Bangalore to Coimbatore : Route Queries

SureshS · 4th January 2010, 00:09

Went to Silent Valley National Forest in Kerala during Christmas for a couple of days. Here is the info about the route.

While going I went via Mannarkad. I had a meet a friend there. While coming back I came via Coimbatore.

Bangalore (Uttarahalli) : 6:05 am
Mysore (132 kms) : 9:00 am (after one hour break at Kamat for breakfast)
Bandipur Plaza (203.4 kms) : 10:30 am (15 mins break here for tea)
Gudalur (239 kms) : 11:50 am
Edakkara (275 kms) : 1:00 pm (40 mins break for lunch here)
Mannarkad (350 kms) : 3:25 pm (1 hr 15 min break here)
Gulikadavu (388 kms) : 6:00pm (We stayed 12 kms away from this place)

Bangaloe Mysore Road as usual is great except that there are some unexpected speed breakers. So be a bit careful when you drive.
Mysore Gundlupet section was fine but as usual the traffic was a bit heavy.
Gundlupet Bandipur section is being relaid. In many places it becomes a single road, the other side being tarred. The road condition is far far better than what it was during summer.
Gundlupet to Gudalur : Beautiful roads in Bandipur and Mudumalai.
Gudalur to Edakkara (Nilambur route) : Quite bad in the Tamil Nadu section. The ghat section has lot of pot holes. Improves dramatically when you cross the border into Kerala.
Edakkara to Mannarkad : Took a left before Nilambur to avoid crossing Nilambur. Went via Kalikavu to Melattur and then to Mannarkad. Nice roads.
Mannarkad to Gulikadavu - Nice roads again.

Overall the route is good except from the section after Gudalur in TN region. The time taken by me was probably more because I drove quite slowly within Bandipur / Mudumalai wanting to sight wildlife and we were lucky to see an Elephant. (Luckier still that the lone Elephant did not chase us

)

Way back was:
Goolikadavu : 6:15 am (0 kms)
Coimbatore : 7:20 am (47 kms) (Breakfast at Annapoorna. Filled diesel and out of Coimbatore around 8:30 am)
Salem : 10:50am (205 kms)
Krishnagiri : 12:20 pm (320 kms)
Bannerghatta Rd (Jayadeva Hospital) : 2:20pm (401 kms) (Break at A2B K'giri for more than 30 mins)
Home : 2:40pm (409 kms)

The road all throughout was excellent ( mostly 4 lane after Avinashi) except for a brief stretch before you hit Salem. I was travelling on Sunday so entry into Bangalore and exit out of Coimbatore were relatively easy. The Coimbatore Avinashi sector had lots of traffic and everyone crazily trying to overtake. Vehicle casually come into your lane even if they see you and you signal them to slow down!! And then there is the problem of vehicles coming on your side of the road in the divided highway.

Total distance covered: 796 kms. Vehicle: Toyota Innova Diesel. I did not check the mileage.

vel · 8th February 2010, 17:36

Planning to travel to coimbatore from bangalore this weekend. Any update on the condition of road from Salem to Coimbatore? Has the work completed?

SureshS · 15th February 2010, 15:49

Vel,

I traveled this route in Dec. The whole route is good. 4 lanes between Salem and Coimbatore.

bijayks · 22nd February 2010, 17:55

I did a trip from Bangalore to Kodungallur over the weekend and the Sankari section is also on the 4-lane one. No except for a small bridge near Salem and Salem town, almost the whole section is completed.

I wonder when would the road get extended beyond Tirupur and into Kerala!!

Happy driving

trrk · 22nd February 2010, 18:34

Hi,

Quote:

Originally Posted by bijayks

I wonder when would the road get extended beyond Tirupur and into Kerala!!

With hardly anything happening in the existing NH, todays papers are talking about a new 6 lane new highway between Kanyakumari and Thrissur which would either be parallel to NH47 or SH1!

highway rider · 15th March 2010, 20:47

Fabulous drive , what with the new madivala - electronic city flyover reducing travel time to hosur . The only hitch is around Salem, a few flyovers to be made ready- bit of slow grinding stuff , then from there on to bhavani fabulous new road! Watch out for idiots on the wrong side , usually on the right lane as well ! All in all a superb driving experience ! Avanashi to Coimbatore is still a crawl with single lane traffic and yes after such a good drive a sad end to the trip. Return was better as we left Coimbatore early and avoided the local bus traffic to Avanashi. Great drive and highly recommended !

csentil · 17th March 2010, 00:57

Its better to take the Avinashi - Annur - Coimbatore road rather than the Avinashi - Cbe road unless you want to head towards the L&T bypass road. Its much safer and the road condition is very good.

vel · 17th March 2010, 09:47

Agree. I took the avinashi-annur road last month. It is in very good condition and you can reach Gandhipuram in much shorter time.

gururaj r · 20th March 2010, 06:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by vel

Agree. I took the avinashi-annur road last month. It is in very good condition and you can reach Gandhipuram in much shorter time.

I need to travel from Bangalore to Tirupur - which is the better way to take - hosur-mettur-avinashi-tirupur or hosur-krishnagiri-salem-avinashi-tirupur. My vehicle is i10

coolclouds · 20th March 2010, 12:33

I think, its better to take route 2 via Salem.

ranjith.rajaram · 26th March 2010, 16:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by gururaj r

I need to travel from Bangalore to Tirupur - which is the better way to take - hosur-mettur-avinashi-tirupur or hosur-krishnagiri-salem-avinashi-tirupur. My vehicle is i10

I have done Bnaglore - salem many times in the last two months, request you to take hosur-krishnagiri-salem-avinashi-tirupur as its four way till avinashi. But on the mettur route it two after thoppur which is 30 kms (apprx) before mettur.

