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I plan to drive to coimbatore from Bangalore on Saturday morning, could any of you who may have recently used this route via salem provide me info about the road condition on the Salem- Avinashi, Coimbatore stretch? Any alternate routes and suggestions are also most welcome

If you stay in north CBE, then take the Annur-Avinashi route to get into GQ. Its nice 4-lane from there to Krishnagiri. Krishnagiri-Hosur has constructions due to 6-lane work. Though traffic flows, its a bit irritating.

Alternatively you can take the NH209 via Sathy Chamarajanagar-Malavalli-Kanakpura-Bangalore. Its a 2-lane road and you get nice scenic views along the way.

Thanks for the inputs Amphere, I need to go to a place called Kaundampalayam in coimbatore, hope I have spelt that right, not much clue if the Annur route will be a closer/ better one/

Kaundumpalayam is on mettupalayam road.Easier coming via coimbatore city and not via Annur as Kaundumpalayam is closer to town hence would take a long time for you to negotiate the traffic between mettupalayam and cbe if you take annur route.

Annur route is only to avoid the 4 laning section between Avanashi and Cbe but then google maps shows this option when coming via Annur.

Sorry - can't recall any. I was travelling from Kanhangad to Bangalore and had topped up at Kanhangad, so wasn't looking for one - so even if there are any on the way I wouldn't have noticed. But if at all there are any, it would either be at Panathur and/or Bhagamandala - between the two is pretty dense forest, you might not even sight another vehicle on that stretch - leave alone a petrol bunk !! :-)

Returning to B'lore from Kottayam tomorrow. We are planning to take Kumily - Theni - Dindigul -Salem route. Heard from sources that there are multiple road widening activities on this route. Any updates ?

@JoeMichael,
When I did Kumily-Dindigul last month, the road was mostly good between Kumily-Gudalur. Gudalur-Theni - road widening in progress on few stretches (may be 4-5 Kms in Total).
But Theni-Dindigul is worst part. Please refer my post (#513) in below link for a small detour between Dindigul-Theni with which you could avoid many bad stretches and have a good ride from Theni-Dindigul. Please note, it was done during day. Not sure how confusing this route could be in nights.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...-route-35.html

Friends,
Planning a Blr-Sabarimala trip on Oct19th Weekend. Which is best advisable route given current conditions?

Car: i10, Passengers: 5 adults. Starting time: 19th Oct 2012 by 4 PM.

Plan is to reach Pamba early on 20th Oct morning, take some rest and climb to Sabarimala. So, need your inputs on some decent stay options near Pamba as well.

googlemaps suggested below routes. If there is any other option, please let me know.

#1 Blr-Salem-Dindigul-Kumily-Mundakkayam-Kannimala-Pamba (601 Kms)
I know the conditions till Kumily. Not sure about the roads after Kumily.
Link: http://goo.gl/maps/u6vva

#2 Blr-Salem-Bhavani-Avinashi-Palakkad-Thrissur-Kanjirappally-Pamba (650 Kms)
Link: http://goo.gl/maps/yynV9

#3 Blr-Sathyamangalam-Coimbatore-Palakkad-Thrissur-Kanjirappally-Pamba (630 Kms)
Link: http://goo.gl/maps/jZvAq

Seems the most logical to me. But no idea conditions on night drive beyond Dindigul.


This seems like a time and tested route. Confirm how traffic behaves at Walayar. Rest I think (excluding Kuthiran) should be fine.

For night drive I definitely take this option. Had it been during day time,
Theni/Dindigul would have been better.

Chucked out due to night drive !

No idea about stay options.

Just back to Bangalore from Kottayam. Took Kumily - Theni - Dindigul - Salem route. As NFSfreak mentioned road widening is in progress and roads are virtually
non-existent at some stretches between Theni and Dindigul, but is very much manageable and would say its much easier to negotiate than the craters in and around Kuthiran. Covered the distance of 635 kms in just under 11 hours , with 2 stops.

My pick will be the below route. From one of the above posts, seems there is road widening from Dindgul to Theni. Even then I prefer this route over the Palakkad - Thrissur one!

#1 Blr-Salem-Dindigul-Kumily-Mundakkayam-Kannimala-Pamba (601 Kms)

Estimate around ~10 hours till Mundakkayam [with three 15 minutes breaks] if you keep decent speed. Also try to make up time till Dindigul as after that you will start losing your pace owing to single lane highways.

Kumily to Vandiperiyar will not be the best in shape. From Vandiperiyar to till around Parathode [or where the actual high range ends] roads should be really good. After that expect small pot holes frequently.

From Angamaly to Thodupuzha, the roads are awesome. But from Thodupuzha to Kanjirappally, the roads are average to bad! There will be so much undulations that your rear passengers will curse you!

PS:: I hope you have already been in this route till Kumily and know where to take the deviation to Kerala in the Dindgul toll road?

Thanks a lot for the help swiftnfurious.
option 1 it will be then (via theni).
Yes, I've taken that route via Kodai road,devadanapatti,vaigai dam from Dindigul to Theni last month. So, confident about road conditions on Dindigul-Kumily stretch. :thumbs up

Any advice on stay options near Pamba is highly appreciated.

After a gap of one and half years did a Bangalore to Kerala run today. Immediately after Hosur near an intersection, saw a dead body wrapped in white clothes and kept In the road (blocking one lane) with a damaged TVS moped nearby. There was a crowd gathered around the body. Further on, saw a Kerala registered Innova ramming behind a Lorry at one of the intersections when the lorry had slowed down. The Innova’s hood was bent along with fluids leaking but the passengers appeared to be un-hurt. The lorry continued on its journey as though this was business as usual and I didn’t see any damage on the lorry.
Couple of other observations:
1. There seems to have been no progress at all during the last one year on the four lane construction between L&T bye pass and Walayar .
2. All the toll rates have gone up except the L&T toll which remains at Rs. 31 during the last one year.
3. Has Hotel Araamam near Walayar shut down? I saw a shut gate with a watchman on guard.
4. Stopped for Lunch at Naaluketu hotel at Walayar. The non-veg food is good but the vegetarian food is mediocre here.

-- Wind

Work has stopped on this section as the court has stayed the execution and the contractor who was awarded the contract has now put up the contract for sale