[Rajeevraj]

Need help on a few routes

1. Need to travel to Tirupur from Bangalore. Which is the best option to deviate to Tirupur from the NH 47? How long will Bangalore to Tirupur take (Assuming a 5 am start from Silk board area)
2. Which would be a good breakfast stop closer to Tirupur with clean restrooms.

3. From Tirupur need to drive to Calicut (Post Lunch start). Which would be the better route? I can think of a few options. Preference is good roads and relatively lesser traffic at least part of the route.

Tirupur-Avinashi-L&T Bypass- Palakkad- Mannarkad-Malappuram-Calicut (I know this is high traffic and I have never driven this route)
Tirupur-Avinashi-L&T Bypass- Palakkad- Ottapalam-Pattambi-Valanchery-Kottakkal-Calicut (Very familiar with the route from Palakkad. Lesser traffic at least till Valanchery)
Tirupur-Palladam-Pollachi-Palakkad-Mannarkad-Malappuram-Calicut
Tirupur-Palladam-Pollachi-Palakkad-Ottapalam-Pattambi-Valanchery-Kottakkal-Calicut

Google is suggesting Palakkad-Mundur-Cherupalassery-Perinthalmanna. How is this route?

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Google is suggesting Palakkad-Mundur-Cherupalassery-Perinthalmanna. How is this route?

Did this route two days back. From Palakkad the road till Mundur is good (it is part of a National Highway). Watch out for cameras on this road. From Mundur to Cherpulassery the road is not really bad. There are occassional pot holes, but the drive would be quite good. From Cherpulassery it takes only 10 odd kms to cross over to Malappuram Dt. The roads after the "Thootha River bridge" is really good.

[binand]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Preference is good roads and relatively lesser traffic at least part of the route.

Palakkad- Mannarkad-Malappuram-Calicut
Palakkad- Ottapalam-Pattambi-Valanchery-Kottakkal-Calicut
Palakkad- Mundur-Cherupalassery-Perinthalmanna-Calicut

The first one is NH 213 throughout. Very good, smooth road. Heavy traffic.

The second is NH 17 from Valanchery and has good roads, but I think it is the longest of the three.

The third is what the local cabbies prefer. The last time I went this way (a few years back) the road was so uneven that my son had pretty bad motion sickness and soiled his clothes. Part of the blame lies on the driving style of the cabbie (a Sumo then) too, but I'd still keep it only as my last option.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Google is suggesting Palakkad-Mundur-Cherupalassery-Perinthalmanna. How is this route?

This suggestion is very unusual - why would it recommend a smaller secondary route over the regular Palakkad-Mannarkkad-PTMNA-Malappuram route? The Mundur CPLSRY route also joins the original route at PTMNA after a roundabout detour. IMHO there is absolutely no reason for this route (except some really idyllic and pristine landscape).

Personally I would avoid the crazy traffic in the Malappuram-Kondotty stretch and take the Ottapalam-Pattambi-Valanchery route despite the small stretch of secondary roads between Pattambi and Valanchery. Overall a much more peaceful option, at least until you touch NH17 at Valanchery.

Between option 1 and 2 its a matter of personal choice.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

3. From Tirupur need to drive to Calicut (Post Lunch start). Which would be the better route? I can think of a few options. Preference is good roads and relatively lesser traffic at least part of the route.

Tirupur-Avinashi-L&T Bypass- Palakkad- Mannarkad-Malappuram-Calicut (I know this is high traffic and I have never driven this route)
Tirupur-Avinashi-L&T Bypass- Palakkad- Ottapalam-Pattambi-Valanchery-Kottakkal-Calicut (Very familiar with the route from Palakkad. Lesser traffic at least till Valanchery)
Tirupur-Palladam-Pollachi-Palakkad-Mannarkad-Malappuram-Calicut
Tirupur-Palladam-Pollachi-Palakkad-Ottapalam-Pattambi-Valanchery-Kottakkal-Calicut

IMO, going to Pollachi and then travelling via Palakkad will add a lot many km, and quite a lot of time, considering the time of travel. So, you may strike off the last two options.

