All Roads to Kerala

s0uljah · 21st August 2007, 23:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

Err.... is there an alternative route?

Ok I guess I wasnt clear enough. It should have read "I assume this is the route?" I meant to ask if that is the route, judging by your response I reckon there is no other route.

My query regarding the condition of this stretch still remains unanswered though... oh well I guess it wont be long before I find out for myself

kartikkumar · 21st August 2007, 23:34

sOuljah, looks like you are going to be the one to update us on the condition of the roads to and in kerala. Look forward to a positive report chief, else my dear Swift D is not going to like me for a long time to come...

Cheers!

BaCkSeAtDrIVeR · 22nd August 2007, 21:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by s0uljah

"I assume this is the route?" I meant to ask if that is the route, judging by your response I reckon there is no other route.

My query regarding the condition of this stretch still remains unanswered though... oh well I guess it wont be long before I find out for myself

Kasargod - kannur - calicut route is From Mangalore, and there is really no alternative except NH17. Coimbatore - walayar - Palakkad - trichur stretch is part of NH 47, and you take it to reach Cochin from [Bangalore] or anyplace in South east Karnataka, Any place in AP and Most of northern TN. There are quite a few alternatives. For example, From bangy, people can take at least 4 routes to reach Mananthavady / Irritty - Kannur or Perinthalmanna - Shornut - trichur on the way to Cochin.
<tongueincheek>
Some of the alternatives are not maintained by the govt/its agencies. These pass through fields around Walayar, and are used by spirited lorry drivers.
Going by posts here, these roads would be in better condition than NH 47.</tongueincheek>

Of course, you can go from B'lore to M'lore and then come into Kerala via NH 17, but that is a lousy choice, IMHO. It is a bit since I travelled this route, but I think the roads will be bad just after Monsoons, and the risk is greater, particularly because the entire kasargod - Edappally stretch is infested with private buses.

Jomz · 23rd August 2007, 01:31

DiD Bangalore - Muvattupuzha (Nearby cochin ) on Aug 6th in My Zen.
Should've taken a pic.. The rear seat was folded forward and all the items in my house was stacked on the back of the car.. (Including a computer table too)

Roads were good till walayar... After that itz hopeless.

Angamaly to Muvattupuzha (MC road) was really nice
Btw had done MVPa - thiruvalla on MC road. Ettumannor to Thiruvalla is sort of bad.

Damages - 2 Bent rims (both front), Jumpy Suspension (anyway it about to be overhauled). scratches & slightly bent sump

Was driving quite fast because, that was going to be my last week at home ,before leaving town for a couple of years ,and each hour @ home was quite precious. Miss kappa and meen

Time taken - Started @ 9am. Reached angamaly By around 6pm.
A long break there and One more hour to Muvattupuzha

leodelg · 23rd August 2007, 02:58

I have been following this thread closely since I have a Bangalore-Thrissur trip to make on the 26th of this month to attend my colleague's loss of freedom and sanity (a.k.a wedding). From the looks of it, things dont look so good for the Baleno, especially since there are four of us. I had a gut feeling the roads would be bad because my Trivandrum-Bangalore Volvo journey on the 15th of this month was pretty bumpy. Since then, I have been praying that Achumama does something before my next trip (heck.... who the hell am I kidding???)

nutmello · 23rd August 2007, 07:34

hi
i drive every month from mysore to cochin( every month from past 6 years).sincere suggestion: route from Walayar to thrissur - NO ROAD exists now.dangerous and horrible for any vehicle.thrissur to cochin is also in same condition.another route of driving thro mysore to calicut and cochin- here blr to mysore - 2 and half hours + mys to gundalpet-1hr + gundalpet to kalpetta-to calicut - 4hrs ( however you drive you need 5 hrs from mys to calicut) is OK, but then from calicut to cochin - is BAD.
Take a flight - spice jet is now flying for 1500+ or AD is daily flying at 1500+ or best is take a train. Driving is not worth the pain.

maxbhp · 23rd August 2007, 08:27

GUYS BE CAREFUL IN THE TCR - PKD stretch . ROAD IS REALLY REALLY BAD , TRY AVOID PASSING THAT SECTION IN THE NIGHT ! I travel everyday in that route and the roads have become really dangerous , so anyone who is planning a night drive from Bangalore , Please be really careful.

