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'The Hindu' today gave a rather disappointing news that the NH 47 road condition will remain as is, till monsoon clears way :(


The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) officials here said on Monday that repair of the damaged National Highway 47 between Vadakkumcherry and Walayar for which administrative sanction of Rs.50 lakh had been given would be delayed as the work can be taken up only after the monsoon.

Full news article here;
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper...cle3860921.ece

Repeated the same route just now while going to Vadakkencherry. This time I reached Chengapalli at 7.35 pm, and my route timing is as below:

Reached Tirupur at 7.55 pm, Palladam at 8.20 (heavy traffic while exiting Tirupur), Pollachi at 9.05, Kollengode at 9.35 and Vadakkencherry (back on the highway) at 10.05 pm.

2.5 hours for this stretch, which would normally take me ~3 hours.

You should NOT go through Tiruppur. Most cases you would get stuck in traffic.
Best is to exit GQ at Perundurai and come to Palladam via Kangeyam. That is much much easier, in spite of traffic on Palladam-Kangeyam NH67. But the road is very good.

FYI , Alapuzha - kayamkulam - karunagapally stretch is in real bad shape with huge pot holes good enough to dislocate the bones and i'm sure the suspension will take a hit.
Beware when travelling through this part of NH at night.

Yes. The route is Kanakapura-Malavalli-Kollegal-Chamarajnagar-Dimbum-Bannari-Sathy-Annur-CBE. The scenery is amazing and the road is great to drive if you love curves and elevation changes. It will take around 5 hours to reach CBE.

Can someone suggest the condition of the road to Changancherry from Bangalore

I have 2 options at the moment.

BGLR-->Salem-->Dindigul-->Cumbam-->Theni--> Kumily-->Kottayam-->Chry

BGLR-->Salem-->CBE-->Palakkad-->Thrissur-->Cochin-->Alleppey-->Chry

please suggest any other alternative route,if present.

I came from Bangalore two weeks back via this route:
BGLR-->Salem-->CBE-->Palakkad-->Thrissur-->Cochin-->Alleppey

Drive till 25 km to Coimbatore is a breeze, but then onwards it is somewhere between hell and reality

After interacting with quite a few people in this forum and elsewhere the suggestion for me is to go back to Bangalore via:
Chry-->Kottayam--> Kumily-->Theni-->Cumbam-->Dindigul-->Salem-->BGLR

Please refer to my earlier post (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post2891135)
I took the Theni-Kumily route two weeks back and it's a much more relaxed drive then the Coimbatore-Palakkad route. If you are going to Changanassery, you don't have to go to Kottyam. After Vazhoor, you can take a left to Karukachal and go directly to Changanassery (http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Ku...=h&mra=ls&z=12)

Amp: since I have to start my return from CBe does this route still make sense ? Also does this join after the bad stretch in the Ulundurpetai Salem stretch?

I think you are meaning, Sulur-Palladam-Kangeyam-Perundurai. Roads are good, but truck traffic is there till Palladam / till that Tirupur road junction.

Annur-Avanashi is still better, it saves time.

+1 to that. Based on reports I've seen here, you can avoid the Dindigul-Theni stretch (where road-widening work is on) by going little bit further on NH7 till Kodai Road and taking a right from there. (Couldn't locate the post that details this route, but I think it was in this thread itself, you might need to go back a few pages)

And yes - you don't need to go to Kottayam when your final destination Changanacherry. Take the left fork at Pulickal Kavala junction (Also known as 14th mile since it is 14 miles / 23 kms from Kottayam) which takes you directly to Changanacherry via Karukachal in about 26 kms. That road is also generally in very good shape all the time.

+1

I thought you were starting again from Palakkad. Hence suggested that option.
If you are starting from CBE, the surely Annur-Avinashi is the way to go.
No need to go to Palladam/Kangeyam.

Here you go - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post2878845
There is a toll booth some distance away after the turn towards Dindigul town and there is an over pass just after the toll. Take the service road and turn right under the bridge and follow the road (it's a bit tricky). Then, you reach a junction and take a left at this junction and the road directly leads you to Batlagundu. After Batlagundu, I missed the left turn and continued to Periyakulam and Theni. The roads are not that bad on this stretch. Only some patches are bad due to widening work.

Actually, I took this route and the roads, eventhough is only two lanes, the surface is good and traffic is less. I started from BLR around 05:00 and reached Kumily by lunch time. It was raining heavily after that and still, I managed to reach my home (Pathanamthitta) by around 16:00.

If you miss that turn, which I did in my last trip, there is another option if you drive a couple of kms down on NH7 from Kodai road. It is a clearly marked junction, with a right turn to Theni/Kodaikanal. Just turn there and turn right again in the immediate junction and you are on the road to Vatlagundu, all the way straight.

Link here.

[quote=binaiks;2884516]It would be worthwhile if you are driving a low clearance vehicle, or if you prefer driving on the 'road' than 'off-roading'. If your destination is well within Thrissur town, then the difference in distance would be less than 20kms.


Thanks. I did the Palakkad - Ottapalam - Kulappully - Thrissur stretch earlier this week and in spite of the monsoon rain it was a superb drive. Excellent road and the celebrated green of Valluvanad in all its glory. I was told the NH between Thrissur and Palakkad remains in a rotten state.