[kala]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

Tomorrow by early morning, i am starting to Coimbatore. I need to meet a relative at Annur on the way. I have decided upon the following two routes:

1) Bangalore-Kanakapura-Malavalli-Chamrajnagar-Sathy-Annur-Cbe

2) Bangalore-NH7-Thoppur-Mettur-Ammapettai-Anthiyur-Sathyamangalam-Annur.

Which among the two will be quicker / having better roads?

Depends on where in Bangalore you're starting from. If you're on the eastern side of Bangalore - i.e Hosur Road to Whitefield belt, route (2) may be faster. But if getting to Kanakapura road is faster for you than getting to Hosur road, I'd suggest NH209 anyday. The road is quite good throughout even if it's 2 lane. (In any case you're going to be driving on 2 lane roads for about half the distance between Thoppur and Annur, and I think Chamarajnagar-Annur portion of NH209 is in much better shape than Thoppur-Annur, in spite of the hairpins that you'd encounter on this sector)

[ramzsys]

Originally Posted by kala

Depends on where in Bangalore you're starting from.

Well. I am at Garvebhavi palya on Hosur road!

I'd had my experiences with early start to Mysore road(via Kanakapura) a fortnight back. I took the NICE ring road at about 5 am on the Saturday, and faced a lot of truck traffic delay at the 2 toll booths(or should i have taken the ORR via BTM? )

If there is traffic, then this route seems to be a better from Hosur road to Kanakapura road.

PS: I have just now moved to Bangalore.

[kala]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

Well. I am at Garvebhavi palya on Hosur road!

I'd had my experiences with early start to Mysore road(via Kanakapura) a fortnight back. I took the NICE ring road at about 5 am on the Saturday, and faced a lot of truck traffic delay at the 2 toll booths(or should i have taken the ORR via BTM? )

If there is traffic, then this route seems to be a better from Hosur road to Kanakapura road.

PS: I have just now moved to Bangalore.

When you're on Hosur road the obvious choice would be route 2.

From Garvebhavi palya to Kanakapura Road, ORR via BTM may not be too different from NICE road early in the morning - may be 5 or 10 minutes more. But during daytime NICE road would be much faster.

If you're keen on doing NH209, Cutting across through Jigani to Harohalli may not be a bad idea (though I'm not sure if it'll save you any time). I've never travelled on that road, so no first hand information on road conditions.

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

Tomorrow by early morning, i am starting to Coimbatore. I need to meet a relative at Annur on the way. I have decided upon the following two routes:

1) Bangalore-Kanakapura-Malavalli-Chamrajnagar-Sathy-Annur-Cbe

2) Bangalore-NH7-Thoppur-Mettur-Ammapettai-Anthiyur-Sathyamangalam-Annur.

Which among the two will be quicker / having better roads?

2 points that favour the second route in your case:
a) you start from G.B.Palya only
b) you are starting early morning and may need a breakfast stoppage that makes the second route highly favourable against the first one

[ramzsys]

Originally Posted by kala

When you're on Hosur road the obvious choice would be route 2.

Kala, your mapmyindia guidance really helped sift through kollegal!

Originally Posted by ajithbr

2 points that favour the second route in your case:
a) you start from G.B.Palya only
b) you are starting early morning and may need a breakfast stoppage that makes the second route highly favourable against the first one

My Fiesta classic has done just about 2k kms, so wanted to drive sedate, so chose the first option.

Started from GB palya at 1.45 am.
Reached Kanakapura road by 2.15 am. Thank god, traffic was sparse.

Toll charges : Rs.30, Rs.23

Kanakapura to Kollegal was absolute breeze, maintained a steady 80 kmph.

Roads after Kollegal a bit rough for a few kms.

Though there are a lot of intersections, proper directions are there.

Truck drivers were very punctual; in some narrow roads in villages they stopped and allowed me to pass.

It was the reverse in the ghat section; no dipping headlights; most trucks and mahindra pickups had 4/6 high beams!

Reached Annur by 7 am including 2/3 5 minute break(to sip the black tea).

This road, though a good option from Bangalore to Annur, will be steep when done in the reverse with those hair pin bends and narrow roads.

[NPV]

Spoke to a friend this morning who returned from Coimbatore yesterday.
He mentioned he took Coimbatore-Sathyamangalam-Bhavani and the joined NH47 near Sankari. From here he took the regular route on NH47 & then NH7 from Salem to Bangalore.
He mentioned that roads are in good condition and in all about 40-50 Km more than the regular Bangalore-Coimbatore route on NH7-NH47. By taking this route you can avoid the Chengapalli-Coimbatore stretch that is being widended and has several diversions.

Anyone tried this yet ?

[ramzsys]

Originally Posted by NPV

By taking this route you can avoid the Chengapalli-Coimbatore stretch that is being widended and has several diversions.

Anyone tried this yet ?

If one can reach till Sathyamangalam, then it is better to continue to Anthiyur-Ammapettai-Mettur-Thoppur and save some ~40km + 3 toll booths(Chengapalli, Salem, Omalur).

[ampere]

Originally Posted by NPV

Anyone tried this yet ?

Why all the way till Sathyamangalam? Does he stay in North CBE?

Did he go via Gobi or Athani.
I think the route via Athani has lesser traffic. But no idea about the road conditions.


