[alexkrish]

Am planning to hit the roads this month end on my new Polo. The source would be Hyderabad and the target is Cochin. I had checked the routes on google maps and have planned to take only NH as am travelling with my wife and kid.

In the google map/earth directions, one stretch of NH47 is not being used near coimbatore.
Does any of you who has travelled this stretch know the reason?
Check this screenshot below of the google directions from hyderabd to cochin.



Is this stretch of NH really not usable Or what could be the reason for this diversion at this point ?

Recent travellers, Please explain.

Alex.

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by alexkrish

Is this stretch of NH really not usable Or what could be the reason for this diversion at this point ?

That is just a GM glitch - do not worry about it. Covai bypass is excellent, albeit 2-lane.

[mykal shoemaker]

Originally Posted by sbraj

How were the roads near Haripad, Ochira, Kayamkulam? How was the weather in Kollam? Heard that it is raining heavily in some parts of the southern districts.


Anyone has update on stretch between Trivandrum-Kollam (NH47) and Trivandrum-Kottarakkara (MC Road)? Areas near Paripally, Kalluvathukkal? I plan to be in Trivandrum next week and would be driving around via these places.

I did a trip from Kallambalam to Bangalore through Chenkotta--Thenkashi--Thirumangalalm(near Madurai) and then NH7 route.

Due to heavy rains there were lots of water logging/overflowing rivers issues in the Kerala side.

My normal route to Aryankavu--Chenkotta is:

Kallambalam--Pallickal--Chadayamangalam--Ayoor--Anchal--Kulathuppuzha--Thenmala (you get NH 208 here)--Chenkotta.

But due to heavy rains,Ayoor --Anchal road was closed.then I took the MC road to Kottarakkara and reached NH 208.
the stretch between Ayoor and Kottarakkara is in bad shapes with waterlogging at 2-3 places(where small cars can't cross).I was on an innova and managed to cross.

The water levels were high as it was heavy rains for almost 24 hours.

Last 3 pics are from MC road and first one is from Kottarakkara--Thenmala route.



I'm planning one more journey on this route on friday.Hope rains will be over by then.

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by mykal shoemaker

then I took the MC road to Kottarakkara and reached NH 208.
the stretch between Ayoor and Kottarakkara is in bad shapes with waterlogging at 2-3 places(where small cars can't cross).I was on an innova and managed to cross.

Thanks for the update. When did you drive this route?

Yesterday I had heard that there is water logging near Kundara. This essentially means it is somewhat impossible to reach Kottarakkara from Trivandrum side with both MC Road and NH208 both damaged.

Originally Posted by mykal shoemaker

Last 3 pics are from MC road and first one is from Kottarakkara--Thenmala route.

I had read newspaper reports (my post here) that Kottarakkara-Punalur stretch has issues and only one side of the road is driveable.

[mykal shoemaker]

Originally Posted by sbraj

Thanks for the update. When did you drive this route?

Yesterday I had heard that there is water logging near Kundara. This essentially means it is somewhat impossible to reach Kottarakkara from Trivandrum side with both MC Road and NH208 both damaged.


I had read newspaper reports (my post here) that Kottarakkara-Punalur stretch has issues and only one side of the road is driveable.

I drove on this monday.(4th October).
3rd october we had heavy rains which lasted till 4th morning. Then had a one day break. The latest news is that rain is in full form again after that one day break.

[deepclutch]

M C Road from Muvattupuzha to Koothattukulam is in Bad condition.lot of huge potholes.Till Kottayam the Road conditions are not that great.Alternate Route from Muvattupuzha to Koothattukulam via Arakuzha,Pandappilly is also in very bad state.

[sajidclt]

Friends,

I am planning to drive down to Calicut from Bangalore this Saturday morning (9th). I normally take NH-212. However, the current condition of the road seems bad especially the stretch between Bathery and Meenangadi and the Vythiri-Adivaaram Ghat section.

I am considering the following alternate routes:

1) Bangalore - Mysore - Gundelpet - Gudallur - Nilambur - Calicut
2) Bangalore - Mysore - Gonikappa - Kutta - Mananthavady - Kuttiyadi - Calicut

Has anybody travelled on these routes recently? Are these roads in good condition? Should I stick to my regular route or try one of the above routes?

[kala]

Originally Posted by sajidclt

Friends,

I am planning to drive down to Calicut from Bangalore this Saturday morning (9th). I normally take NH-212. However, the current condition of the road seems bad especially the stretch between Bathery and Meenangadi and the Vythiri-Adivaaram Ghat section.

I am considering the following alternate routes:

1) Bangalore - Mysore - Gundelpet - Gudallur - Nilambur - Calicut
2) Bangalore - Mysore - Gonikappa - Kutta - Mananthavady - Kuttiyadi - Calicut

Has anybody travelled on these routes recently? Are these roads in good condition? Should I stick to my regular route or try one of the above routes?