I found the Valanchery-Kottakkal route the most relaxed to drive on. Took me about 3 hours from Palakkad to Ramanattukara, while the drive time was 15 minutes longer when I returned along Malappuram-Perinthalmanna route, despite being 15km or so shorter.

Originally Posted by sachinpk

...From Palakkad the road till Mundur is good ... Watch out for cameras on this road. From Mundur to Cherpulassery the road is not really bad.

Are you referring to Speed-cameras, or the 'Interceptor' vehicles? These days, the traffic on the so-called highway is so dense that what used to take me about 40-50 min from the Olavakkode railway station to Ponnamcode now takes over an hour during daytime, despite the good surface.

About the Mundur-Cherpulassery road, the Kongad town area used to be very uneven earlier, is it any better, or the same way as before?

[binand]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

why would it recommend a smaller secondary route over the regular Palakkad-Mannarkkad-PTMNA-Malappuram route? [...] IMHO there is absolutely no reason for this route (except some really idyllic and pristine landscape).

There are two reasons I can think of:

1. It is shorter (by about 10 km of 60 km)
2. Google detects a lot of drivers prefer that route (more popular => better chance of being recommended)

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by binand

There are two reasons I can think of:

1. It is shorter (by about 10 km of 60 km)
2. Google detects a lot of drivers prefer that route (more popular => better chance of being recommended)

My hometown is C'ssery - I can assure you that it is hardly the preferred route for anyone travelling from Palakkad to Calicut. The road is narrow, and the surface quality is not assured - its definitely not highway grade, even if the surface is intact most of the time.

It is quite possible that a lot of Google users use this route since Google throws this up as the first preference. That does not make it the best route.

The Mannarkad route is the state highway, it has a terrific surface and is definitely much faster, despite being about 8.something kms longer.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

This suggestion is very unusual - why would it recommend a smaller secondary route over the regular Palakkad-Mannarkkad-PTMNA-Malappuram route? The Mundur CPLSRY route also joins the original route at PTMNA after a roundabout detour. IMHO there is absolutely no reason for this route (except some really idyllic and pristine landscape).

Personally I would avoid the crazy traffic in the Malappuram-Kondotty stretch and take the Ottapalam-Pattambi-Valanchery route despite the small stretch of secondary roads between Pattambi and Valanchery. Overall a much more peaceful option, at least until you touch NH17 at Valanchery.

Between option 1 and 2 its a matter of personal choice.

Originally Posted by binand

There are two reasons I can think of:

1. It is shorter (by about 10 km of 60 km)
2. Google detects a lot of drivers prefer that route (more popular => better chance of being recommended)

Thanks. If you think this is unusual, you should see the other route google suggested. Tiruppur-Avinashi-Metupalayam-Ooty-Gudalur-Nilambur- Calicut . Maybe as Binand mentioned, it is taking the heavily used route and then combining with the distance calculation.

I am leaning towards the Valanchery route as I am very familiar with the roads on this route.

Originally Posted by silversteed

IMO, going to Pollachi and then travelling via Palakkad will add a lot many km, and quite a lot of time, considering the time of travel. So, you may strike off the last two options.

I found the Valanchery-Kottakkal route the most relaxed to drive on. Took me about 3 hours from Palakkad to Ramanattukara, while the drive time was 15 minutes longer when I returned along Malappuram-Perinthalmanna route, despite being 15km or so shorter.

Thanks. Do you think it makes sense to continue along the NH47 from Chandranagar Jn and then take the Kuzhalmannam-Mathur-Kottayi route and join the Ottapalam highway at Mankara. I am thinking it will help me avoid Palakkad town and the traffic surrounding it.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Do you think it makes sense to continue along the NH47 from Chandranagar Jn and then take the Kuzhalmannam-Mathur-Kottayi route and join the Ottapalam highway at Mankara. I am thinking it will help me avoid Palakkad town and the traffic surrounding it.

