[ampere]

Originally Posted by im_srini

Drove down to CBE & back this weekend. Yes, the Salem to Sankagiri stretch is complete. All 4-laning work on this stretch (MAS - CBE) is complete. The only issue is ~20 Kms from Avinashi, where the 4-laning ends. Of course, you can turn off at Avinashi towards Annur & continue on towards Ganapthy.

Took the Sathy-Road (NH209) yesterday evening while returning to Chennai, the previously brilliant road surface appears to have been patched rather poorly. Moreover, there was too much commercial traffic (read, slow-moving trucks) for my liking.

Why would you need to take 209 route Chennai. I did not understand the logic.

[im_srini]

Originally Posted by ampere

Why would you need to take 209 route Chennai. I did not understand the logic.

Yes, the Sathy-Road (NH209) is not the shortest route out of CBE (to MAS). However, the road is (was ?) amazing to drive on & it helps you avoid running the Avinashi-Road gauntlet. Moreover, there were huge jams on Avinashi-Road near the site for the Tamizh-Conference, & I wanted to avoid these.

From CBE, you can take NH209 up to Annur, then proceed onwards to Avinashi (it helps if you're starting off from around Ganapthy). By taking the Sathy-Road, you can avoid most of the commercial traffic choking Avinashi Road (once I spent 2 hours to cover this stretch, still gives me the shivers !).

[buvan]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Blr-Mysore 150kms

Mysore-Bandipur-70kms

Bandipur-Masinagudi 70kms

Masinagudi-Ooty 40kms

Ooty-Cbe 85kms

Good stops: Plenty of restaurants on the BLR-Mysore ( Kamat Lokaruchi) and CCD outlets at Gundulpet,Mandya.If you are driving into Mysore town you could try the famous Mysore Mylari hotel.

Pugmarks at Bandipur is another eating place.

Bandipur-Masinagudi 70kms , No its wrong.

It should be hardly 15 to 20kms max

[rki2007]

Hey guys after going through so many routes, i am fully confused. Pease suggest me the best route to Cbe from Bangalore.I prefer the shortest route with good roads. Anyone please help me out.

[im_srini]

Originally Posted by rki2007

Hey guys after going through so many routes, i am fully confused. Please suggest me the best route to CBE from Bangalore. I prefer the shortest route with good roads. Anyone please help me out.

Short & sweet answer...

Originally Posted by ampere

Just following GQ - NH7/NH47. Bangalore-Salem-CBE. You will face some trouble beyond Avinashi, but should be OK. Do-able in 5 to 5.5 hours (~330Km of 4L bliss).

If this is your first time to CBE, remember to slow down in the Salem ghat section, you'll pick up speed quickly due to the section being downhill & there are half-a-dozen speed breakers to catch you out. Also slowdown as you approach Salem, the NH is pretty much everybody's backyard there !

As you drive down NH7 on the Salem bypass, after the 2nd signal, reduce speed to a moderate clip. The entry ramp for NH47 & CBE would come up on your left. This ramp is a lot of fun, is almost a skidpad, & turns you through 270 deg That said, the ramp is poorly marked with the sign-board being placed too close to it - if you miss the ramp, just proceed further down the highway & you'll come to a round-about marked "Nandhi Ghee" - you'll need to take a right here to get on to NH47 & CBE.

The 4-laned roads end ~20 Kms before Avinashi & ~65 Kms from Ganapathy (CBE). If there is too much traffic for your liking on the Avinashi Road, at Avinashi, proceed past the Avinashi bus-stand, & at the next major 4-road junction, take a right towards Annur (I think this is SH80). This road meets the Sathy-Road (NH209) at Annur - from where CBE is just 28 Kms.

While returning, on the Salem flyover, the exit to NH7 from NH47 is, once again, poorly marked - just reduce speed on the flyover & you should not have an issue (the exit is also quite narrow).

[ampere]

I have been speaking to many CBE regulars and I realized each one has a custom-optimized "shortest-route" to their places. I think it also depends on which part CBE, is the destination.

[rki2007]

Originally Posted by im_srini

Short & sweet answer...



If this is your first time to CBE, remember to slow down in the Salem ghat section, you'll pick up speed quickly due to the section being downhill & there are half-a-dozen speed breakers to catch you out. Also slowdown as you approach Salem, the NH is pretty much everybody's backyard there !

As you drive down NH7 on the Salem bypass, after the 2nd signal, reduce speed to a moderate clip. The entry ramp for NH47 & CBE would come up on your left. This ramp is a lot of fun, is almost a skidpad, & turns you through 270 deg That said, the ramp is poorly marked with the sign-board being placed too close to it - if you miss the ramp, just proceed further down the highway & you'll come to a round-about marked "Nandhi Ghee" - you'll need to take a right here to get on to NH47 & CBE.

The 4-laned roads end ~20 Kms before Avinashi & ~65 Kms from Ganapathy (CBE). If there is too much traffic for your liking on the Avinashi Road, at Avinashi, proceed past the Avinashi bus-stand, & at the next major 4-road junction, take a right towards Annur (I think this is SH80). This road meets the Sathy-Road (NH209) at Annur - from where CBE is just 28 Kms.

While returning, on the Salem flyover, the exit to NH7 from NH47 is, once again, poorly marked - just reduce speed on the flyover & you should not have an issue (the exit is also quite narrow).

