Bangalore - Trivandrum Road Trip - Route HELP

[hvkumar]

Kerala set to face water shortage due to poor monsoon - Yahoo! India News

Mon, Jul 7 02:45 PM
Thiruvananthapuram, July 7 (IANS) Kerala is likely to face severe water shortage since poor monsoon rains this year have led to inadequate storage in dams, Water Resources Minister N.K. Premachandran said Monday.

'Things are bad. The state received 65 percent less rainfall than last year for the 37 days of monsoon since June 1. As a result, the water levels in various dams are falling fast,' Premachandran told the state assembly.

Moreover, distribution agencies and consumers owe large amounts of money to the Kerala Water Authority, which supplies water across the state.

'The total outstanding for the last fiscal is to the tune of Rs.7.89 billion. This comprises Rs.6.09 billion from the local bodies and Rs.1.79 billion from domestic, non-domestic and industrial users,' said Premachandran.

Due to the fall in water levels in dams, the state earlier this month announced daily power cuts for half an hour in a phased manner between 6.30 p.m. and 9.30 p.m.
Of the total installed capacity of 2,700 MW, hydro electric power constitutes 1,811 MW in the state. Among the 30 power generating stations in Kerala, 24 are hydro-based, five are run on thermal power and one functions on wind power.

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

In TVM, places to see:

- Padmanabha Swamy Temple - remember, you have to wear dhotis
- Zoo, one of the oldest and best in India
- Veli Beach and Boating Resort, backwaters closest to TVM, 3 kms from airport
- Kovalam Beach, 12 kms from airport
- Science & technology Museum, near Planetarium
- Ponmudi, hill station 60 kms from TVM, ideal day trip

At Padmanabhaswamy temple, you need to remove your shirt; and carrying the shirt inside is not allowed. No mobiles too - you can keep both in your car or locker maintained by the temple. If you are inclined, you can take the "prasadam" lunch at around 11.30 AM. You can take as much as you want during first helping itself; no second service, and no wasting of anything.

Budget 3 to 4 hours at the zoo. Taking the vehicle inside the zoo will set you back by 100Rs or so; parking is a hefty amount. We parked ourside, on a by lane when we went there in December.

The Kovalam beach is usually terrible during monsoons - it will be covered in balck clayey sediment during monsoons - you may be lucky though.

Ponmudi is a good drive - full of twists and turns. Only food available would be from a KTDC beer parlour. (anybody would like to contradict this?) They have nice rooms though - independent cottages - have been locations for more than one film.

[greenhorn]

at the rear gate of the zoo, there is a road leading inwards . there is parking there(paid though, but 5 or 10 Rs only)

Ponmudi roads are a bit rough. I'd hesitate before taking my car there. Its totally worth the trip though. If you want to play it safe, try one of our dams. Peppara is my pick

[hellstar]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

at the rear gate of the zoo, there is a road leading inwards . there is parking there(paid though, but 5 or 10 Rs only)

Ponmudi roads are a bit rough. I'd hesitate before taking my car there. Its totally worth the trip though. If you want to play it safe, try one of our dams. Peppara is my pick

Parking just next to the gate near to Meuseum poilce station is fine and safe ( Kanaka Nagar or something like that between Zoo Exit and Kanakkakunnu Palance) , too many cops hanging around for the comfort of hooligans.

Last time i went top ponmudi was in Feb'08 and the roads were horrible , but the view at top ponmudi was very nice as usual.I dont blive that any sort of road repairs would have happened after feb'08 till date so beprepared for a rough ride . The hill station is usually deserted in the rainy season .

Enroute there are places to stop , but keep away from the water especially if its rainy or cloudy , check with the locals or guards before entering the water .

There another place about 80 Kms from trivandrum , you would pass this on your wayto trivandrum if you take the tenkasi, courtallam route . Place is called Kallada Dam and there you have some eco tourism initiative , check in the internet for details, there is a much talked about "walk on the tree tops" there. Talk to the Water Authourity guys there if your are willingto grease thier palms a bit you might belucky to get a view of the Dam Gallery.

Avoid the beaches in the monsoon , not a safe proposition IMHO , if you pefer to get onto the water

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by hellstar

There another place about 80 Kms from trivandrum , you would pass this on your wayto trivandrum if you take the tenkasi, courtallam route . Place is called Kallada Dam and there you have some eco tourism initiative , check in the internet for details, there is a much talked about "walk on the tree tops" there. Talk to the Water Authourity guys there if your are willingto grease thier palms a bit you might belucky to get a view of the Dam Gallery.

The place you are referring to is at Tenamala on he Trivandrum-Nedumangad-Palode-Tenmala-Aryankavu-Schencottah road, incidentally also the road you have to take to get to Ponmudi (a detour off this road). Not only are there some gorgeous botanical gardens (with the eco walk), you can also boat in the reservoir.

[hellstar]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

The place you are referring to is at Tenamala on he Trivandrum-Nedumangad-Palode-Tenmala-Aryankavu-Schencottah road, incidentally also the road you have to take to get to Ponmudi (a detour off this road). Not only are there some gorgeous botanical gardens (with the eco walk), you can also boat in the reservoir.

Thanks hvkumar for reminding the name i was trying to get the name but could not . There is also some cheap but good acommodation available there at the Government Kallada Irrigation Project Inspection Bungalow, which has an amazing view of the dam. I have stayed here for a couple of days.

