[jithin23]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBoss

Anyone travelled via Germalam recently may please update the road conditions. Planning to take that route this weekend.

From Malavalli, which route is better, via Maddur or Kanakapura?

Thanks in advance.

I had traveled by motorcycle and the roads are quite bad once you cross KA border. The roads on the TN side for the border are good.

[moni_car_craze]

Originally Posted by unni246

A fantastic Detour

Well I have been looking forward to a drive through Sathyamangalam and got more eager reading multiple posts here on the awesome roads through the stretch

I frequently use this route for my Bangalore to Coimbatore Trip.

Few more points that would help the BHPians from my experience:

• From Bannari, take the Sathy, Puliampatti, Annur road as its proper highways and you can reach coimbatore in 1 hour. The road mentioned in the post is suggested by Google Maps via Bhavanisagar. Though it looks short and straight, it is not a highway.
• Even if you want to drive to Kerala, take the deviation from Kurumbapalayam to Coimbatore Airport and connect to L&T bypass that avoids driving through the congested Coimbatore city. This would leave you with only one Toll.
• Another possible route is, Maddur-Kollegal-ChNagar-Sathy-Coimbatore
• If you happen to go through Mysore ring road, you also can take T.Narasipura-ChNagar route.
• In the Dhimbam ghat, down hill drive requires extra caution if you use AT /AMT/CVT gears. Avoid breaking consistently. Use the engine breaking by driving in manual mode. I happened to almost loose the complete control in my Honda City CVT a decade ago in the 9th hairpin curve. Luckily I could control it through L and S mode to bring the vehicle to halt.
• There are several humps starting from somewhere after ChNagar until Bannari. The entire stretch will take almost 2 hours. You may be tired of applying breaks at every 100 meters. But its worth as you can have the patience to view the scenic ghat and control the vehicle in the narrow winding roads.

[Ananthponraj]

Update on Hosur - Kelamangalam - Royakottai - Dharmapuri Route

Originally Posted by vigsom

This is quick route experience on the much spoken about alternate route from Dharmapuri to Bengaluru aka NH844.

I have traveled multiple times in this route (both ways) after the NH844 has been partially opened. Recently I did a trip on Apr 12th started from Bangalore, reached Attibele and took this route. Four lane has been completed in most part after Hosur till Kelamangalam (wherever the work was going on), apart from that there is road extension work going on the State highways at multiple places after Kelamangalam till Royakottai (I don't remember the exact locations as there were many). Better to avoid this route if any one is planning for a few more months and take the Hosur ESI Ring road - Sanamavu NH 844 route.
From Royakottai to Bangalore, you need to take the right at the Y junction (Refer #1335 (Bangalore to Coimbatore : Route Queries))
Also the Karagadahalli Toll Plaza (~30 kms from Royakottai towards Dharmapuri) is now operational and charges Rs 85 for (35-40 km oneway) , though the road work is not fully completed

[unni246]

Originally Posted by krishbvmk

I feel happy whenever I see A Hexa owner sharing his experience. Your Hexa is manual transmission i guess. Thank you

Thanks, it is indeed a MT which I could find after a long wide hunt

[iamnarayang]

Hello all,
I will be travelling to a place called Anaikatti, which is close to Coimbatore on Monday April 28th morning from south bangalore. The google map suggests a route through kanakapura, malavalli, chamrajnagara, Bhavanisagar, Thudiyalur..to reach Anaikatti. I have never taken this route before. Is this a safe route to take interms of road and trafiic conditions?
Kindly Advise.

Thanks and Regards,
Narayan.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by iamnarayang

Hello all,
I will be travelling to a place called Anaikatti, which is close to Coimbatore on Monday April 28th morning from south bangalore. The google map suggests a route through kanakapura, malavalli, chamrajnagara, Bhavanisagar, Thudiyalur..to reach Anaikatti. I have never taken this route before. Is this a safe route to take interms of road and trafiic conditions?
Kindly Advise.

Thanks and Regards,
Narayan.

The turn-off to Anaikatti is from the Coimbattore-Mettupalayam section at Goundampalayam. Thats the reason why Google suggests approaching it via Annur (Kanakapura Road, North of Coimbatore).

Kanakapura highway is very good. Now its 4-lane till Kanapura from Bangalore. There on its a wide 2-lane with most towns cleanly bypassed.

