Bangalore - Kodaikanal - Munnar

[ajmat]

Am going to Kodakanal early April. Shoulda I go via Perundurai or Salem / Karur ?

[bijuks]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Am going to Kodakanal early April. Shoulda I go via Perundurai or Salem / Karur ?

I think, you should try the Karur route. It must be good (after the four laning) at most places.

Even if the work is not completely over, te road will be ok because of less traffic.

[arindamray]

Originally Posted by bijuks

Thank you Mahesh and Arindam.

I am changing the expected timings as per your advice:

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Streatch: Distance in Kms : Road Condition: Avg Time
------------|--------------------------|----------------------
Bangalore - Hosur: 44 : Excellent : 01:00Hrs
Hosur - Krishnagiri: 50 : Excellent : 00:45Hrs
Krishnagiri - Thoppur: 56 : Excellent : 00:45Hrs
Thoppur - Mettur: 36 : Very Good : 00:30 Hrs
Mettur - Bhavani: 47 : Very Good : 01:00Hrs
Bhavani - Perundurai: 25 : Good : 00:30Hrs
Perundurai - Kangayam: 33 : very Good : 00:30Hrs
Kangayam - Dharapuram: 36 : Very Good : 00:30Hrs
Dharapuram - Udumalpet: 45 : Very Good : 01:00Hrs
Udumalpet - Munnar: 63 : Decent : 02:30Hrs

The revised (more practical) timings indicates a total driving time of around 9:00Hrs. Hope this will work.

I think this timing should be fine as 'drive' time, if you start early in the morning from Bangalore, you have to add the time for breaks.

[bijuks]

Arindam: - Target is Kodaikanal. Thta's why I told Namakkal - Karur route would be better.

[arindamray]

Originally Posted by bijuks

Arindam: - Target is Kodaikanal. Thta's why I told Namakkal - Karur route would be better.

I was replying to your post (last post in previous page, which is also been quoted) and not Ajmat's. And I thought your destination was/is/will be Munnar.

[ravibhat]

I feel via Karur it would be 500+km to Kodaikanal, But how is road condition ? I feel bangalore - hosur - Palakkodu - Toppur - Mettur - Bavani - Perundurai - Palani - KodaiKanal is shortest one with 440km.

This might help. MapmyIndia - maps, directions, and local search across India - just search, print and go!

Ravi.

[HappyWheels]

Ravi,

The 4 laning, till the deviation into Namakkal, is mostly completed in the road from Bangalore. This will certainly take a lot of driving effort, even though a longer run. And this is definitely safer and might end up being faster.

The route through Palakkodu - Toppur - and so, is the two way traffic route and will slow you down.

[ravibhat]

Ok Thanks for the info. 4 lanes would save time for sure.

But there is one doubt: road from Namakkal to Karur/Dindigul/KodaiKanal side might involve 4 laning work and some bad roads?

Ravi.

[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by ravibhat

...But there is one doubt: road from Namakkal to Karur/Dindigul/KodaiKanal side might involve 4 laning work and some bad roads?...

Mmmm... I have traveled only once on that side, towards Madurai. Even though there was 4 laned road, I am not sure if this takes you all the way to Karur (but I think it does; can someone please confirm this?).

But yes, I did pass through lot of 4 laning work, not sure if that was the section closer to Madurai. Even then, I am certain that most of the work might have been completed, if not full.

[ravibhat]

Thats right about Madurai, NH7 crosses Madurai and it ends at Kanyakumari from Bangalore. But what I understood is 4 lane work is not over beyond Thoppur Ghat section except few km bypass work around cities like Salem, Karur etc.. ready.

I just don't understand when the road work will complete in India, Its over 8 years now 4 lane highway work started, by now they should have completed all major highways.

Welcome to NHAI this will help to understand whats going on. They have website too but it really hurts to see the very slow progress.

Ravi.

[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by ravibhat

...Welcome to NHAI this will help to understand whats going on. They have website too but it really hurts to see the very slow progress...

True; the work is so pathetically slow! :(

But, after no going towards Salem for a long time, the most recent one was a surprise. I did not expect the 4 laning to be completed as much as it did.

As of now, happy that it has not been abandoned and it is moving forward, at least at snails pace.

[bijuks]

Originally Posted by ravibhat

I feel via Karur it would be 500+km to Kodaikanal, But how is road condition ? I feel bangalore - hosur - Palakkodu - Toppur - Mettur - Bavani - Perundurai - Palani - KodaiKanal is shortest one with 440km.

Approx distances in the Karur route:
Bangalore - Salem: 200Km
Salem-Namakkal: 50Km
Namakkal-Karur: 43Km
Karur-Dindigul: 81Km (At Dindigul bye pass, watch out for Kodai route on right and take that)
Dindigul-Vattalgundu: 30Km
Vattalgundu-Kodai Road jn: 5Km (Watch out for the right turn to Kodai)
Kodai Road jn - Kodaikanal: 59Km

(The Kodai road jn mentioned above is not the name of any place. It is just the diversion to Kodaikanal from Theni road)

The total distance till Kodaikanal from Bangalore in this route adds up to 470Km. (May be even less due to the recent 4 laning)

Even though the work is happening, the traffic is not affected. I travelled in last May in this route and the work was in full swing and I could make it till Vattalgundu in 8Hrs - with two breaks of close to 1Hr each.


So, it;s worth trying this route now. It is close to one year after my last trip. So, I guess that the work would be defenitely more than 90%.

[manjubp]

Hi,

This is from NHAI, as of Jan 31st, 2009.

Krishnagiri to Thopurghat (NS-2/TN1)
Km. 94.000 to 156

4 LANED Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (M/S L & T Krishnagiri Thopurghat Toll Road Pvt. Ltd.)

Thopurghar section (NS/14)
km 156 - km 163.4

4 LANED P.T. Sumber Mitra Jaya Indonesian

Thopurghat to Thumpipadi (NS-25/TN)
Km.163.40 to Km. 180.00

Under Implementation JSR Construction Pvt. Ltd. Indian

Thumpipadi to Salem (NS-26/TN)
Km.180.00 to Km. 199.20

Under Implementation Bhageeratha Engg. Ltd. Indian

Salem bypass (NS/12)
km 199.2 - km 207.6

4 LANED Sri Ranganathar & Co. Indian

Salem to Karur (NS-2/TN-2)
Km. 207.050 to Km 248.625

Under Implementation Ms/ MVR - MRK - JTEC (JV) [MVR infrastructure & Tollway Pvt Ltd.]

Salem to Karur (NS-2/TN-3)
Km 258.645 to Km 292.6

Under Implementation Reliance Energy Ltd. [NK Toll Road Ltd.] Indian

regards,
-manju

[jango]

I am planning a trip to Kodai this weekend. Is there any hotel/resort recommendation by bhpian's for stay ??

[arindamray]

Originally Posted by manjubp

This is from NHAI, as of Jan 31st, 2009.

Typically I have seen TBHP is much more updated than the NHAI site