[ampere]

I think we should figure out a good CBE-Palakkad by-pass.
Is this route via Pollachi worth it instead of NH47? (Avinashi/Pollachi/Alathur).

No change to the distance. How are the road conditions? Avinashi/Pollachi I know is godo.
What about the rest? One can then join NH47 beyond Palakkad.

State Highway 166/SH 166 to National Highway 47 - Google Maps

[sbkumar]

Originally Posted by ampere

I think we should figure out a good CBE-Palakkad by-pass.
Is this route via Pollachi worth it instead of NH47? (Avinashi/Pollachi/Alathur).

No change to the distance. How are the road conditions? Avinashi/Pollachi I know is godo.
What about the rest? One can then join NH47 beyond Palakkad.

State Highway 166/SH 166 to National Highway 47 - Google Maps

The state of roads beyond palakkad is worse than those between cbe-palakkad. Its better if we can avoid as much NH-47 as possible. I think we can join to NH-47 at Vadakkanshery too. I had taken this route about 4 months back - Vadakkanshery to Pollachi. Though the road was a narrow two lane, there was hardly any traffic and so it was quite a relaxed drive when compared to the chaos on NH47. Not sure about the current conditions after the rains.

On a related note, the 4-laning work has started on the singampuli-karumathampatti stretch, we can expect some delays due to this on Nh47 between avinashi and cbe soon.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by sbkumar

The state of roads beyond palakkad is worse than those between cbe-palakkad. Its better if we can avoid as much NH-47 as possible. I think we can join to NH-47 at Vadakkanshery too. I had taken this route about 4 months back - Vadakkanshery to Pollachi. Though the road was a narrow two lane, there was hardly any traffic and so it was quite a relaxed drive when compared to the chaos on NH47. Not sure about the current conditions after the rains.

On a related note, the 4-laning work has started on the singampuli-karumathampatti stretch, we can expect some delays due to this on Nh47 between avinashi and cbe soon.

So you mean the SH between Pollachi and Vadakkanshery is a good one!
If that is the case, this seems like a perfect by-passing of the 4L mess.

Then the only concerns remaining are options for food/toilets etc.

[ananth_iy]

We made a trip as planned from CBE-Aluva over the weekend. Route taken CBE-Pollachi-Valparai-Vazhachal-Chalakudy-Aluva.

The road was fantastic until the Tamil Nadu border and beyond that ... the less said the better. The scenery was fantastic until the Tamil Nadu border and beyond that ... the less said the better. It could have been great if only someone took some interest to maintain the place.

All in all, I will go again the same route but only until Valparai and Sholayar Dam - never beyond.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ananth_iy

We made a trip as planned from CBE-Aluva over the weekend. Route taken CBE-Pollachi-Valparai-Vazhachal-Chalakudy-Aluva.

The road was fantastic until the Tamil Nadu border and beyond that ... the less said the better. The scenery was fantastic until the Tamil Nadu border and beyond that ... the less said the better. It could have been great if only someone took some interest to maintain the place.

All in all, I will go again the same route but only until Valparai and Sholayar Dam - never beyond.

Ananth,

What I meant was, if some one is coming down NH7 and as is wanting to go to Trichur or further down south,
will the Avinashi/Pollachi/Vadakkanshery be a good solution to by-pass the 4-Laning work on NH47?

Avinashi-CBE-Palakkad stretch are real bad according to most updates.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by ampere

Ananth,

What I meant was, if some one is coming down NH7 and as is wanting to go to Trichur or further down south,
will the Avinashi/Pollachi/Vadakkanshery be a good solution to by-pass the 4-Laning work on NH47?

Avinashi-CBE-Palakkad stretch are real bad according to most updates.

I wouldnt reccomend the Pollachi-Vadakkencherry route as a bypass for the NH47.It is better to stick to NH47.Vadakkencherry to Chittilancherry to Nenmara is not all that great,at times it is good,but most of the times its bad,moreover you would never be able to do the speeds that you do on the NH if you take this road.Take this road only if you are coming from Pollachi,else stick to the NH.

OT:Just as a matter of interest,this route passes through the famous(in)Shashi Tharoor's place(Chittilanchery/Elevancheri)

[jeevmenon]

Originally Posted by ananth_iy

We made a trip as planned from CBE-Aluva over the weekend. Route taken CBE-Pollachi-Valparai-Vazhachal-Chalakudy-Aluva.

