[srvm]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

Vinoth-I drove back to Bangalore yesterday. Coimbatore - Sathy ( lunch at Ram vilas) - Bannari - Dhimbam - Kermalam ( google has it as Germalam) - Kollegal - Kanakpura- home at Bangalore. Took me 6 hours with one lunch break. Excellent roads. Go for it. Beautiful and scenic and pretty roads. Have fun.

I went from Bangalore to Coimbatore via Malavalli-Kollegal-Chamarajanagar-Dimbham-Bannari-Sathy-Annur on 31st Oct 2019.

Before entering ghats, I did a stopover at Shivanasamudra (Barachukki falls). I met some tourists over there who were coming to KA from Tiruppur. They mentioned that their car took underbody hits in the bad sections around Punjanur. They told me to avoid Dimbham route and suggested taking Germalam route. However, they were unsure about road conditions in the Germalam route (it must have rained badly there too).

During my lunch break at Kollegal, I enquired the restaurant staff as well as some local taxi drivers. Both suggested taking Chamarajanagar-Dimbham route despite the bad sections. They said the condition of Germalam route could not be better than Dimbham route. They also said that the Germalam route is narrow and very desolate even during daytime.

The road conditions between Chamarajanagar and Dimbham were pathetic with deep potholes and mud/slush due to overnight rains. There must have been around 25-30 places were one has to carefully crawl in 1st gear without knowing the depth of the pothole due to water and slush
The roads were super smooth once we enter TN at Hasanur.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by srvm

During my lunch break at Kollegal, I enquired the restaurant staff as well as some local taxi drivers. Both suggested taking Chamarajanagar-Dimbham route despite the bad sections. They said the condition of Germalam route could not be better than Dimbham route. They also said that the Germalam route is narrow and very desolate even during daytime.

This is very true. After some distance past KA border, the route is so desolate, that you may not get any help on this section. Hence I would never recommend this section for folks traveling with family. Even other, caution needs to be exercised. This section is also a very high on elephant corridor.

The road conditions between Chamarajanagar and Dimbham were pathetic with deep potholes and mud/slush due to overnight rains. There must have been around 25-30 places were one has to carefully crawl in 1st gear without knowing the depth of the pothole due to water and slush

Really very sad to note! Never expected this highway to go down like this! One of the best of the last remaining 2-lanes!

Taken in 2012

[hondafanboy]

If anyone has travelled on this route recently then please update this thread. Thank you.

[mech]

Did anybody travel back to BLR from CBE or anywhere in TN during lockdown. Do we need to get 2 states pass to enter KA. After reaching BLR, do we need to be in home quarantine or a common location quarantine?

[guruji]

Originally Posted by mech

Did anybody travel back to BLR from CBE or anywhere in TN during lockdown. Do we need to get 2 states pass to enter KA. After reaching BLR, do we need to be in home quarantine or a common location quarantine?

I haven't travelled yet, but the procedure is to get the pass from both states.
After reaching 14 day home quarantine is mandatory.

[speedkrish]

Anybody traveled on Chamrajnagar - Thimbam - Sathy
OR Kollegal-Germalam-Thimbam-Sathy to Coimbatore recently ??

Please share road conditions and traffic density.

The Krisnagiri-Salem route is heavy with traffic [ Mostly truck,cars and 2 wheelers from local villages ]. There 3-4 flyovers under construction between Salem-Coimbatore which slows down smooth flow of traffic.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by speedkrish

Anybody traveled on Chamrajnagar - Thimbam - Sathy
OR Kollegal-Germalam-Thimbam-Sathy to Coimbatore recently ??

Please share road conditions and traffic density.

The Krisnagiri-Salem route is heavy with traffic [ Mostly truck,cars and 2 wheelers from local villages ]. There 3-4 flyovers under construction between Salem-Coimbatore which slows down smooth flow of traffic.

If you are looking for a Scenic route or toll free route then this is the one. Timing-wise the Salem route will be quicker despite traffic.

[srvm]

Originally Posted by speedkrish

Anybody traveled on Chamrajnagar - Thimbam - Sathy
OR Kollegal-Germalam-Thimbam-Sathy to Coimbatore recently ??

Please share road conditions and traffic density.

The Krisnagiri-Salem route is heavy with traffic [ Mostly truck,cars and 2 wheelers from local villages ]. There 3-4 flyovers under construction between Salem-Coimbatore which slows down smooth flow of traffic.

Please refer to my post#1036 in this thread. The roads were poor/pathetic around Punjanur in November 2019. I don't expect things to have improved this year (Covid + excess rainfall).

I did Bangalore-Kollegal-MM Hills-Mettur in December 2019. Roads were much much better. Except for a very small stretch near MM Hills. However, do check if they are allowing KA-TN traffic at the border just after descending MM Hills.

[speedkrish]

Travelled to Coimbatore via Thimbam. Road conditions vary between smooth to pathetic.

