Bangalore to Munnar - Which Route?

[hvkumar]

No problems in roads around Munnar, they are all fine.

[reignofchaos]

I'd say go via salem instead of mettur. Much better roads - 4 lane all the way till avinashi.

[lancer_rit]

Thanks for the fast replies hvkumar & RoC.

I am thinking I'll do one route going and the other one coming back.

I am more interested about the conditions inside Munnar and immediate surrounding since it is raining a good bit.

[Rocky_Balboa]

@lancer_rit,

The only thing to worry during the rainy season, are felling trees in the Bodi-Munnar route. The authorities do regularly sweep (and sometimes deliberately prune) them, to ensure they dont cause trouble to the road users. Just ensure You drive in broad daylight, to avoid any surprises.

[shamanth]

I had been to munnar on 5th from bangalore. Road from bangalore upto Coimbatore is great double road, 300 kms can be covered in 3 hours and from there it will take 5 hours to reach munnar as its curved roads and single road. Road is good all the way, no poth holes and road from munnar to thekkady is also excellent.

[lancer_rit]

As I posted earlier, I took the Mettur->Bhavani-> Dharapuram route while going, while I stuck to NH47 to Salem, and onto NH7 on the return back.

As reignofchaos said, I recommend to stick to NH7/NH47 combo till turn off for Dharapuram. This is much better (butter smooth road surfaces) and faster roads - divided 4-lane all through.
Also, I was a bit careless @ Mettur, and instead of turning left, I took the right over the dam, and by the time I asked around, I had already done 10km, while I had to come back.

In Munnar, Top station road is fantastic, other roads have potholes and bumps. Road through Chinnar/Anamalai sanctuary is pretty narrow for the most part. Views were great.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by shamanth

I had been to munnar on 5th from bangalore. Road from bangalore upto Coimbatore is great double road, 300 kms can be covered in 3 hours and from there it will take 5 hours to reach munnar as its curved roads and single road. Road is good all the way, no poth holes and road from munnar to thekkady is also excellent.

300kms in 3hrs! Which car? what day?
Are you talking about Indian highways?

[bijuks]

Originally Posted by lancer_rit

As I posted earlier, I took the Mettur->Bhavani-> Dharapuram route while going, while I stuck to NH47 to Salem, and onto NH7 on the return back.

Bangalore -> Salem -> Dharapuram -> Udumalpettai -> Munnar would be the fastest now.

On return, there is another alternate route: Munnar -> Devikulam -> Pooppara -> Bodinaykannur ->Theni -> Dindigul -> Karur -> Namakkal -> Salem -> Bangalore. Combination of NH49 and NH7. Roads are good all the way with 4lane NH7 and scenic NH49. Can do in 9-10Hrs.

[ampere]

From Udumalpet there is another option.

Udumalpet-Pollachi-Palladam-Avinashi-Salem-BLR

I am told Pollachi-Palladam-Avinashi is a belter and then its 4L.

[shamanth]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

300kms in 3hrs! Which car? what day?
Are you talking about Indian highways?

5th Sunday early morning at 4am. I drove in honda City. Any car should be able to do it. Such a nice road.

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by ampere

That is why I always thought its better to take GQ all the way (either till Perindurai or Avinashi) before deviating for Valparai/Munnar.

Mettur route was taken only because either one wants change of road or visit the dam or NH47 four-laning was not complete.

Other reasons some take the Mettur route-
1. atleast about 15kms shorter
2. two tolls avoided

All local trucks take this route for the above said reasons.

Personally, I take this road in the nights as there will not be any two wheeler traffic and people roaming on the road. Besides, the roads are only bad in small stretches. I can maintain 100kph for most parts and I normally do this 90km stretch in 70mts.

[lancer_rit]

Originally Posted by ampere

From Udumalpet there is another option.

Udumalpet-Pollachi-Palladam-Avinashi-Salem-BLR

I am told Pollachi-Palladam-Avinashi is a belter and then its 4L.

Avinashi and some stretch beyond is a pain since there is a lot of traffic on 2-lane undivided highway, and some of it is slow moving.
On my return, I had halted at Coimbatore for some work. Coimbatore-Avinashi was really slow and frustrating.
Definitely, best to do Udumalpet -> Dharapuram -> NH47 -> Salem -> BLR !

@luvurride, there are rough surfaces and some potholes on Mettur -> Bhavani -> NH47 route. Depending on when you are on the stretch, there is a good bit of traffic. Also, I don't think its easy to do this stretch in 70 mins (~77kmph) if one is on it the first time. My GPS tracks indicates an avg speed of ~55kmph.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by lancer_rit

Avinashi and some stretch beyond is a pain since there is a lot of traffic on 2-lane undivided highway, and some of it is slow moving.
On my return, I had halted at Coimbatore for some work. Coimbatore-Avinashi was really slow and frustrating.
Definitely, best to do Udumalpet -> Dharapuram -> NH47 -> Salem -> BLR !

By the 2L road do you mean Pollachi/Palladam/Avinashi stretch?
Is traffic slow moving in that stretch. I read in another post that there was hardly any traffic on that stretch.

I did not mean Avinashi-CBE stretch at all. At Avinashi there is a diversion to Palladam.

[lancer_rit]

Originally Posted by ampere

By the 2L road do you mean Pollachi/Palladam/Avinashi stretch?
Is traffic slow moving in that stretch. I read in another post that there was hardly any traffic on that stretch.

I did not mean Avinashi-CBE stretch at all. At Avinashi there is a diversion to Palladam.

I haven't been on the Pollachi-Avinashi stretch, but going through Avinashi town and the 2-lane roads after, before the NH47 becomes 4-laned, one makes slow progress.
Udmalpet -> Pollachi is reasonably fast progress on 2lane undivided roads.
I had done, Munnar -> Udmalpet -> Pollachi -> Coimbatore, and Coimbatore -> Avinashi -> ...

[ampere]

Originally Posted by lancer_rit

I haven't been on the Pollachi-Avinashi stretch, but going through Avinashi town and the 2-lane roads after, before the NH47 becomes 4-laned, one makes slow progress.
Udmalpet -> Pollachi is reasonably fast progress on 2lane undivided roads.
I had done, Munnar -> Udmalpet -> Pollachi -> Coimbatore, and Coimbatore -> Avinashi -> ...

Then what I am referring to is NOT to go to CBE. At Pollachi you take a diversion to Palladam which joins Avinashi directly. As I read, here in this forum, this is a beautiful 2L road with hardly any traffic. This way you bypass CBE.