Another option instead of going towards Thoppur:

Mettur-Mecheri-Pennagaram-Dharmapuri.

The Mecheri-Pennagaram SH intersects the Dharmapuri-Hogenakkal road and is nice to drive.
Good change for once if one wants to enjoy the drive through interior roads.

[NPV]

This was the route taken:
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India to Bengaluru, Karnataka, India - Google Maps

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by ampere

Why all the way till Sathyamangalam? Does he stay in North CBE?

Did he go via Gobi or Athani.
I think the route via Athani has lesser traffic. But no idea about the road conditions.


Another option instead of going towards Thoppur:

Mettur-Mecheri-Pennagaram-Dharmapuri.

The Mecheri-Pennagaram SH intersects the Dharmapuri-Hogenakkal road and is nice to drive.
Good change for once if one wants to enjoy the drive through interior roads.

Looking at the map given in the next (#459) post, I would totally agree to this route from my personal experience. I guess the route via Mettur is still not preferred by many because of its (still relatively) rough nature and being undivided 2-lane with lots of lorry traffic (to save toll on NH-7 and NH-47). Coming back to my experience, once when I took Thoppur->Mettur->Bhavani route on the way to Coimbatore, on reaching Bhavani bus-stand, a traffic policeman informed about some traffic block on NH-47 and suggested we take the Bhavani->Athani->Sathy route. It was an amazing stretch and I think we did Bhavani->Sathy in about 45 minutes and joined NH-209 just before Sathy town coming from Dimbam side.

BTW, once going to Tiruppur, I took Bangalore->Thoppur->Mettur->Ammapettai->Anthiyur->Athani->Gobi->Perumanallur->Tiruppur route. The Athani->Gobi stretch is a snake-like road amidst green fields and some valleys/canals which is why they are very favourite spots for Tamil songs shooting. You may see some shooting (film or TV serials) almost always on this strech. And if you are lucky, there will be a sea of migratory birds as well to try some photography !

[csentil]

Simpler is to take a right at Puliyampatti towards Nambiyur and then from there on to Gobichettipalayam. This cuts down on going all the way to Sathy and then sort of getting back to Bhavani. I believe its around 40 kms from Puliyampatti to Gobi in this route.

From Gobi you can decide to either go to Chithode and meet the Coimbatore - Salem Highway or take a left in Gobi and go towards Athani and then on to Ammapettai-Mettur. Thats the route Ajith is talking about.

The right at Puliyampatti town is just after the bus stand or ask anyone for the Nambiyur route. Do not take the left before Puliyampatti town. Though you can go to Nambiyur in that route as well, that road tends to keep going towards the Avinashi side so you will have to travel much further.

[gajadonga]

I have traveled in Puliyampatti-Nambiyur quite a number of times.
The only problem there are so many fork of roads where the sign boards are not well marked.
You have to ask for directions.The distance is quite short and manageable.
The road from Puliyampatti ends in front of Nambiyur bus stand and here you have to take the left turn to Gobi.Right turn goes to Avinashi.

[ampere]

How is the Nambiyur Perundurai road? If that is good, we have another approach where one connects to 4L.

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by gajadonga

I have traveled in Puliyampatti-Nambiyur quite a number of times.
The only problem there are so many fork of roads where the sign boards are not well marked.
You have to ask for directions.

Exactly! It will be really confusing for first timers and that too if you happen to travel during odd hours, you may not find a soul on the road to ask for directions!

Originally Posted by ampere

How is the Nambiyur Perundurai road? If that is good, we have another approach where one connects to 4L.

That is too far a distance, you could instead get to Gobi and join the 47 at Chithode.

I have been doing quite a few trips to Coimbatore for the last 3 months. Here are my choices of routes:
1. 47 all the way till Avinashi then -> Annur-> Kalapatty(to South Cbe/Airport)/Ganapathy(to North Cbe) -> Cbe
2. 47 itself is not too bad all the way if you travel in non-peak hours(mid-day)
3. 47 till Thoppur->Mecheri->Mettur->Ammapettai->Anthiyur->Athani->Sathy->Cbe
Again about 5kms before Ammapettai is pot-holed. Also, Sathy-Cbe has heavy traffic and with lots of curves makes overtaking difficult and risky.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by luvurride

That is too far a distance, you could instead get to Gobi and join the 47 at Chithode.

I have been doing quite a few trips to Coimbatore for the last 3 months. Here are my choices of routes:
1. 47 all the way till Avinashi then -> Annur-> Kalapatty(to South Cbe/Airport)/Ganapathy(to North Cbe) -> Cbe
2. 47 itself is not too bad all the way if you travel in non-peak hours(mid-day)
3. 47 till Thoppur->Mecheri->Mettur->Ammapettai->Anthiyur->Athani->Sathy->Cbe
Again about 5kms before Ammapettai is pot-holed. Also, Sathy-Cbe has heavy traffic and with lots of curves makes overtaking difficult and risky.

I just checked Google maps. If one starts from around Ganapathy area in CBE, The route via Puliampatty/Nambiyur to Perundurai is about 10km more than the one via Avinashi and directly gives access to 4L at a very good point. It also helps by-pass most diversions in and around Avinashi. But that would be valid only when the Puliampatty-Nambiyur-Perundurai stretch is good. Thats the reason I asked that question.