Chennai - Pollachi

[VMG]

Since there is a problem in Karnataka ( Hongennakal issue), I am thinking of going to Pollachi and TOP slip. Pl. let me know which route is good to drive and how much time will take. How is road condition of each setor?
1. Chennai - Krishnagiri- Dharmapuri- Salem - Erode - Pollachi

2. Chennai - Villupuram - Ullumdurpet- Salem - Erode - Pollachi.


Thanks

[PRADEEP KUMAR]

Originally Posted by VMG

Since there is a problem in Karnataka ( Hongennakal issue), I am thinking of going to Pollachi and TOP slip. Pl. let me know which route is good to drive and how much time will take. How is road condition of each setor?
1. Chennai - Krishnagiri- Dharmapuri- Salem - Erode - Pollachi

2. Chennai - Villupuram - Ullumdurpet- Salem - Erode - Pollachi.


Thanks

Hi the shortest route (good as well!) is,

Chennai-villupuram -trichy-manaparai- ottanchattiram-palani-udumalai-pollachi.

[csentil]

Option 1 is the longest of the lot. But you can make good time till Krishnagiri (255 kms) as its part of the GQ. You could take Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Thoppur - Mettur - Bhavani - Perundurai - Coimbatore bypass and shave off approx 25 kms. This would be approx 530 kms. However there is 4 laning going on between Krishnagiri - Thoppur and Bhavani - Coimbatore. Lot of work is done and this route should be the fastest as you can cover Chennai - krishnagiri is 3 hrs.

Option 2 is also approx the same distance give or take a few kms. However you would be extensively travelling on roads which are being converted to four lane.
You do not need to go to Erode. It would be Salem - Sankagiri - Komarapalayam (outer) - Perundurai - Avinashi - Coimbatore (bypass)

Pradeep's option is also the same distance. However Villupuram - Ulundurpet road is in bad condition after the rains and that road is also being 4 laned.

[pypkmsrikanth]

What about Chennai - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Thoppur - Mettur - Bhavani - Perundurai - Avinashi - Tiruppur - Palladam - Pollachi. While the road upto Avinashi has been discussed in these forums, am not sure of the road condition beyond that. But the route mentioned by Pradeep is the best, I had travelled upto Manapparai on this route a couple of weeks back.

[csentil]

That's fine as well. Avinashi - Tiruppur is a heavy traffic sector as is Avinashi - Coimbatore !! Palladam - Pollachi should be ok too. Its the lesser of the two evils, I guess. :-)

[VMG]

I am planning to postpone my trip to another 2 weeks means planning to go May 1st week end.( 4 days total). Either Coorg or Pollachi( Top slip ).
Do you think by that time Hognikkal issue will be sorted out? Is it safe to go that time or plan it for Pollachi? I prefer to go to Coorg because of 4 lane road till Srirangapattna. I think both places will take around 11 hours from Chennai.
I need to book to hotels by this week end. Need your views pl.

[pypkmsrikanth]

Originally Posted by VMG

I am planning to postpone my trip to another 2 weeks means planning to go May 1st week end.( 4 days total). Either Coorg or Pollachi( Top slip ).
Do you think by that time Hognikkal issue will be sorted out? Is it safe to go that time or plan it for Pollachi? I prefer to go to Coorg because of 4 lane road till Srirangapattna. I think both places will take around 11 hours from Chennai.
I need to book to hotels by this week end. Need your views pl.

Both should take similar times, but Coorg would depend on which time of the day you cross Bangalore, as it would take you anwhere between an hour to more than couple of hours.

If you are going to Top Slip please keep in mind the Indira Gandhi WLS was closed for summer a couple of weeks back, am not sure if it would be open by the time you reach, hence you would not be able to visit the sanctuary.

The Hogenekkal issue would not flare up (this is purely my opinion) in the Karnataka side atleast until the elections are over since Karunanidhi has anyway put it on hold until a government is formed in Bangalore, taking into account the political equations it would be a coaltion government which would involve the Gowda clan, hence it would not be easy to form a government immediately after elections...so I dont see it as a dampener for you considering the dates you are planning

Cheers

Srikanth

[rajagopalang]

Originally Posted by VMG

I am planning to postpone my trip to another 2 weeks means planning to go May 1st week end.( 4 days total). Either Coorg or Pollachi( Top slip ).
Do you think by that time Hognikkal issue will be sorted out? Is it safe to go that time or plan it for Pollachi? I prefer to go to Coorg because of 4 lane road till Srirangapattna. I think both places will take around 11 hours from Chennai.
I need to book to hotels by this week end. Need your views pl.

I think we are sailing in the same boat. I was planning to go to coorg during the long weekend(May 1 to May 4). After this hogenakkal issue, I've changed my mind to Valparai.