CaliforniaKnight · 23rd August 2007, 09:37

coupled to the heavy duty rains things are expecetd to be even worse i guess!!

kartikkumar · 23rd August 2007, 11:37

That settles the matter for me then...will not risk my Swift D on non-existent roads! She is far to precious to be abused, and at such a young age at that. I don't want her to grow up scarred for life because of a nasty childhood experience.

Cheers!

hellstar · 23rd August 2007, 12:30

I have decided to skip the Salem - Coimbatore - Palakkad - Trichur Route completely and use the Rout via Taminadu , as shown below

Bangalore - Salem
Madurai-Tirumangalam, 20 kms
Virudhunagar, 28
Sattur, 28
Sankarnagar, 75
Tirunelveli, 5
Nanguneri, 34
Valliyoor, 15
Panagudi, 9
Nagercoil, 24
Marthandam, 30
Neyyatinkara, 21
Trivandrum, 22,
totalling 293 kms from Madurai

Or

Madurai-Tirumangalam, 20 kms
After Tirumangalam, 3 kms, turn right off NH7
Srivilliputtur, 55
Rajapalayam, 11
Kadayanallur, 56
Tenkasi, 18
Schecottah, 10
Aryankavu, 18
Tenmala, 11
Kulathupuzha, 13
Palode, 29
Nedumangad, 18
Trivandrum, 15

totalling 277 kms from Madurai

I checked the status of these roads with a KPN Volvo Driver who does this route daily and he says these are definitely better than the Trichur cochin route if you have to reach either Kollam / Trivandrum.

I am starting today , and will give an update before noon tomorrow. On the actual conditions

Courtesy Tadukuttan and hvkumar

manavdotcom · 23rd August 2007, 13:28

Wise decision.The roads in tamiladnu are going to 4 laning but still better then keral.Salem - comimbatore took me 4 hours !!! that too drining in night was horrible. Trisur road is horrible, However if you turn towards tekkadi from trisur - Aluva road then the roads are very good.Madurai to tirunelveli road is very good. You can do 120 easily.. though lot of diversions due to 4 laning.

hvkumar · 23rd August 2007, 14:55

Last 25 kms approach to Madurai from Dindigul is slow. From Madurai, the road is extremely fast. The Madurai bypass is good. Road narrows down after you leave NH7 the last 18 kms into Nagercoil town. The town is a bit messy. From Nagercoil, the road to TVM on NH47 is slow during day time because of dense traffic.

The route via Rajapalayam, Schencottah and Tenmala may be avoidable during this season, it being a heavy-rain sector although teh road does not normally carck up during the rains.

BaCkSeAtDrIVeR · 23rd August 2007, 19:39

Guys, reading about development of roads in other states makes me cry.

About 7 - 8 years back, I had done the Krishnagiri - Vellore - Chittoor - Tirupati stretch when the roads were two lane in under 3 Hours. There was absolutely no sign of any kind of impending development. There was no need to expect any development because we had to drive about 15 to 20 minutes, during day time to meet a vehicle in the OPPOSITE direction.

Then, 2 or 3 years back, I did the same stretch; but, as you all would know, not on the same road. In 4 years (actually, less than that) flat, the road was 4 laned, and only the overbridge at Vaniyambadi (not sure of the name) was incomplete. Err... the toll booths too were incomplete.
Contrast this with the situation in Kerala. developing a road in Kerala in 4 years is a pipe dream.
Just look at the situation of Vytilla - Aroor stretch, Alleppey byepass (under construction for 2 decades), Varapuzha - Parur Kodungallur (under construction ever since I remember). Of the last mentioned stretch, one news paper reported that some of our representatives actually met the CPWD officials with a request that the work should NOT commence when they are out of power!!!

hvkumar · 23rd August 2007, 20:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

Guys, reading about development of roads in other states makes me cry.