From salem The 4-laned roads end ~20 Kms before Avinashi & ~65 Kms from Ganapathy (CBE). Please tell me what are the cities/towns that come in this route.

[ampere]

Bangalore-Hosur-Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri-Thoppur-Salem-Sankagiri-Bhavani-Perinduari-Avinashi

[nandans2005]

Originally Posted by ampere

Bangalore-Hosur-Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri-Thoppur-Salem-Sankagiri-Bhavani-Perinduari-Avinashi

This is pretty much the straight forward route to Coimbatore. Its PERUNDURAI.

Only thing is that just before Avinashi, the TOLL Road ends and its two lane road.Traffic is undivided. Village buses drive very fast on this stretch. The two wheelers are a menace on this road. Most of the accident occur here and this is due to the wrongly calculated manoeuvre to overtake.

I dont see a point why one should travel upto avinashi, then go to sathy and annur to reach Coimbatore just to avoid the two lane road.

Recently, they have increased the toll too.

One could as well get into sathy road by taking the right turn after THOPPUR GHAT. This route will take you to sathy, annur > Coimbatore.

[csentil]

Originally Posted by nandans2005

I dont see a point why one should travel upto avinashi, then go to sathy and annur to reach Coimbatore just to avoid the two lane road.

One could as well get into sathy road by taking the right turn after THOPPUR GHAT. This route will take you to sathy, annur > Coimbatore.

Not go upto Sathy. Take right at Avinashi and go to Annur which is on what's popularly known as "Sathy Road".

This is probably the ideal solution if one needs to get to Gandhipuram, Ganapathi, Sivananda Colony, Saibaba Colony or Mettupalayam road.

However now there's a lot of traffic on the Sathy Road till Annur. This is due to Mettupalayam Road undergoing 4 laning. So most vehicles take the Annur Road and turn left at Annur to go to Mettupalayam!

[jkrishnakj]

The route i normally take ( atleast once a month i do this trip ) is
Bangalore-Hosur-Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri - Thoppur - Mettur - Bhavani - Avinashi - Annur - Ganapathy .

This helps avoid the heavy traffic stretch after Avinashi. The roads between Thoppur and Mettur is decent. I cover this stretch in about 5-5.5 hours.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

The route i normally take ( atleast once a month i do this trip ) is
Bangalore-Hosur-Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri - Thoppur - Mettur - Bhavani - Avinashi - Annur - Ganapathy .

This helps avoid the heavy traffic stretch after Avinashi. The roads between Thoppur and Mettur is decent. I cover this stretch in about 5-5.5 hours.

One more option which I hear from folks:
Bangalore-Hosur-Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri - Thoppur - Mettur - Ammapettai- Anthiyur - Athani - Sathy By-Pass - Sirumugai - Karamadai.

This way one can reach North CBE without going through city and through one of least populated roads beyond Mettur.

Though it may be a bit longer ( by about 10-20 Km).

[csentil]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

The route i normally take ( atleast once a month i do this trip ) is
Bangalore-Hosur-Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri - Thoppur - Mettur - Bhavani - Avinashi - Annur - Ganapathy .

This helps avoid the heavy traffic stretch after Avinashi. The roads between Thoppur and Mettur is decent. I cover this stretch in about 5-5.5 hours.

If you are doing this once in a month, I'll definitely ask you to take the 4 lane via Salem bypass till Perumanallur (10 kms before Avinashi) and then take the right towards Annur and then go to Ganapathy. Though its longer by 20 kms the new 4 laning makes it that much faster. 4 laning is complete and is much faster. Beware of idiots on the wrong side at times!!

Also Mechari to Mettur at times can be a problem.

Also I would suggest Mettur - Ammapettai (take right here) - Andhiyur - Athani - Sathy - Annur - Ganapathy. This is shorter than going all the way to Bhavani - Perundurai - Avinashi and cutting back to Annur. I sometimes do Athani - Gobi - Nambiyur - Annur.

If you want to go upto Bhavani then you can take the right at Chithode(which is after Bhavani), towards Gobi and then take left towards Nambiyur and then Annur. This road is also very good.

[jkrishnakj]

Thanks Csentil. I wasnt sure about the 4 lane completion 10 KM's shy of Avinashi. As you rightly said, though a bit longer, it does reduce time.

I had once tried the route via Andhiyur-Athani-Sathy. Very nice curving roads, scenic and smooth surface.

[rki2007]

Hi guys thanks for your inputs.
Very recently i used the following route to reach Cbe. The roads are excellent.

Blr-Hosur-Krishnagiri-Toppur-Mecheri-Mettur(For very few kms the roads are rough, but manageable)Ammapettai-Andhiyur-Athani-Satyamangalam-Saravanampatti-CBE

From BLR-Mettur i took 3hours and from toppur to cbe i took 4 hours. I was driving at 80kmph only since my car was under the initial running period.
I think the strech from Toppur- Cbe is fit to drive at 80kmph only. The roads were very good. It is a undivided lane road.Absolutely no traffic. The only problem is our great villagers who keep on jumping from one end to the other end of the roads thereby proving that man evoluted from apes. Rest of that i had no problems. There were many sign boards, all directions were accurate, the people were helpful in giving routes.