Team-BHP - All Roads to Kerala

Quote:

Originally Posted by narayanang76 (Post 2027216)

BHPians: Any latest updates on road condition of the following route to Kerala?

Bangalore - Mysore - Nanjangudu - Bandipur - Manjeri - Cherplassery - Ottapalam

Any recent updates please?

Google maps showing as 374 kms - is that accurate?

Narayanan

To go to Ottapalam, I suggest you take the Wandoor, Pandikkad, Perinthalmanna, Cherplassery route from Nilambur.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vasoo (Post 2028639)

To go to Ottapalam, I suggest you take the Wandoor, Pandikkad, Perinthalmanna, Cherplassery route from Nilambur.

Last month I had been through the Nilambur-Guruvayur route. Nilambur - Pandikkad - Perinthalmanna stretch is in a total mess. The roads have been dug up every few kilometers and the existing patches are'nt great too. Its full of huge craters!

Kunnamkulam - Guruvayoor stretch is again nothing great to write home about. The rains have literally washed away the roads in Kerala.

Quote:

Originally Posted by joecherian (Post 2028574)

Hi Jacs, The route through Sathyamangalam might take same or more time when compared to the normal salem route. But, then I take this mainly because I get bored of driving on the NH. The sathy route gives you a peaceful drive with very less traffic.

You can take the sathy route by deviating from NH 47 at 2 points. First one is before the LT toll where in you will have to go through coimbatore city. This , at times, can be painful.Better aproach would be to take LT bye pass. After the bye pass, drive till Karumathampatty (which, is around 10 kms from the end of LT road).
At Karumathampatty, take the left turn which is again a SH, newly laid which will take you to Annur - Avinashi road. At this junction, take left which will take you to Annur town.
On reaching Annur, take the right which takes you to Sathyamangalam .In Sathy, look for directions for Athani. You might see directions for Bangalore (which actually goes through Chamarajnagar). Now, Sathy-Athani has atleast one junction that might be confusing. You might have to ask for directions for Athani and on reaching Athani, next junction is Anthiyur. After Anthiyur, get directions for Ammapettai (which is a left turn around 1 kms after Anthiyur on the Anthiyur Bhavani route. IF you miss this turn, you might end up in Bhavani.

Take the ammapettai road which takes you to Bhavani Mettur road and after this , it is the normal road.

If you are taking this route for the first time, I would advice you to pass this section in the day time as you might need assistance in getting directions (unless you have a navigation device)

Only disadvantage on this route is that you might not get any hotels/resttooms etc.Leaving this apart, the drive is absolutely refreshing (when compared to the boring 100 KMPH dash on NH)

Thanks a lot Joe. Not sure whether I would be driving at night, let me see if I can take this route while returning.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacs (Post 2028191)

Hi Unni,

Could you please detail the bad stretches, like from where to where and approx distance etc. It would help compare with the Trissur route.

Others who travelled last week, how the road till Valayar from Bangalore? Any new craters or wells on road?

I dont remember the details, just that it was slow after Cumbum due to potholes. However, I think that the Kumily route is better than the Walayar one, since I took the Walayar one while returning, and found the Cumbum one to be better. With the rains that has been going on, I'm sure both the routes are taking a beating.

Quote:

Originally Posted by unni.ak (Post 2029670)

During the rains, the ghat climb up from Cumbum side to Kumili cracks up a little, but that is nothing much to worry about.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbkumar (Post 2030045)

Hi all,
I am planning for Blr - Allepey Trip this weekend. Can someone please help me with the route? I am thinking of Blr-Salem-Cbe-Thrissur-Cochin-Allepey ( Nh7 and Nh47).
Is there a better route for this?

Would recommend a Dindigul - Kumili - Vazhoor - Chry - Alpy route for this. Sections between Angamaly and Palakkad on NH47 is in pretty bad shape with very high traffic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by appuchan (Post 2030155)

Would recommend a Dindigul - Kumili - Vazhoor - Chry - Alpy route for this. Sections between Angamaly and Palakkad on NH47 is in pretty bad shape with very high traffic.