Contrast this with the situation in Kerala. developing a road in Kerala in 4 years is a pipe dream.
Just look at the situation of Vytilla - Aroor stretch, Alleppey byepass (under construction for 2 decades), Varapuzha - Parur Kodungallur (under construction ever since I remember). Of the last mentioned stretch, one news paper reported that some of our representatives actually met the CPWD officials with a request that the work should NOT commence when they are out of power!!!

Even now, NH47 has no bypass at Kollam, a messy drive. I think there too, a bypass has been under construction for the last 2 decades!!

jkdas · 23rd August 2007, 22:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Even now, NH47 has no bypass at Kollam, a messy drive. I think there too, a bypass has been under construction for the last 2 decades!!

Its almost complete,but connect to NH47 but the other NH to MAdurai

21st August 2007, 23:34	#47
kartikkumar BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bangalore...not Bengaluru Posts: 214 Thanked: 2 Times View My Garage	sOuljah, looks like you are going to be the one to update us on the condition of the roads to and in kerala. Look forward to a positive report chief, else my dear Swift D is not going to like me for a long time to come... Cheers!
	() Thanks

23rd August 2007, 01:31	#49
Jomz BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Detroit, MI,USA Posts: 834 Thanked: 335 Times	DiD Bangalore - Muvattupuzha (Nearby cochin ) on Aug 6th in My Zen. Should've taken a pic.. The rear seat was folded forward and all the items in my house was stacked on the back of the car.. (Including a computer table too) Roads were good till walayar... After that itz hopeless. Angamaly to Muvattupuzha (MC road) was really nice Btw had done MVPa - thiruvalla on MC road. Ettumannor to Thiruvalla is sort of bad. Damages - 2 Bent rims (both front), Jumpy Suspension (anyway it about to be overhauled). scratches & slightly bent sump Was driving quite fast because, that was going to be my last week at home ,before leaving town for a couple of years ,and each hour @ home was quite precious. Miss kappa and meen Time taken - Started @ 9am. Reached angamaly By around 6pm. A long break there and One more hour to Muvattupuzha Last edited by Jomz : 23rd August 2007 at 01:34.
	() Thanks

23rd August 2007, 02:58	#50
leodelg BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Vancouver Posts: 229 Thanked: 14 Times	I have been following this thread closely since I have a Bangalore-Thrissur trip to make on the 26th of this month to attend my colleague's loss of freedom and sanity (a.k.a wedding). From the looks of it, things dont look so good for the Baleno, especially since there are four of us. I had a gut feeling the roads would be bad because my Trivandrum-Bangalore Volvo journey on the 15th of this month was pretty bumpy. Since then, I have been praying that Achumama does something before my next trip (heck.... who the hell am I kidding???)
	() Thanks

23rd August 2007, 07:34	#51
nutmello BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: mysore Posts: 102 Thanked: 176 Times	hi i drive every month from mysore to cochin( every month from past 6 years).sincere suggestion: route from Walayar to thrissur - NO ROAD exists now.dangerous and horrible for any vehicle.thrissur to cochin is also in same condition.another route of driving thro mysore to calicut and cochin- here blr to mysore - 2 and half hours + mys to gundalpet-1hr + gundalpet to kalpetta-to calicut - 4hrs ( however you drive you need 5 hrs from mys to calicut) is OK, but then from calicut to cochin - is BAD. Take a flight - spice jet is now flying for 1500+ or AD is daily flying at 1500+ or best is take a train. Driving is not worth the pain.
	() Thanks

23rd August 2007, 08:27	#52
maxbhp Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: C C K Posts: 1,382 Thanked: 91 Times View My Garage	GUYS BE CAREFUL IN THE TCR - PKD stretch . ROAD IS REALLY REALLY BAD , TRY AVOID PASSING THAT SECTION IN THE NIGHT ! I travel everyday in that route and the roads have become really dangerous , so anyone who is planning a night drive from Bangalore , Please be really careful.
	() Thanks

23rd August 2007, 09:37	#53
CaliforniaKnight BHPian Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: IND + DXB Posts: 980 Thanked: 141 Times View My Garage	coupled to the heavy duty rains things are expecetd to be even worse i guess!!
	() Thanks

