Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday inaugurated the first phase of the Wayanad Township constructed to rehabilitate the survivors displaced by the devastating landslides at Chooralmala and Mundakkai at Kalpetta in Wayanad.
The Chief Minister handed over the keys of 178 houses and land titles of the property to the beneficiaries at the function.
Inaugurating the Township project, Chief Minister Vijayan said all disaster-affected families will be handed over houses before the next monsoon. “It is our bond of brotherhood that led to the realisation of such a project. Houses for the remaining families beyond the first phase will also be completed and handed over within a few months,” he said.
“When the government went ahead with this plan, there were many obstacles. From false propaganda to denial of central assistance. Some people also tried to mislead the disaster victims. There were also people who said that not a penny should be given to the relief fund. Even the media, which was supposed to bring the truth to the people, tried to destroy the rehabilitation plan by spreading lies,” he added.
The government also plans to construct another 410 houses to accommodate over 1,600 displaced people. The township is a self-contained community featuring essential infrastructure like a health center, Anganwadi, market, and community facilities. This project represents a major state-led rehabilitation effort following the July 2024 disaster that claimed 300 lives. The government has acquired 64.4705 hectares of land in Elston Estate, Kalpetta Village, to build a township to rehabilitate the Wayanad landslide disaster victims. The land acquisition was made with the aim of providing a safe place for the survivors to live. Construction work began the next day after the land was acquired. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan laid the foundation stone of the township on March 27, 2025
Meanwhile, the 51 houses constructed by the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) as part of the first phase of a rehabilitation initiative for the families affected by the landslide in Wayanad district were handed over to the selected beneficiaries on Saturday.
IUML State president Panakkad Syed Sadikali Shibab Thangal handed over the keys at the function held at Vellithode near Thrikkaipetta in Wayanad.