I bet you will love hosur-krishnagiri-salem-avinashi-tirupur route until avinashi of sure.

ampere · 26th March 2010, 19:57

The road messes up only after Avinashi, Till then its pretty good. Some diversions due to 4L work at Salem, but apart from that its quite fine. Though you will some truck traffic near Salem outskirts. Overall its still worth till Avinashi.

gajadonga · 26th March 2010, 22:44

I had done this route a week back.Salem outskirts for about 6-7kms is not yet over.Near Shankari a little bit of deviation to the old highway probably bypass is not ready otherwise it is good till Avinshi.One bridge along the route also is yet to be completed worthwhile to take this route for faster travel than through Mettur.

coolclouds · 27th March 2010, 10:59

If you are passing Salem on peak traffic hours, you may take a right turn at Omallur to byepass Salem and join NH47 at Sankagiri. Last time I did this route and the road was very good with less traffic.

gururaj r · 27th March 2010, 21:31

I had to start journey on Saturday 20th March by 11 am itself and hence could not see your posts. Thank you. I took the road via Mettur. I experience the progress slow in view of the traffic conditions - overtaking is painstaking and could not maintain speeds of 80 plus.

As suggested by you I should have taken the Salem route. joined at perundurai. It seems for going to Tirupur, one has to take a deviation at Vijayamangalam go to Uthukuli and from there to Tirupur. There we would save about 40 kms it seems.

8th February 2010, 17:36	#197
vel Newbie Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 3 Thanked: 0 Times	Planning to travel to coimbatore from bangalore this weekend. Any update on the condition of road from Salem to Coimbatore? Has the work completed?
	() Thanks

15th February 2010, 15:49	#198
SureshS BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 53 Thanked: 9 Times	Vel, I traveled this route in Dec. The whole route is good. 4 lanes between Salem and Coimbatore.
	() Thanks

22nd February 2010, 17:55	#199
bijayks BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 35 Thanked: 8 Times	I did a trip from Bangalore to Kodungallur over the weekend and the Sankari section is also on the 4-lane one. No except for a small bridge near Salem and Salem town, almost the whole section is completed. I wonder when would the road get extended beyond Tirupur and into Kerala!! Happy driving
	() Thanks

15th March 2010, 20:47	#201
highway rider Newbie Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 3 Thanked: 0 Times	Update on the Bangalore - Coimbatore return Fabulous drive , what with the new madivala - electronic city flyover reducing travel time to hosur . The only hitch is around Salem, a few flyovers to be made ready- bit of slow grinding stuff , then from there on to bhavani fabulous new road! Watch out for idiots on the wrong side , usually on the right lane as well ! All in all a superb driving experience ! Avanashi to Coimbatore is still a crawl with single lane traffic and yes after such a good drive a sad end to the trip. Return was better as we left Coimbatore early and avoided the local bus traffic to Avanashi. Great drive and highly recommended !
	() Thanks

17th March 2010, 00:57	#202
csentil Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,349 Thanked: 39 Times View My Garage	Its better to take the Avinashi - Annur - Coimbatore road rather than the Avinashi - Cbe road unless you want to head towards the L&T bypass road. Its much safer and the road condition is very good.
	() Thanks

17th March 2010, 09:47	#203
vel Newbie Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 3 Thanked: 0 Times	Agree. I took the avinashi-annur road last month. It is in very good condition and you can reach Gandhipuram in much shorter time.
	() Thanks

20th March 2010, 12:33	#205
coolclouds Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Garden City Posts: 1,800 Thanked: 519 Times	I think, its better to take route 2 via Salem.
	() Thanks

26th March 2010, 19:57	#207
ampere Team-BHP Support Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 18,341 Thanked: 13,629 Times View My Garage	The road messes up only after Avinashi, Till then its pretty good. Some diversions due to 4L work at Salem, but apart from that its quite fine. Though you will some truck traffic near Salem outskirts. Overall its still worth till Avinashi.
	() Thanks

26th March 2010, 22:44	#208
gajadonga Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 1,068 Thanked: 500 Times	I had done this route a week back.Salem outskirts for about 6-7kms is not yet over.Near Shankari a little bit of deviation to the old highway probably bypass is not ready otherwise it is good till Avinshi.One bridge along the route also is yet to be completed worthwhile to take this route for faster travel than through Mettur.
	() Thanks

27th March 2010, 10:59	#209
coolclouds Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Garden City Posts: 1,800 Thanked: 519 Times	If you are passing Salem on peak traffic hours, you may take a right turn at Omallur to byepass Salem and join NH47 at Sankagiri. Last time I did this route and the road was very good with less traffic.
	() Thanks

27th March 2010, 21:31	#210
gururaj r BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: mumbai Posts: 176 Thanked: 11 Times	I had to start journey on Saturday 20th March by 11 am itself and hence could not see your posts. Thank you. I took the road via Mettur. I experience the progress slow in view of the traffic conditions - overtaking is painstaking and could not maintain speeds of 80 plus. As suggested by you I should have taken the Salem route. joined at perundurai. It seems for going to Tirupur, one has to take a deviation at Vijayamangalam go to Uthukuli and from there to Tirupur. There we would save about 40 kms it seems.
	() Thanks