Team-BHP - All Roads to Kerala

Hi,

Planning to drive down bekal via bangalore -> sbelagola -> sakleshpur (NH48) -> Mani (left at this junction per google maps) -> Bekal and back to bangalore via madikeri -> mysore.

Totally sat/sun/mon, and possibly extending to tue, but hopefully not.

Hows the condition of the route and do i need to be aware of any gotchas?. Alternative routes?. Suggestions?.

How about pointers for staying in hassan/sakleshpur/bekal?.

thanks folks!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by avasekeh (Post 2121778)

Please confirm if the Madekeri-Sulya road is being closed. Not sure of the current status. As per what was mentioned, since Nov 1 it would be closed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere (Post 2121724)

If its Kottayam, why not take the Theni route. Much-much better.

I heard horror stories about Palakkad - trissur stretch, not sure how better it is now! But chances are I have to drive alone and Theni route is quite deserted in night and less road support incase of any issues. Also Theni route adds up about 50KMs extra with some extra time.

BTW recently I came via that route, 90% beautiful road.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacs (Post 2121915)

I did not realize you will drive at night. Yes its kind of desolate. But for day time drives to Kottayam/Kumarakom, its the perfect route!

Hi Guys

I am planning a drive from Bangalore (starting from Jalahalli) to telicherry on the 10 of Nov.

Pls suggest the best route in terms of road quality. The usual route i take is nice road-mysore road-mysore-bandipur-mananthavadi and so on.

Any recent updates on the road quality on this route?

CHeers
Subs

I will be travelling from Bangalore to Trivandrum (via NH7) next week. While returning I wanted to take the NH208 - basically to see Kutralam falls.

Google Maps shows this as the default route for the return journey. How good is the road condition?

Quote:

Originally Posted by subs (Post 2122079)

1. Telichery - Koothuparamba - Nedumpoyil-Manathawadi - Bavali-HD Kote- Mysore - Bangalore.
The bad stretches are between Koothuparamba and Nedumpoyil and at the exit of Nagarhole Park. But this road is closed between 6pm to 6am through the national park

2. Telichery - Koothuparamba - Mattanur - Iritty - Makkutta - Gonikkuppa - Hunsur - Yelwala - Bilikere- Srirangapatna - Bangalore

Bad stretches are between Mattannur - Iritty, Koottupuzha bridge to Makutta CP, Perumpadi CP to Hunsur main road.

Both the routes are drivable in any car.

Thanks
Rajesh

Yesterday I had a drive from Bangalore to Ernakulam. Palakkad-Trichur NH47 section has become worst now... only the first half of the stretch (from Palakkad) was little ok. Will be taking alternate route (Shornur) on my return.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twiny (Post 2122840)

I would be driving from Vaikom to Bangalore on November 7th. Would be helpful if you could post the details of the alternate route.

Thanks in Advance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pramodpk (Post 2122927)

I would be driving from Vaikom to Bangalore on November 7th. Would be helpful if you could post the details of the alternate route.

Thanks in Advance.

please see this and the followup posts.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post2073471

Quote:

Originally Posted by pramodpk (Post 2122927)

I would be driving from Vaikom to Bangalore on November 7th. Would be helpful if you could post the details of the alternate route.

Thanks in Advance.

Best Route: (NH220/NH45/NH7)

Valikom-Kumarakom-Kottayam-Kanjirappaly-Kumily-Theni-Dindigul-Salem-Krishnagiri-BLR

The route that you mentioned very much longer than the NH47 route.
Vaikom Kumily itself would be 100+ KMS. Also there are very bad sections between Vaikom and Kumarakom. The road was dug up for Japan Drinking water scheme and has not been repaired for more than 6 months now.

I was asking about the Shornur-Wadakkanchery-Kolappuli-Palakkad route.
I had taken this route in September 2007 when the Palakkad thrissur stretch was horrible.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pramodpk (Post 2123027)

I think its about 70Km more (570 versus 640 as per Google maps). But if you get good roads all the way (except as you say Vaikom-Kumarakom), I think it is still worth while.

That is why I always maintained, if one has to drive to Vaikom/Kumarakom, it may be a good option. But if its Cochin, the detour is too much.

Trichur
Bengaluru, Karnataka 560001 to Vaikom, Kerala - Google Maps

Theni:
Bengaluru, Karnataka 560001 to Vaikom, Kerala - Google Maps

The shorter route to Kanjirappally from Vaikom is
Vaikom - Thalayolaparambu - Kaduthuruthy - Njeezhoor- Kuravalangad - Marangattupally- Pala - Kanjirapally.

But the Vaikom - Thalayolaparambu road is also not motorable as it was dug up for Japan drinking water scheme.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pramodpk (Post 2122927)

I would be driving from Vaikom to Bangalore on November 7th. Would be helpful if you could post the details of the alternate route.

Thanks in Advance.

Thrissur(Mannuthy)-Vadakkanchery-Shornur-Kulapully(41km)--Ottapalam-Palakkad.

NH47 Thrissur(Mannuthy Bypass Jn) to Palakkad Bypass Jn is 59km in my car.
The same via Shornur route is 88km. That means Shornur route is longer by ~29km.

Though there were big gutters in Ottapalam town, Kulapully-Palakkad stretch was very nice to drive. Considering the current NH47 state/drive in peak hours and raining condition, not regretting the additional distance traveled.