23rd August 2007, 11:37	#54
kartikkumar BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bangalore...not Bengaluru Posts: 214 Thanked: 2 Times View My Garage	That settles the matter for me then...will not risk my Swift D on non-existent roads! She is far to precious to be abused, and at such a young age at that. I don't want her to grow up scarred for life because of a nasty childhood experience. Cheers!
	() Thanks

23rd August 2007, 12:30	#55
hellstar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,073 Thanked: 44 Times	Going Ahead ! I have decided to skip the Salem - Coimbatore - Palakkad - Trichur Route completely and use the Rout via Taminadu , as shown below Bangalore - Salem Madurai-Tirumangalam, 20 kms Virudhunagar, 28 Sattur, 28 Sankarnagar, 75 Tirunelveli, 5 Nanguneri, 34 Valliyoor, 15 Panagudi, 9 Nagercoil, 24 Marthandam, 30 Neyyatinkara, 21 Trivandrum, 22, totalling 293 kms from Madurai Or Madurai-Tirumangalam, 20 kms After Tirumangalam, 3 kms, turn right off NH7 Srivilliputtur, 55 Rajapalayam, 11 Kadayanallur, 56 Tenkasi, 18 Schecottah, 10 Aryankavu, 18 Tenmala, 11 Kulathupuzha, 13 Palode, 29 Nedumangad, 18 Trivandrum, 15 totalling 277 kms from Madurai I checked the status of these roads with a KPN Volvo Driver who does this route daily and he says these are definitely better than the Trichur cochin route if you have to reach either Kollam / Trivandrum. I am starting today , and will give an update before noon tomorrow. On the actual conditions Courtesy Tadukuttan and hvkumar
	() Thanks

23rd August 2007, 13:28	#56
manavdotcom BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Chennai Posts: 147 Thanked: 14 Times	Wise decision.The roads in tamiladnu are going to 4 laning but still better then keral.Salem - comimbatore took me 4 hours !!! that too drining in night was horrible. Trisur road is horrible, However if you turn towards tekkadi from trisur - Aluva road then the roads are very good.Madurai to tirunelveli road is very good. You can do 120 easily.. though lot of diversions due to 4 laning.
	() Thanks

23rd August 2007, 14:55	#57
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,369 Thanked: 3,463 Times	Last 25 kms approach to Madurai from Dindigul is slow. From Madurai, the road is extremely fast. The Madurai bypass is good. Road narrows down after you leave NH7 the last 18 kms into Nagercoil town. The town is a bit messy. From Nagercoil, the road to TVM on NH47 is slow during day time because of dense traffic. The route via Rajapalayam, Schencottah and Tenmala may be avoidable during this season, it being a heavy-rain sector although teh road does not normally carck up during the rains.
	() Thanks

23rd August 2007, 19:39	#58
BaCkSeAtDrIVeR Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kochi Posts: 2,541 Thanked: 755 Times	Guys, reading about development of roads in other states makes me cry. About 7 - 8 years back, I had done the Krishnagiri - Vellore - Chittoor - Tirupati stretch when the roads were two lane in under 3 Hours. There was absolutely no sign of any kind of impending development. There was no need to expect any development because we had to drive about 15 to 20 minutes, during day time to meet a vehicle in the OPPOSITE direction. Then, 2 or 3 years back, I did the same stretch; but, as you all would know, not on the same road. In 4 years (actually, less than that) flat, the road was 4 laned, and only the overbridge at Vaniyambadi (not sure of the name) was incomplete. Err... the toll booths too were incomplete. Contrast this with the situation in Kerala. developing a road in Kerala in 4 years is a pipe dream. Just look at the situation of Vytilla - Aroor stretch, Alleppey byepass (under construction for 2 decades), Varapuzha - Parur Kodungallur (under construction ever since I remember). Of the last mentioned stretch, one news paper reported that some of our representatives actually met the CPWD officials with a request that the work should NOT commence when they are out of power!!!
	() Thanks