It is worthwhile to note that , in the early 90's (if i remeber correctly) due to the heavy monsoon there was extensive flooding and the dam sluice gate operator chose an eventful day to doze off after getting completely boozed, and thereby the water overfolwed from the dam as in flowed over the top. This lead to extensive damages downstream.Further damages were avoided by the sheer bravery of a government official who volunteered and went on the dam while the water was flowing over it and manually opened the slice gates.There by averting a possibly catastrophic dam break.

It is only after such an incident that the dam authourities have the brain wave to construct a splillway for the dam. Currently the dam has one spillway.

Sorry for going off topic !

[svsantosh]

hai guys thanks for the inputs...

few observations...

1) I am not new to kerala, just that driving into the heart (by myself) for the 1st time.
2) ancesteral roots are from tvm (dont ask me how, 3-4 gens before..!) and all around Kalakkad, nagercoil, Palakad, bit of neyyantrankara, kottayam etc etc.
3) eventually got branded a tamilian and ended up born in bby and came down to blore now.
4) vistied sabarimala once, and almost all the famous temples around kerala (taxi from nagercoil upto trissur and palakad)
5) the best and probably only thing i have liked since childhood is the cleaniness inside the temples (ambalam ??)
6) been thru major 'vazlipadu's in many temples ( best was Vedi vazipadu in trissur) i like the 'oola vedi's' there.
7) no one mentioned about the 'chegapu kaara arisi' - half boiled rice served, also i know the alternate route to 'ask' for raw rice (normal)
8) i love the 'chev-valzha palam' (red banana) and 'nendrankay' (dont know in english).
9) love the habit of 'choodu-vellam' after food (warm water).

10) last but not least i dont know a word of malayalam (can understand tiny bit though)

cya
san...

[trrk]

Hi hellstar,

> Last time i went top ponmudi was in Feb'08 and the roads were horrible ,
> but the view at top ponmudi was very nice as usual.I dont blive that any
> sort of road repairs would have happened after feb'08 till date so
> beprepared for a rough ride .

You were more or less correct. I don't know where all you encountered bad roads. They have repaved some parts of the road. But the roads where there are hair pin bends are still untouched and there are stretches of quite bad roads. They are all negotiable with a little care.

Though it was a sunny day in the plains, right on top it was all rains and thick fog, so could hardly see anything from the top.



> The hill station is usually deserted in the rainy season .

There were two bus load of youngsters on top.



There were some video taken from a Sony T200.

City negotiaiting bad roads

Enjoy the bad roads with an extra close view

Road conditions - Ponmudi 1

Road conditions - Ponmudi 2

But the drive was nice.

[greenhorn]

the problem is that the roads are superb for long stretches , then when you think its safe and you start increasing speed , a HUGE gutter will show up from out of nowhere !

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by trrk

You were more or less correct. I don't know where all you encountered bad roads. They have repaved some parts of the road. But the roads where there are hair pin bends are still untouched and there are stretches of quite bad roads. They are all negotiable with a little care.

looks like a very beautiful place rajesh. I am not sure if I will the time to go there. I will try...

Originally Posted by greenhorn

the problem is that the roads are superb for long stretches , then when you think its safe and you start increasing speed , a HUGE gutter will show up from out of nowhere !

tell me about it. Broke my Alto's right engine mounting once 1 such gutter...

----

All said, I have planned enough and cant wait to start my trip in 3 days....major excitment going thru..

[trrk]

Hi greenhorn,

> the problem is that the roads are superb for long stretches , then when
> you think its safe and you start increasing speed , a HUGE gutter will show > up from out of nowhere !

Not now. The bad stretches were mostly in the stretches with hair pen bends. The only place where it came unexpected was in one of the hair pin bends (Sorry, had it been hvkumar or ramki, they would have said which one). Other than that you have enough visibility to avoid them.

Of course, in a CVT it was pinless as no gear change was involved. But it would need a lot more effort in a manual car as a lot of gear changes would be involved.

> @svsantosh;901585]looks like a very beautiful place rajesh. I am not sure > if I will the time to go there. I will try...

It would be approximately two hours of driving time. The place would be lovely without the rain or fog. Have not seen it in those conditions.

> All said, I have planned enough and cant wait to start my trip in 3
> days....major excitment going thru..

All the best!

[svsantosh]

hai guys - 1 day to go, any updates for me on the Rain Front in Kerala. The reason I am asking is it poured cats and dogs monday eve in bangalore - just afraid it may be all the way till Kerala.
I have done all the reqd planning and packing - and got a few bhpians numbers (thx guys) will call if stuck somewhere...

[trrk]

hi santosh,

> any updates for me on the Rain Front in Kerala.

Why don't you bring some rain over here? It is hardly raining here!

I forgot to tell you.

From the roundabout in Kollam, it is 23.6km to the first turnoff to Varkala (fork and right to Varkala) and 29.9 km for the second. The second is recommended by everybody.

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by trrk

hi santosh,

> any updates for me on the Rain Front in Kerala.

Why don't you bring some rain over here? It is hardly raining here!

I forgot to tell you.

From the roundabout in Kollam, it is 23.6km to the first turnoff to Varkala (fork and right to Varkala) and 29.9 km for the second. The second is recommended by everybody.

wish I could Rajesh - its pouring here....


EDIT - follows ur msg - what a coincidence - good to know (bad too) that its pouring there too..

Ok I wil look out for that - whats the fork - like a Y split in the road? Got some names for the 1st and 2nd?

[greenhorn]

Oh how it poured today . I wonder if it will keep up the rest of this week

santosh, when will you be here ?