[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by ampere

In trying to avoid Pollachi, you take on Udumalpet. And the other thing, if you need to break for some food; options are much better in Pollachi.

Sakthi Hotels in Pollachi is a good place to take a break.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

Sakthi Hotels in Pollachi is a good place to take a break.

Am aware of it. The other one is Nivethas Inn right close Mahatma Gandhi Statue.

[rameshnanda]

Thanks for the comments, guys. I completed my trip even before I read the replies.

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

Why do you wish to deviate from kangeyam. The best route will be kangeyam-palladam-pollachi-top slip to parambikulam. The kangeyam -palladam stretch is a bliss to drive.

Originally Posted by silversteed

The Kangeyam-Palladam-Pollachi route is shorter by about 10km, and it's really a bliss to drive.

Originally Posted by ampere

In trying to avoid Pollachi, you take on Udumalpet. And the other thing, if you need to break for some food; options are much better in Pollachi.

I have driven Kangayam-Palladam 'n' number of times. I agree fully agree that the condition of the road is top notch. But, the truck traffic in this route is miserable. 80% of the times, I lost time due to this truck traffic. Having said, Kangayam-Dharapuram-Udumalai-Pollachi is also very good with less traffic and I personally prefer this route over Kangayam-Palladam.

For onward, I took Perundurai-Kangayam-Dharapuram-Udumalai-Anaimalai-Parambikulam. The Udumalai-Anaimalai road is good except for the initial 5 kms. which is strictly average. We had our breakfast at Udumalai at Hotel Ramesh where food was decent.

For return, I took Parambikulam-Pollachi-Palladam-Kangayam-Perundurai. We had our lunch at an off beat restaurant between Pollachi-Palladam. As usual, I was stuck with the truck traffic between Palladam-Kangayam.

[Rajeevraj]

Any recent update on the Gundlepet-Gudalur-Nadugani-Nilambur stretch. I need to go to Tirur and as per last update from December, it was recommended to go via Calicut (and I did that) since the Theppakadu-Gudalur-Nadugani stretch was very bad. Anyone traveled recently?

Going via Calicut is longer by 40-50km and takes 1-1.5 hrs longer. If the Theppakadu-Gudalur stretch is manageable, would prefer to stick to that

[Manzone799]

Heard from one of my friends who came from Kozhikode to Bangalore, that Karnataka Police & RTO have opened a toll booth on mysore road to check KL- vehicles and levy tax/fines for the ones which are running in KA for longer than 1 year. This is ridiculous, I mean we didn't cross borders into PAK or China.. !

[binand]

Originally Posted by Manzone799

Heard from one of my friends who came from Kozhikode to Bangalore, that Karnataka Police & RTO have opened a toll booth on mysore road to check KL- vehicles and levy tax/fines for the ones which are running in KA for longer than 1 year. This is ridiculous, I mean we didn't cross borders into PAK or China.. !

Is it for all vehicles or only for black-on-yellow vehicles? The KL vernacular press had reported a while back that KA policy has changed; now black-on-yellow vehicles cannot take weekly permits and ply into KA anymore.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

For return, I took Parambikulam-Pollachi-Palladam-Kangayam-Perundurai. We had our lunch at an off beat restaurant between Pollachi-Palladam. As usual, I was stuck with the truck traffic between Palladam-Kangayam.

Now you can also try :

Palladam-Mangalam-Avinashi.

Small deviation and rough patch due to Railway over Bridge at Mangalam station. But for that you join directly at Avinashi bypass and get on to 4-lane straight away.

[Speed-Gladiator]

I am travelling on 26th evening from Bangalore to Trivandrum. Decided to take the conventional route via Nagarcoil. But I heard that the NH47 from Nagarcoil to TVM is in bad shape. Any new updates For the above stretch?

[pramodpk]

Found this news article in Hindu

Widening of NH 47 gains momentum

It's a good news if it's true.

[satran]

Any recent update on the Gundlepet-Gudalur-Nadugani-Nilambur stretch

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by satran

Any recent update on the Gundlepet-Gudalur-Nadugani-Nilambur stretch

Gundlupet to KA-TN border is okay. In TN the forest stretch is in horrible state. After that, the road is patchy upto Nadugani. Beyond that some bad patches, but overall good roads. Beyond Vazhikkadavu, great roads.

[binand]

Originally Posted by binaiks

Gundlupet to KA-TN border is okay. In TN the forest stretch is in horrible state. After that, the road is patchy upto Nadugani. Beyond that some bad patches, but overall good roads. Beyond Vazhikkadavu, great roads.

Horrible => completely unmotorable? I was planning to take this route for a trip to Kochi in April/May during the summer vacations.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by binand

Horrible => completely unmotorable? I was planning to take this route for a trip to Kochi in April/May during the summer vacations.

April/May?? You have a lot of time left. With elections happening, I guess roads might get better by then.

Not completely unmotorable - but the last time I took a Volvo that way, he literally stopped, went in and came out in many stretches.

[Speed-Gladiator]

Originally Posted by Speed-Gladiator

I am travelling on 26th evening from Bangalore to Trivandrum. Decided to take the conventional route via Nagarcoil. But I heard that the NH47 from Nagarcoil to TVM is in bad shape. Any new updates For the above stretch?

Any updates please? as I have to travel tonight.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by Speed-Gladiator

Any updates please? as I have to travel tonight.

Pramodpk's update on another thread as on 3rd Feb:

"The NH 47 between Nagercoil and Trivandrum is broken and has heavy traffic. Avoid this route during peak time."

I left Trivandrum after 9pm last year and the traffic was less.