[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

Travelling to Alleppey from Pollachi. So google says my best route is

pollachi-Thrissur(byepass)-Irinyalakuda-Cochin-Alleppey.

Is this route good?

As usual, one more quirk of Google Maps.
From Palakkad onwards it is one NH47 to Alapuzha via Trissur, Chalakudy, Angamali, Auva, Ernakulam-Kochi bypass, Aroor & Chertala. Irinjalakuda is not on the route and that is a different interior road.

[vu2pmc]

hi,
I am afraid, you should take Pollachi to Trichur with out touching Palakkad. Once in Trichur, it is NH 47, to Angamaly and edapally byepass, Chertala and Alleppy.

Pollachi to Trichur is a nice road, and you same almost 22 kms.

[neel24neo]

Hello people, i am planning a trip to munnar from trivandrum next week. i was thinking of driving to idukki from munnar and then to thodupuzha-muvattupuzha-ernakulam-trivandrum on the return leg. How good (or bad) are the roads in munnar-idukki-thodupuzha-muvattupuzha stretch, especially with all the rain that we have had?

[JoeMichael]

Did a quick run to Kottayam from Bangalore and back. Didn't find the road conditions over Nh-7 -NH-47 combo too bad. There is about a km of craters just before entering Kerala and about a 4 km stretch in and around Kuthiran, where the surface is quite uneven. Rest ranges from good - excellent. Took 11 hours to cover 598 kms house to house, with 4 stops and got delayed due to the bus - fuel tanker accident near Salem.

[TKMCE]

The Motor Vahana Bandh on Nov 5 in Kerala

I had booked a ticket to Coimbatore for that day since the price difference was much lower than tickets to Kochi from Mumbai and my house is in Aluva, so Coimbatore is always a good option. True to form at 2 PM the previous day the "Harthal" was announced. Went ahead as planned and decided to try my luck at Coimbatore since I was travelling alone.

Reached Coimabtore by 12 Noon. Called up Supaa travels who operates an AC bus at 2 PM to Kochi- not running was the response!!! Called up Kallada who said their Bangalore Kochi day time service had seats and expected to reach by 3 PM at the Omni bus stand. Decided to try my luck. Took a cab from the airport and on the way we saw a Salem Ernakulam TNSTC bus- surprised but then the cab driver suggested that I check at the Gandhipuram bus stand first - I agreed. Surprise of Surprises - KeSRTC was running its services and a TVM Super Express was scheduled to leave at 1 PM (in 10 minutes). Got a coupon and got on board. Hassle free travel although it toook 1 hour to clear Coimbatore town!!! Reached at 5.30 PM at Alwaye - 31/2 hours from Coimbatore outskirts to Alwaye. Bus was never more than 75% full. By the time I reached autos were already out on the roads so reached home without any hassles.

Most of the KeSRTC buses were operating except I think the Volvos.

On the way read article from Mr Vijayaraghavan, founder CEO of Techno Park stating that Keralites should stop this tendency of waiting for the "next bandh to arrive" and that bandhs help only politicians and government officials.


NB: The conductor was an unsually grumpy guy (bus was from TVM depot) and it was odd to come accross such a person after a lot of good experiences with very pleasant crew like those on the Bangalore Tiruvalla Super Deluxe.However the reason for the grumpiness came out a few hours into the trip - courtsey the driver. He was refusing to stop the bus except at the designated stops even in Trichur town and when some pax complained, he let the cat out of the bag-saying no one sees their point of view!!! Apparently the bus was 4-5 hours delayed getting into Coimbatore due to major blocks at Walayar the previous night (it was in all the newspapers) but the crew was still asked to take the bus back at the scheduled time and thus had reduced rest!!!

This was the second such incident I came accross in KeSRTC and is cause for alarm. It is also the reason why buses like the Tiruvalla or Kottarakkara super deluxe or TVM Volvo from Bangalore are a better bet as not only they have about 12 hours of rest, they are also 2 driver operations.

[vasoo]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

As usual, one more quirk of Google Maps.
From Palakkad onwards it is one NH47 to Alapuzha via Trissur, Chalakudy, Angamali, Auva, Ernakulam-Kochi bypass, Aroor & Chertala. Irinjalakuda is not on the route and that is a different interior road.

HVK, actually that is a good road now to go to Pollachi without touching Palakkad. I went through this road last month and it was very good and saves a good distance and time spent through Nh47. The route does not touch I'kuda though.