Oh!!! God!!! Do you think I've an alternative too? If yes, pls recommend as I intend to take the route mentioned above to reach MVPA. I was under the impression that only the stretch from Palakkad to Thrissur is bad.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aargee (Post 2030130)

I'm driving this route too this weekend, but only upto Angamali & take a diversion from there for which the roads are in driveable condition except the Thrissur-Palakkad stretch. More updates on your route are posted in this thread by HVK Sir - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ce-needed.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by appuchan (Post 2030155)

Would recommend a Dindigul - Kumili - Vazhoor - Chry - Alpy route for this. Sections between Angamaly and Palakkad on NH47 is in pretty bad shape with very high traffic.

Thanks aargee and appuchan. I have couple of questions. please see if you can help me with them.

I have taken the Salem-Dindigul route upto Theni a month back. The road from Dindigul is two lane and I assume i have to continue on this same road for kumuli and beyond. Is this correct?

Since I have not taken this route before and I am planning to start Thursday evening from Blr, is it safe to take this route? It's just a couple of friends and no family, still wanted to check in case there is a need for assistance with directions in the middle of the night..and availability of road side shops for refreshments..

Also Google maps says its around 100kms more if i take the Dindigul - Kumuli route. Are the roads that bad from palakkad to take this longer route.

Thanks again for your help.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbkumar (Post 2030353)

The road from Dindigul is two lane and I assume i have to continue on this same road for kumuli and beyond. Is this correct?

Since I have not taken this route before and I am planning to start Thursday evening from Blr, is it safe to take this route? It's just a couple of friends and no family, still wanted to check in case there is a need for assistance with directions in the middle of the night..and availability of road side shops for refreshments..

Also Google maps says its around 100kms more if i take the Dindigul - Kumuli route. Are the roads that bad from palakkad to take this longer route.

Thanks again for your help.

From Dindigul onwards, road is 2-laned.
There will be sparse traffic in night, and there will be neither hotels nor petrol pumps open on this route till Kottayam. You may get some tea shops at Kumili.
Route is straightforward, no chances of getting lost. Signages are decent.
Safety is not an issue. No wildlife, no law and order problem.
Despite the 100 kms extra (as you say), it is faster to take this route than the Palakkad route.
Quick Distance comparisons:
Bangalore-Coimbatore-Angamali 520 kms-Kottayam 90 kms, totalling around 600 kms
Bangalore-Dindigul 400 kms-Kumili 130 kms-Kottayam 120 kms, totalling around 650 kms

Quote:

Originally Posted by aargee (Post 2030460)

@HVK Sir - How about taking the attached route from Chennai to Muvattupuzha via Madurai-Theni-Kambam-Thodupuzha-Muvattupuzha?
Will this be faster & better than taking the conventional Salem-CBE-Palakkad-Thrissur route?

The route is feasible, but problem with this route is:
- You have to take a narrow mountain road from Cumbam via Cumbamedu to Nedumkandam, then take a left turn to Puliyanmala, after which a right turn to Kattapana, and so on. From Kattapana onwards, it is totally desolate roads through wildlife territories via Cheruthoni/Idukki, Painavu, Kulamavu, Naduganu, Moolamattam and Muttom. I think they will not permit you on this route at night thanks to the wildlife crossings. Besides, it is a road you have take when you have lots of time on your hands, it being very scenic. And not a fast road.

The route via Kumili is fast with options to turn off towards Muvattupuzha at Mundakayam, Kanjirapalli and Ponkunnam (need not go till Kottayam to go to Muvattupuzha)

Just an update. Coimbatore - Thrissur is not that bad as you thought from multiple posts here. I had taken this route during my Blr-Ekm drive last weekend. Though its a real slow drive, with potholes at multiple stretches, its not that difficult a drive here. You have to be patient and go with the traffic flow. Don't try to overtake ALL the vehichles in front of you. Except a couple of places, the potholes are not that deep that you have to stop completely. While going from B'lore, I could cover Coimbatore (L&T Bypass)-Ernakulam (palarivattom) in 4 hours (6pm-10.30pm with one 30 miniute stop in between). And while coming back on Sunday, I could cover this in 3.5 hours (non stop from 3.25pm to 6.55pm)