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Thanks! Did you mean tolls at Omalur and Sankari? Thoppur > Mecheri turn comes after Palayam toll gate at Thoppur is my understanding. For Omalur and Sankari tolls, I always take the option (a) in my post - that is a great short road.

Jalakandapuram was a bit confusing for me because I missed a turn and got into the bus stand.

With the route option I mentioned, you cannot avoid paying toll at Thoppur. Post Thoppur toll, you have 2 toll plazas at Omalur and Sankagiri that can be avoided by going via Mecheri-Nangavalli-Jalakandapuram -Edappadi

Both, the Edappadi road and SH 86 route to connect Sankari->Tharamangalam->Omalur are fine to avoid Salem and couple of tolls and can take about 50 minutes to 1 hour so does not give any major time saving. Can sometimes be painful if stuck behind a long line of trucks, but then it works when toll plazas are overcrowded during holidays.

Since you explored the direct SH 86 route and the Edappadi road, there is a small road via some fields that connect these 2 roads so that when going from Bangalore you need not take the underpass below NH 47 near Sankari and do that extra detour to rejoin NH 47 :) Instead take a right turn 0.5Km before the underpass and join onto the Edappadi road which then merges onto NH 47 at a 4 road junction about 1Km after the underpass-NH 47 junction.
*SH 86 does not have a direct entry from NH 47 due to an unfinished service road that is muddy and rocky

See some of the earlier posts to get some more context - Link

If its normal day time hours, I dont think it makes sense to avoid Salem. Traffic is quite easy and the comfort of 4-lane is good. If its really evening hours, may be then the avoidance route can be tried.

Also to note: even the SH are not empty. I have seen quite some trucks and its possible to get stuck behind some.

Yes, I had taken this road once. It didn't add up to much time saved; so I prefer taking the U turn under NH47.

Only once in last 20+ trips I got stuck behind array of slow moving trucks. Once though, there was a festival in Tharamangalam and I got stuck for 30 minutes. Other than that, love the feeling of fresh air with windows rolled down on this road.

These days I stick to Salem when my left leg is too tired or when I am getting to Omalur/Sankari outside of 8am to 7pm. Only once did midnight driving through this road (because Omalur toll was backed up (!)) and it was not much fun because of trucks.

BTW, Mecheri > Mettur byepass > Ammapettai > Anthiyur > Athani > Sathy > Annur > Saravanampatti is also a pretty good day time drive; except that from Sathy onwards it gets maddening with slow trucks and ultra rash buses; only once I had taken this of late and it added about 45 minutes to the total time.

Mod Note: Please avoid posting back to back

Friends,
I am planning a drive this weekend to Kotagiri. Below are my options:

Route 1: BLR - Kanakapura - Malavalli - Kollegal - Hasanur - Sathy - Mettupalyam - Kotagiri. I like this route due to vistas and winding roads. Not sure of truck traffic at Dimbum ghat during morning/noon hrs. And restaurant options are limited.

Route 2: BLR - Hosur - Royakottai - Palacode - Pennagaram - Mecheri - Mettur - Bhavani - Avinashi - Annur - Mettupalyam - Kotagiri.

I would like to avoid Tolled roads or Mysore-Gundupet road due to long weekend mad rush and unruly traffic all along. Since, my destination is Kotagiri driving through mettupalyam is better rather than being stuck in Gudalur-Ooty traffic.

Planning to leave at 6-6.30AM with 2 families. Only problem is restaurants on both of above routes.

Please suggest.

You can actually take route 2 for onward and route 1 for return. Most sections of that ghats have been widened a bit. My last three trips in the past 7 weeks on that road has been peaceful.

We generally prefer Sri Ram Vilas at Sathy for food. As a family we all love their 'meals' lunch or the very yummy breakfast items. It's exactly opposite the Sathy Police Station and will be on your left in the direction going towards Coimbatore.

Please avoid route 3 , given the long weekend. Crossing Ooty will be a pain.

In Route 2 , You can enjoy the breakfast at HosurA2B. Timing will be perfect. I can't think of a place for lunch at Avinashi or Annur.

I'll recommend route 2 for onward ( less traffic on Mettupalyam - Kothagiri section ).

If you're living at south bangalore you can return by route 1.

Sri Ram Vilas at Sathy is something I fancy each time I cross Sathy. Great vegetarian food.

Just curious, Route 2 is going close to BLR - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Salem - Bhavani route. if you take the NH via Krishnagiri, roads are lot better and loads of options for restaurants. Since you are starting early morning, toll at Krishnagiri may not be that bad. Krishnagiri route may save travel time, and you could relax little bit more on Kotagiri.

Hello friends:

We are planning a road trip this Friday to Bhavani from Bangalore and I wanted to check on the status of the Thoppur - Mettur- Bhavani stretch. Had taken this 10 years back with my first car and loved the drive then. Are the roads good? Anyone taken them recently?

We plan to leave Bangalore by 5:00 AM.

Google maps suggests thoppur - Salem - Bhavani as the least time consuming though a little longer. Last month we drove to Cuddalore via Salem and were stuck in traffic at Salem for quite a bit.

I am leaning towards the Mettur road and would like your suggestions. Any other good route options also welcome.

Thanks a bunch. :)

Nimz

Just 10 days before , I drove down from Ooty to Chennai through Sathi - Mettur - Thoppur. Road was perfect two lane and neatly laid. And, Sathi - Andhiyur - Mettur stretch is really picturesque although we need to pass through many villages in between. Still, it is manageable.

Again, Mettur -Thoppur stretch has more truck traffic, but still we can cruise at 60 km as otherwise it was perfect .

To mention, during my onward trip to Ooty via Salem, we were struck for about one hour to cross Salem junction that made me to choose Mettur route and it proved worth.

What was the reason for the delay in Salem? Usually during day time the traffic moves and have not heard or read about any systematic reason for such delays. The flyover construction was one of the reasons, but that seems to be under control now. Hence curios to know about the same.

We were heading to Sathyamangalam, from Chennai, on 27th April 2018. We reached that junction around 12 noon and for about a km, we had to move at snail's pace. It took little more than an hour to cross that junction. Traffic was a mix of Heavy vehicles and cars. To my surprise, as soon as we crossed that junction, road was literally free. Either the long weekend traffic or some chaos in the junction or unmanned traffic or combination of all could be the reason, if this jam was an unusual, as you rightly hinted about.

The 2 flyovers are now open to traffic and th 3rd one near Grand Estancia is work in progress. So that is the only area we get delayed sometimes.

For going from Palakkad to Chitradurga, google maps is showing a route via Coimbatore-Karumathampatti-Thalamalai View Point - Germalam-Dhondinling-Madhuvanahalli. Is this okay. How are the roads? Is any part of it goes through forest area?
Thanks

Thalamalai-Germalam route is a reserve forest with narrow roads and almost no facilities. Wouldn't recommend this if you're going with family.