging encroachment of government revenue land and environmental violations.

The road construction, carried out using earthmovers and jackhammers, was temporarily stopped following the intervention of the village officer.

According to the protesters, the proposed road, stretching over a kilometre, largely passes through government revenue land. They alleged that nearly 600 metres of the road had already been cut by blasting rocks with explosives and that another 500 metres would connect it to the proposed quarry site owned by a private party on the hilltop.

Kolagappara, situated about 5,000 feet above sea level, is a prominent trekking spot and pilgrimage destination where thousands of devotees undertake a Good Friday pilgrimage every year to a hilltop cross.

In a statement, Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samithi (WPSS) alleged that the traditional pilgrimage route was being converted into a motorable road to facilitate quarrying.

It claimed that private individuals owned around six acres of land on the hill after allegedly acquiring title deeds through wrongful means, and the land, including the 50-cent proposed quarry site, was subsequently purchased by a private company for quarrying. The WPSS alleged that the road was being constructed to meet access requirements for obtaining a quarry licence.

Environmentalists warned that quarrying on the hill would threaten the region’s water security. Streams originating from Kolagappara provide drinking water to nearby households and irrigate around 300 acres of paddy fields, besides supporting more than 500 acres of coffee plantations. The hill also sustains Adivasi settlements and several villages in the area.

A team led by Thomas Ambalavayal, secretary of the WPSS, visited the site and extended support to the protesters.

The NGO has submitted a memorandum to the Revenue Minister A.P. Anil Kumar and other officials seeking a permanent halt to the road work, seizure of the machinery, cancellation of the disputed land titles, action against officials allegedly responsible for permitting the work, and declaration of Kolagappara hill and its surroundings as a protected area. It also demanded a ban on quarrying in the region.

Published - August 07, 2026 07:16 pm IST