As per my brother-in-law who travelled the Calicut-Nilambur-Gudalur route in mid August on his way to Ooty the roads on that route were very good then. But with Kerala roads and a reasonably heavy monsoon, one can't be 100% sure what the present state is - road conditions there can deteriorate drastically in a very short period of time..

I don't think the roads on Route 2 would be any better than the Bathery route. Kutta-kattikulam section is known to be pretty bad, and roads around Gonikoppal are not in great shape either - haven't seen many reports here about the Kuttyadi ghats section, so that is largely unknown.

(By the way if you really want to take the route via Mananthavady, going via Gonikoppal may be a bad choice. Either the Srirangapatna-Hunsur-Nagarahole-Kutta route or the Mysore-HD Kote-Kartikulam route would be the better options).

[sv1976]

Originally Posted by sajidclt

Friends,

I am planning to drive down to Calicut from Bangalore this Saturday morning (9th). I normally take NH-212. However, the current condition of the road seems bad especially the stretch between Bathery and Meenangadi and the Vythiri-Adivaaram Ghat section.

I am considering the following alternate routes:

1) Bangalore - Mysore - Gundelpet - Gudallur - Nilambur - Calicut
2) Bangalore - Mysore - Gonikappa - Kutta - Mananthavady - Kuttiyadi - Calicut

Has anybody travelled on these routes recently? Are these roads in good condition? Should I stick to my regular route or try one of the above routes?

Both your alternate options have bad stretches too and I'm sure they are longer. I had done NH212 three weeks back and though the Batheri-Meenangadi and the ghat stretch is bad, it was still drivable. Hairpin bends were in a real bad shape and one needs to be careful here. I would still recommend NH212 compared to other options.

[sajidclt]

Thanks for your inputs. I guess I will stick to NH212 unless I get more feedback regarding the Nilambur route.

Originally Posted by sv1976

Both your alternate options have bad stretches too and I'm sure they are longer. I had done NH212 three weeks back and though the Batheri-Meenangadi and the ghat stretch is bad, it was still drivable. Hairpin bends were in a real bad shape and one needs to be careful here. I would still recommend NH212 compared to other options.

I had travelled in the first week of September and encountered similar conditions. My dad was telling me that the hairpin bends have deteriorated further. I hope it still remains drivable.

Originally Posted by kala

(By the way if you really want to take the route via Mananthavady, going via Gonikoppal may be a bad choice. Either the Srirangapatna-Hunsur-Nagarahole-Kutta route or the Mysore-HD Kote-Kartikulam route would be the better options).

Thanks for the info regarding the shorter routes. I was thinking of the Gonikoppal route only because the buses take that route.

[Twiny]

Had done BLR-COK via NH47 yesterday night. This time I had run into lots of potholes in Palakkad-Trichur, compared last month.

~10kms of road on both sides of Kuthiran temple, has become very rough. And there was very big pool between, Karingachira Jn and Hillpalace(NH49).

[hvkumar]

Heard that the Trivandrum-Tenkasi road via Nedumangad, Palode & Tenmala is closed because some section of the road is washed away in the rains this week, and is not expected to be restored - any confirmations on that?

[mykal shoemaker]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Heard that the Trivandrum-Tenkasi road via Nedumangad, Palode & Tenmala is closed because some section of the road is washed away in the rains this week, and is not expected to be restored - any confirmations on that?

I did travel on part of this road yesterday.(Bangalore-Kallambalam-Via thenkashi)
I can confirm good roads upto thenmala- Kulathuppuzha.
I took a right turn from there to Anchal--MC road. So,no idea about its remaining portion upto TVM.

The Anchal-Ayoor route ,which was closed last week ,is open now.

Non-stop 5+ days rains have great effect on roads.Almost all small bridges are overflowing.Lots of trees fell near these areas.So need to be careful while driving.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by mykal shoemaker

I did travel on part of this road yesterday.(Bangalore-Kallambalam-Via thenkashi)
I can confirm good roads upto thenmala- Kulathuppuzha.
I took a right turn from there to Anchal--MC road. So,no idea about its remaining portion upto TVM.

The Anchal-Ayoor route ,which was closed last week ,is open now.

Non-stop 5+ days rains have great effect on roads.Almost all small bridges are overflowing.Lots of trees fell near these areas.So need to be careful while driving.

I think the affected section is between Nedumangad and Kulathupuzha, but am not sure. My source said that the road may not be restored for 3 months! I am bemused that so much damage could have happened, never heard of that road being damaged this way in the last 40 years!!!

[vasoo]

I travelled on the Thenmala TVM route on last Saturday. But I joined MC road near Kottarakkara and again there were quite a few deviations due to water logging. And to be frank, it is totally unusual to see so much rains in south Kerala during this part of the year. I am sure it would have long lasting impact on the roads and traffic around there. Most of the roads in and around TVM are flooded and driving a low GC car doesn't help the matter either. MC road between Kottarakkara and TVM, which was decent till about a few weeks back is in complete shambles now.