The road was fantastic until the Tamil Nadu border and beyond that ... the less said the better. The scenery was fantastic until the Tamil Nadu border and beyond that ... the less said the better. It could have been great if only someone took some interest to maintain the place.

All in all, I will go again the same route but only until Valparai and Sholayar Dam - never beyond.

I beg to differ. I drove at 2 am from Chalakudy to the NH and it was the best road I have seen in my life. I agree that the NH is 4L and fly-overs are coming up on the NH from Thrissur to Palakkad and in monsoon it can get worse but then the amount of s/w monsoon that Kerala gets is a bit more and with it the greenery, so if you want to enjoy God's own country to its fullest one needs to take the rain-fed roads as well. "Maintain the place"? One does not and should not maintain forests. Its better left alone and wild.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

I wouldnt reccomend the Pollachi-Vadakkencherry route as a bypass for the NH47.It is better to stick to NH47.Vadakkencherry to Chittilancherry to Nenmara is not all that great,at times it is good,but most of the times its bad,moreover you would never be able to do the speeds that you do on the NH if you take this road.Take this road only if you are coming from Pollachi,else stick to the NH.

OT:Just as a matter of interest,this route passes through the famous(in)Shashi Tharoor's place(Chittilanchery/Elevancheri)

Thanks Ranjit, I have no idea about this route. Just wanted to know more.
So you are saying NH47 is still better compared to the state roads.

[sbkumar]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

I wouldnt reccomend the Pollachi-Vadakkencherry route as a bypass for the NH47.It is better to stick to NH47.Vadakkencherry to Chittilancherry to Nenmara is not all that great,at times it is good,but most of the times its bad,moreover you would never be able to do the speeds that you do on the NH if you take this road.Take this road only if you are coming from Pollachi,else stick to the NH.

OT:Just as a matter of interest,this route passes through the famous(in)Shashi Tharoor's place(Chittilanchery/Elevancheri)

Ranjit,

Thanks for the update. I think what you said was true for the pre-monsoon Nh47. I took this route day before yesterday and it was plain mess. Someone else too posted around the same timings of around 2.5Hrs between Thrissur and Cbe(start of byepass) for the 110 km stretch with some aggressive driving. You have to tackle a lot of pot holes and do a lot of over taking on this. I was not sure of the vadakkenchery roads and hence didn't take it.
Have you driven on these roads recently?

[joecherian]

Drove back from Cochin to Bangalore yesterday (through NH47/NH7). The roads between TCR and PGT has improved a lot.Started from Edappally at 9 and we were at Palghat at 11.Kuthiran ghats seems to have improved with the patch work. The ride is still bumpy but then you don't need to crawl. Only doubt is , how long does the patchwork last.

[ampere]

Has NHAI any realistic estimated dates for completion of 4L on NH47?
Am I asking too much ?

[joecherian]

Originally Posted by ampere

Has NHAI any realistic estimated dates for completion of 4L on NH47?
Am I asking too much ?

Forget the 4 laning. I would be very happy if I can drive through the fly over at Chalakudy and Alwaye. How long does one take to construct a fly over ? Frustrating....

[amitoj]

Since i am not having any luck here:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...via-salem.html

maybe i should post in this thread.

Guys, whats the best route to take from Bangalore to Kumarakom? And how long will it take?

TIA
Amitoj

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by amitoj

Since i am not having any luck here:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...via-salem.html

maybe i should post in this thread.

Guys, whats the best route to take from Bangalore to Kumarakom? And how long will it take?

TIA
Amitoj

Nevermind. Some kind souls have replied on that thread.

[sv1976]

Got a real taste of a Walayar jam during this Blr-Cochin Onam trip. It took us 1 hour 50 minutes to pass that 2km stretch on Saturday early morning. By the time we cleared it, palakkad-cochin traffic was at its peak and gave us the worst ever timing of 13 hours. I wish if those cops at Walayar check post had reported on duty couple of hours early that day.

Yesterday's Cochin-Blr was smooth. I think afternoon start works best in this route. This is the second time I started at 3.30pm from Palarivattom and could reach CV raman nagar at 12.50am. No blocks anywhere.