Team-BHP - All Roads to Kerala

Quote:

Originally Posted by ontheroad (Post 2416147)

Iam planning a Thrissur-Kollam drive this weekend. Anyone have driven in this stretch recently? How is road condition particularly in Cherthala-Kollam stretch? Thanks in advance

I did Chertalla-Changacherry two weeks back. There are huge potholes in this stretch. These are really huge and was in news last week stating the pathetic road conditions in and around Alleppey.

I did Ernakulam-Ranni and back on 2nd July.

1. Ernakulam-Thalayolapparambu-Ettumanoor-Palai-Ponkunnam-Manilama-Ranni
Road near Thalayolaparambu (3-4kms near DB College) is in bad shape.
Thalayolaparambu-Ettumanoor-Palai (excellent)
Pala - Ponkunnam - OK with some rough surfaces
Ponkunnam-Manimala-Ranni - Narrow but ok road.

2. Ranni-Kodangur (?) - KK Road - Manarcaud - Ettumanoor : Usual village road, no serious issues potholes anywhere.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ontheroad (Post 2416147)

Iam planning a Thrissur-Kollam drive this weekend. Anyone have driven in this stretch recently? How is road condition particularly in Cherthala-Kollam stretch? Thanks in advance

Road is bad from kalavoor till punnapra. bad from haripad till karunagapally.
rest is good

Have a plan to go to Quilon during August/September on a family function. Thought I could make use of this opportunity to cover Guruvayoor, Chottanikara, Mannarsala temples- enroute to Kollam.

I have the below route in mind. Please suggest if there needs any changes in terms of well maintained roads/good food joints.
Chennai - CBE - Pallakad - Ottapallam - Guruvayoor
GVR - Trissur - Ernakulam - Chotanikarai
Ernakulam - Allepey - Haripad
Haripad - Chertala - Kollam

Quote:

Originally Posted by ramanan.skr (Post 2416867)

Chennai-GVR : Chennai-Trichy-Dindigul-Palani-Udumalpet-Pollachi-Meenakshipuram-Koduvayur-Alathur-Pazhayannur-Wadakacherry-Kunnamkulam-GVR

(Pollachi-GVR is Ranjit special. !) Gives you the best route.

Chennai, Tamil Nadu to Guruvayoor, Kerala - Google Maps

GVR-Ernakulam is correct. I dont know much about the other two sections.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ramanan.skr (Post 2416867)

Chennai - CBE - Pallakad - Ottapallam - Guruvayoor
GVR - Trissur - Ernakulam - Chotanikarai
Ernakulam - Allepey - Haripad
Haripad - Chertala - Kollam

You need not go to Ernakulam to proceed from Guruvayur to Chottanikkara. You have the following options:

1. Guruvayur-Kunnamkulam-Thrissur-Thalore-Chalakkudy-Ankamaly-Aluva-Kalamassery-Kakkanad-Irumpanam-Thiruvankulam-Chottanikara.

Alternatively,
2. Guruvayur-Kodungallur-Parur-Aluva... then same as above.
3. Guruvayur-Kodungallur-Parur-Varapuzha-Kalamassery-Kakkanad-Irumpanam-Chottanikara.

The 2nd and 3rd routes mean you have to battle a very congested road from Kodungallur onwards. Guruvayur-Kodungallur is decent, but Kodungallur-Parur is in horrible shape now - roads are torn everywhere.

Kunnamkulam-Thrissur sees very heavy traffic, though.

Binai, Why Kunnamkulam? He can directly come to Chondal right?

Also I had a question on the route to Chotanikara temple. I thought it was easy to drive on NH47 all the way and by-pass
Ernakulam and enter Tripunithura and reach Thiruvankulam.

Is that not an easy thing? I did that stretch 2 years back. Then traffic on NH47 was kinf of manageable. How is it today? I have no idea.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere (Post 2416922)

Binai, Why Kunnamkulam? He can directly come to Chondal right?

True. Any route taken, GVR-Thrissur is a pain during the day. This is one reason why I always suggest NH17 to anyone who asks for a suggestion - Its much better to take the GVR-Vatanappally-Thrissur route - traffic is on the lower side, but the road is a strict two-laner.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere (Post 2416922)

Also I had a question on the route to Chotanikara temple. I thought it was easy to drive on NH47 all the way and by-pass
Ernakulam and enter Tripunithura and reach Thiruvankulam.

NH47 - the traffic depends a lot on the time of the day one travels - Aluva-Edappally-Vyttila is a breeze during afternoon hours, but is a pain during morning/evening hours.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere (Post 2416922)

Is that not an easy thing? I did that stretch 2 years back. Then traffic on NH47 was kinf of manageable. How is it today? I have no idea.

More than NH47, the Vyttila-Pettah-Tripunithura section is a royal mess. The road is too narrow at places, and the traffic has grown many folds.

I'd suggest the Seaport-Airport road anyday - not that the road is empty, but its much better than taking the bypass.

I am planning to drive to bangalore on friday. Seeing the posts on the condition of roads from Thrissur-Palakkad (NH 47), I'm planning to take the shornur->Ottappalam route to Palakkad. We are planning to start from EKM by 3. What would be a good place for dinner (around 8-9 PM)?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere (Post 2416922)

Also I had a question on the route to Chotanikara temple. I thought it was easy to drive on NH47 all the way and by-pass
Ernakulam and enter Tripunithura and reach Thiruvankulam.

Kalamassery-Kakkanad-Irumpanam-Thiruvankulam-Chottanikara is shorter than continuing on NH47. And it should be the preferred route anytime of the day.

Planning to drive to Kochi this friday.. start time would be around 4pm from Bangalore.
Thinking of taking, Salem - Perundurai - Kangeyam - Palladam - Pollachi - Valparai - Chalakkudy route.

Guess I reach Pollachi by 11pm, but never traveled in Pollachi-Valparai-Chalakkudy route.
Has this stretch got enough sign boards and can it be done in 3hrs time, safely?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twiny (Post 2417952)

I would say not worth it for the night drive. Facilities and directions would be limited.
Thought its one straight narrow road from Valparai to Chalakudy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soccerfan (Post 2416985)

You may reach Palghat by 7 30-8 00, if you go by Shornur-Ottappalam. Hotel Aryas in Chandranagar,Palghat is good, but a bit costly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twiny (Post 2417952)

I did Chalakudy-Valaprai-Pollachi-Palghat-Thrissur last sunday. Valparai-Vazhachal stretch is closed for traffic after 6PM. Roads are good. Far better than Wadakkanchery-Pattikkad stretch of National Hellway 47.:D

Quote:

Originally Posted by ontheroad (Post 2418043)

Valparai-Vazhachal stretch is closed for traffic after 6PM. Roads are good.

Why is it closed, due to monsoon/land slide?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere (Post 2418031)

I would say not worth it for the night drive. Facilities and directions would be limited.

Thanks.. Is Palladam-Pollachi-Vadakkanchery deviation too not worth in night.