1) Bangalore Kanakpura - Road widening. Some stretches rough but driveable

2) Kanakpura - Kollegal : Smooth. Pass through shivasamudra

3) Kollegal-Chamrajnagara : some smooth and some very narrow roads in villages enroute

4) Chamrajnagara to TN Border : Worst Stretch. Road works on and would take 6 months +. ( could have taken germalam route )

5) Hasanur - Coimbatore: Smooth roads

No tolls, 50 kms lesser and great scenery. Will take 1 to 1.5 hours longer and more driving strain on driver and car.

Distance 320-330kms
Salem route - 380 kms

Good stretches of NH209


Bad stretches 20-30kms of seraching for roads


Nice views

[racer_ash]

Hello. Has anyone travelled between Bangalore and Coimbatore recently? We plan to drive down from Hyderabad and plan to break the journey at Bangalore to meet some relatives and friends.

Looking for a route that is fast/safe and not necessarily scenic since I am travelling with family in a convoy of 2 cars.

Suggestions please?

[tharian]

Originally Posted by racer_ash

Hello. Has anyone travelled between Bangalore and Coimbatore recently? We plan to drive down from Hyderabad and plan to break the journey at Bangalore to meet some relatives and friends.

Looking for a route that is fast/safe and not necessarily scenic since I am travelling with family in a convoy of 2 cars.

Suggestions please?

The most straightforward route is Bangalote - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Salem - Coimbatore. It is fast, lots of eateries to stop with clean toilets.

[jkrishnakj]

Originally Posted by racer_ash

Hello. Has anyone travelled between Bangalore and Coimbatore recently? We plan to drive down from Hyderabad and plan to break the journey at Bangalore to meet some relatives and friends.

Looking for a route that is fast/safe and not necessarily scenic since I am travelling with family in a convoy of 2 cars.

Suggestions please?

Where in Bangalore do you plan to stay ? If it is south Bangalore and If you have good time at hand and love some scenic drive , I will recommend as below :

Bangalore -Kanakpura - Malvalli( brief detour to the Gaganchukki water falls - 15 mins at best one way ) - Kollegal - Dhondeling ( Tibetan monastery ) - Germalam - Dhimbam - Bannari - Sathy - Coimbatore. This route involves 23 hairpin bends that you get down to Bannari. Good roads throughout and Zero Tolls. Will take you about 5 hours and 30 minutes with sedate drives. No good restaurants till Sathy enroute though.

I did this route just 8 days back but from Coimbatore to Bangalore.

[arun_josie]

Bangalore - Kanakapura - Malavalli - Kollegal - Germalam - Dhimbam, Route Update:

- There are lot of diversions and speed breakers till Kanakapura. We need patience on this stretch.
- Once you cross Kanakapura, the road is good all the way till Malavalli.
- Malavalli to Kollegal, apart from occasional bad stretches/patches, the route is still good.
- The Germalam forest route and Dhimbam ghats are in very good condition.
- Destination was Sathyamangalam, and roads were good till here.

Stuck in Traffic at Dhimbam ghats for 3hrs:

Its a known fact that the Dhimbam ghats get clogged due to heavy truck traffic, the 27 hairpin bends and overzealous car and van drivers not respecting the truckers. But I never faced this traffic issue it till date in all my previous drives. Today, due to heavy fog and few car/van guys trying to overtake the trucks at hairpin-bends, it lead to a huge pile-up. It probably started at one of the hairpin-bends and then just extended to 3-4 Kms which included all the 27 hairpin-bends. Overall, it took us 3 hours to cross the 27 hairpin-bends.

Inspite of the traffic, this route is very refreshing when compared to the boring 4L route. Very scenic and keeps you entertained all through. we had hoped to sight some wildlife. But, it wasn't meant to be. Well, maybe another day.

[jkrishnakj]

Oops Arun. I always dread getting caught here in a jam, and touch wood, I have always been lucky in my 50+ back and forth drives to CBE.

We were also witness to a big elephant and it’s calves munching and feasting on the bamboos along the road, once, thus far. It was like a half hour and traffic on either side respected the moment and were patient for half hour for them to move away. I’m looking for those pictures and can’t find it on my phone.

I normally take the Hosur - Salem highway towards Coimbatore and almost always return this route with a compulsive half at RamaVilas at Sathy for a food break. This route is very pleasing to drive.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

Bangalore -Kanakpura - Malvalli( brief detour to the Gaganchukki water falls - 15 mins at best one way ) - Kollegal - Dhondeling ( Tibetan monastery ) - Germalam - Dhimbam - Bannari - Sathy - Coimbatore. This route involves 23 hairpin bends that you get down to Bannari. Good roads throughout and Zero Tolls. Will take you about 5 hours and 30 minutes with sedate drives. No good restaurants till Sathy enroute though.

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Bangalore - Kanakapura - Malavalli - Kollegal - Germalam - Dhimbam, Route Update:

Germalem is a great nice option, but usually low on facilities. If some thing breaks-up there wont be any support. That is the only negative especially when one is with his family.

But that apart the vistas are nice!