[hvkumar]

Yes, I agree, but for someone who is not familiar with the route, what signages should he look for?

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by neel24neo

How good (or bad) are the roads in munnar-idukki-thodupuzha-muvattupuzha stretch, especially with all the rain that we have had?

My friend is a frequenter on Kattappana-Idukki-Kochi route. As per him Thodupuzha-Muttam-Idukki route is in very good condition compared to Vagamon route. I personally traveled Muttam-Thodupuzha-Muvattupuzha last month and the road was in very good condition all the way.

[vu2pmc]

Originally Posted by neel24neo

Hello people, i am planning a trip to munnar from trivandrum next week. i was thinking of driving to idukki from munnar and then to thodupuzha-muvattupuzha-ernakulam-trivandrum on the return leg. How good (or bad) are the roads in munnar-idukki-thodupuzha-muvattupuzha stretch, especially with all the rain that we have had?

Hi I have done Kottayam, Thodupuzha, Idukki, Munnar hardly 3 weeks ago and the roads are really good. ( speaking relatively)

Thodupuzha Muvattupuzha ernakulam is also good. ( perhaps these two roads seems like an exception to the roads in Malabar where I live

[vu2pmc]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Yes, I agree, but for someone who is not familiar with the route, what signages should he look for?

Hi,

AT pollachi town, you have signboards clearly marked Trichur in one direction, Palakkad in another and coimbatore in yet another direction.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by vu2pmc

Hi I have done Kottayam, Thodupuzha, Idukki, Munnar hardly 3 weeks ago and the roads are really good. ( speaking relatively)

Read somewhere that roads around Munnar, especially Munnar town to Pallivasal is in bad state. Have you noticed?

[vu2pmc]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

Read somewhere that roads around Munnar, especially Munnar town to Pallivasal is in bad state. Have you noticed?

Well, I travel on the following route.. thodupuzha, idukki, kattappana, puliyanmedu, turn left at that junction, nedumkandam, chinnakanal and them Munnar. So I completely skip the pallivasal sector.
Sorry abt it.

[Geo_Ipe]

Hey BHPians,

Planning to do a solo drive from Vellore to Kottayam on 27/11, on my Waron R.

Plannning to take the Vellore - Krishnagiri - Selam - Coimbatore - Palakkad - Thrissur - Angamali - Muvattupuzha - Kottayam route.

Any alternate suggestions??

Plus, any special precautions to be taken while driving solo?
I've done a 600km single way drive solo before so I can anticipate the fatigue factor.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by Geo_Ipe

Planning to do a solo drive from Vellore to Kottayam on 27/11, on my Waron R.

Plannning to take the Vellore - Krishnagiri - Selam - Coimbatore - Palakkad - Thrissur - Angamali - Muvattupuzha - Kottayam route.

Any alternate suggestions??

Plus, any special precautions to be taken while driving solo?
I've done a 600km single way drive solo before so I can anticipate the fatigue factor.

The road till Avinashi (about 350 kms from Vellor) is in great shape and can be done easily in about 5hrs. Construction work happening between Avinashi & Walayar which is almost completed in several places. It is advised to take this stretch in daytime, if possible. Walayar-Trichur (Mannuthy) is patched up and is a bumpy ride. Trichur-Angamaly is four lane and remaining stretch typical Kerala busy road.

Buses are a nightmare in Avinashi - Coimbatore and Trichur-Palghat route.

[vasoo]

Originally Posted by Geo_Ipe

Hey BHPians,

Planning to do a solo drive from Vellore to Kottayam on 27/11, on my Waron R.

Plannning to take the Vellore - Krishnagiri - Selam - Coimbatore - Palakkad - Thrissur - Angamali - Muvattupuzha - Kottayam route.

Any alternate suggestions??

Plus, any special precautions to be taken while driving solo?
I've done a 600km single way drive solo before so I can anticipate the fatigue factor.

If you are directly going to Kottayam, I suggest you to take the Salem > Karur > Dindigul > Theni > Kumily route. It has some ghat sections, but excellent surface most of the way with much lesser traffic. Distance is almost same. I am used to doing solo between Bangalore and Kottayam. There is nothing extra in terms of precautions required, except that you may feel more sleepy since there is nobody to talk to. I usually stock a flask with hot black coffee and sip it once in a while