The only risk is getting stuck in Dimbam. Also there are not many food break points.

[bejoy]

How are the NH works(are there any?) around Sathyamangalam? Google always routes through Bhavanisagar to Annur, is it because of the congestion at Sathy town (and of course the longer route)?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by bejoy

How are the NH works(are there any?) around Sathyamangalam? Google always routes through Bhavanisagar to Annur, is it because of the congestion at Sathy town (and of course the longer route)?

I think thats because distance is lower and time taken is near same. Yes Sathyamangalam bypass would be awesome to have.

[binand]

Originally Posted by iamnarayang

I will be travelling to a place called Anaikatti...

Originally Posted by ampere

The turn-off to Anaikatti is from the Coimbattore-Mettupalayam section at Goundampalayam.

One time I had driven to Bangalore via Anaikatti-Karamadai. The second time I tried this route the other way I found that the road at Karamadai end was closed off or diverted for an ROB/RUB construction. By now that must have been completed and the road should be open again.

It is slighly lonely (particularly the section through Anaikatti RF) but decent road and no red flags.

[vsbabu]

Originally Posted by iamnarayang

Bhavanisagar, Thudiyalur..to reach Anaikatti.

I stay close to Thudiyalur and had gone to Bannari last weekend via Bhavanisagar. It is normal 2 lane state roads that are very good and scenic. Definitely saved 20 minutes compared to my onwards journey via Sathy early in the morning. There were 2-3 places with some minor roadworks and gravel for few meters each - during day time, it should be fine. Note that Google will route you to Karamadai on Coimbatore - Ooty road where there is a very congested (with devotees) 100m stretch behind the famous temple in Karamadai. Just be careful while going next to the chariots - people will suddenly appear from nowhere.

Had gone to Anaikkatti few weeks ago and roads are good till Kerala border. You have to take a right to Pannimadai road at a signal just before you get to Thudiyalur - if you see a "welcome to coimbatore corporation" board, you have overshot this signal - take a u turn and come back since the next few right turns Google will recommend are confusing and had pipe laying works.

Overall, if you get past Dhimbam, this route is excellent. Unlike Salem highway, one drawback is lack of good family eateries. But scenery and tree shade is excellent.

[vsbabu]

If you are going via Salem highway, it is still better to avoid Coimbatore town traffic between 9am to 1pm and 4pm to 8pm because of flyover works. Take right after Avinashi bye pass to Karamadai; or right at Karumathampatti to Thudiyalur (not much time saving) or take right opposite to airport road junction to Kalappatti, Saravanampatti and Thudiyalur.

[ampere]

Actually Coimbatore misses a ring road like bypass on the north east quadrant of the city. Today this circle is only by Annur-Avinashi. We need something closer.

[bejoy]

Originally Posted by vsbabu

If you are going via Salem highway, it is still better to avoid Coimbatore town traffic between 9am to 1pm and 4pm to 8pm because of flyover works.

Please share some details of these new flyovers, will it help Palakkad bound traffic passing through city (coming from Sathy)?

[NPV]

Originally Posted by bejoy

Please share some details of these new flyovers, will it help Palakkad bound traffic passing through city (coming from Sathy)?

I could be wrong, but I think the reference is to flyovers inside Coimbatore especially one on Avinashi Road. There is also a narrow 2 lane flyover with bi-directional traffic that one can take from Cross cut road and get to Avinashi road near the Nexa showroom but that again is for traffic within Coimbatore.

For Sathy route, I think it’s better you take Annur-Avinashi and join the NH 544?

[bejoy]

Originally Posted by NPV

I could be wrong, but I think the reference is to flyovers inside Coimbatore especially one on Avinashi Road. There is also a narrow 2 lane flyover with bi-directional traffic that one can take from Cross cut road and get to Avinashi road near the Nexa showroom but that again is for traffic within Coimbatore.

For Sathy route, I think it’s better you take Annur-Avinashi and join the NH 544?

Yes, I was referring to the flyovers inside the city.

Going towards Palakkad, taking Annur-Avinashi and then getting on to the unpredictable L&T bypass is what I want to avoid. But again, it depends on the timing. If I reach Coimbatore city by 7:30-8pm, on a busy weekend, cutting across the city and joining Madukkarai on Palakkad road make sense?