Hey all,
Can I cover Valparai, Adhirampalli falls and Munnar in 4 days? Can I include anything else in this trip?

I read in one of the thread that valparai to chalakkudy route was horrible. What is the current state?

And also I would like to know how steep is the climb in those ghat roads?
My versa is not that great when it carries full load.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by rajagopalang

Can I cover Valparai, Adhirampalli falls and Munnar in 4 days? Can I include anything else in this trip?

I read in one of the thread that valparai to chalakkudy route was horrible. What is the current state?

And also I would like to know how steep is the climb in those ghat roads?
My versa is not that great when it carries full load.

Ideal circuit is Chennai-Pollachi-Valparai-Athirapalli-Chalakudy-Angamali-Perumbavoor-Munnar-Marayoor-Chinnar-Udumalipet-Chennai

Night 1 could be Valparai
Night 2 could be Munnar
Day 3 is Munnar
Day 4 could be return to Chennai

I have been on Valparai-Athirapalli-Chalakudy route several times, always been good, doubt that it would be bad at this time of the year. But no night driving on this route. No people, no traffic and no facilities. Beware of wildlife. Road is narrow, but not steep.

[VMG]

Now I have decided to go to Pollachi, Top slip and sourounding places instead of Coorg and aslo decided to go via Krishnagiri from Chennai.
I know upto Krishnagiri road is very good and my questions are..
1. How long,time and route from Krishnagiri to Salem
2. How long, time and route from Salem to Pollachi.

Planning to go on 1st May and spend 2 days in Pollachi and leave on 4th back to Chennai.
What are the places around Pollachi? 2 days is enough to cover all important places? I would like to cover water falls nearby. How about overnight stay in Top slip? where and how much it cost? etc.,,

Please help guys.

[hvkumar]

No need to go to Salem. Turn off at Toppur and go via Mettur to Bhavani. On NH47 after Bhavani, at Avinashi, go via Tiruppur to Pollachi.

Top Slip is veryy close to Pollachi. Accomodation available there both at Top Slip (TN) as well as Parambikulam (Kerala). Ideal to sepnd 1 night and a day here.

Valparai is a couple of hours drive from Pollachi.

Monkey Falls is on the way from Pollachi to Valparai, doubtful whether you will have water there now. Aliyar Reservoir is also off the Valparai road.

Tirumurthy Falls is near Udumalaipet (1 hour) - problem is also the same, may not have water now.

[VMG]

Thanks.
Any idea how much time will take from Krishnagiri to Pollachi.
I think I can reach 3-3.30 hours Krishnagiri from chennai.
Hope roads are OK from Krishnagiri to pollachi.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by VMG

Thanks.
Any idea how much time will take from Krishnagiri to Pollachi.
I think I can reach 3-3.30 hours Krishnagiri from chennai.
Hope roads are OK from Krishnagiri to pollachi.

4/5 hours, assuming you take the route via Mettur.

[rajagopalang]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Ideal circuit is Chennai-Pollachi-Valparai-Athirapalli-Chalakudy-Angamali-Perumbavoor-Munnar-Marayoor-Chinnar-Udumalipet-Chennai

Night 1 could be Valparai
Night 2 could be Munnar
Day 3 is Munnar
Day 4 could be return to Chennai

I have been on Valparai-Athirapalli-Chalakudy route several times, always been good, doubt that it would be bad at this time of the year. But no night driving on this route. No people, no traffic and no facilities. Beware of wildlife. Road is narrow, but not steep.

Thanks a lot Kumar.
Should I take Munnar-Udumalpet-Chennai or
Munnar-Bodi-Theni-dindigul-tiruchy-chennai.
pls advice. in terms of running time and road condition.

Originally Posted by VMG

Thanks.
Any idea how much time will take from Krishnagiri to Pollachi.
I think I can reach 3-3.30 hours Krishnagiri from chennai.
Hope roads are OK from Krishnagiri to pollachi.

Are you planning to go in GQ-Mettur-Tiruppur-Pollachi route.
Isnt it bit longer?

[csentil]

Originally Posted by rajagopalang

Thanks a lot Kumar.
Should I take Munnar-Udumalpet-Chennai or
Munnar-Bodi-Theni-dindigul-tiruchy-chennai.
pls advice. in terms of running time and road condition.




Are you planning to go in GQ-Mettur-Tiruppur-Pollachi route.
Isnt it bit longer?

It is slightly longer but you make up a lot of time in the GQ. Also with most of the road work nearing completion between Krishnagiri - Thoppur this would be a better route to take. You would be covering about 250kms in around 3 hrs time between Chennai - Krishnagiri.