If you know the route, then yes. Good roads. One suggestion though. Instead of going all the way till Kuzhalmannam junction and turning right, take a right about 2km before Kuzhalmannam. You won't miss it, as it's got a divider/island sort of thing, and comes up after a bus stop. So you can avoid the busy Kuzhalmannam area too

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

1. Need to travel to Tirupur from Bangalore. Which is the best option to deviate to Tirupur from the NH 47? How long will Bangalore to Tirupur take (Assuming a 5 am start from Silk board area)
2. Which would be a good breakfast stop closer to Tirupur with clean restrooms.

3. From Tirupur need to drive to Calicut (Post Lunch start). Which would be the better route? I can think of a few options. Preference is good roads and relatively lesser traffic at least part of the route.

1. & 2. (For Bangalore-Tirupur + Breakfast) you can do:
Bangalore-Salem(NH7)-Exit to NH47-Go upto Perundurai, stop at Annalakshmi for breakfast-exit NH47 & Take road towards Kangeyam, exit towards Tirupur
OR
Bangalore-Salem(NH7)-Exit to NH47-Go past Perundurai upto Vijayamangalam toll on NH47, stop at Saravana for breakfast near Toll plaza-turn to Uthukuli Road, proceed to Tirupur.

3. Simplest, straight forward route is the Palakkad-Calicut NH213 route and it bypasses most of Palakkad town traffic too.
At Chandranagar (where NH47 curves to left towards Alathur/Thrissur), exit NH47 and go straight towards Palakkad town. Just after the Indian Oil petrol pump (on left side) make a right turn and you're on NH 213.

[binand]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

My hometown is C'ssery - I can assure you that it is hardly the preferred route for anyone travelling from Palakkad to Calicut. The road is narrow, and the surface quality is not assured - its definitely not highway grade, even if the surface is intact most of the time.

My hometown is Calicut (and Tirur), and I have extended family spread out in Calicut/Malappuram/Palakkad districts. In my experience all local drivers - from Amby to Sumo to Traveller and buses that one hires for events (my brother's marriage was the last) and sundry uncles/cousins etc. all without exception prefer to take this route. In fact, I have to specifically mention then to take the NH (as I mentioned in a previous post, my son gets motion sickness on this route) which is often not received well.

Let us agree to disagree, shall we? Obviously you have a completely different opinion of this route.

Originally Posted by Steeroid

The Mannarkad route is the state highway

It is a national highway - NH 213.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Need help on a few routes

1. Need to travel to Tirupur from Bangalore. Which is the best option to deviate to Tirupur from the NH 47? How long will Bangalore to Tirupur take (Assuming a 5 am start from Silk board area)
2. Which would be a good breakfast stop closer to Tirupur with clean restrooms.

For Triruppur, both Kangeyam and Avinashi options are round about. The best is to divert in between via Uthukuli. So exit at Chengapalli and take the Gobi-Kangeyam road. Turn to Tiruppur at Uthukuli.

With a 5AM start, you would cross Salem by 8, Perundurai by 8:45 and be in Tiruppur by at most 9:30/9:45. (If you drive without a break). Else Perundurai bypass is a good break point. (Annalakshmi as NPV suggested)

Since you start again from Tiruppur, it may not be a bad idea to head to Palakkad bypass via Palladam/Pollachi. It may be much faster. Less traffic on the Palladam/Pollachi road.

Beyond Palakkad, I leave it to the regulars in KL to suggest. I was always of opinion 213 is the best option to Calicut. Wide roads, but heavy traffic. You need to budget some time to go past Palakkad. to get on to 213. There is no by pass.

[binand]

Originally Posted by ampere

You need to budget some time to go past Palakkad. to get on to 213. There is no by pass.

Nowadays there is. After you cross Chandranagar (NH 47 bypass towards Thrissur) and Bharathmatha school, there is a junction just before you reach Kalmandapam. Turn right here (last time I tried, this road was horrible but I understand it has been repaired since) and merge with NH 213 coming from the town near the Kalpathy bridge a short distance shy of Olavakkot (Palakkad Jn.) railway station.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by binand

Nowadays there is. After you cross Chandranagar (NH 47 bypass towards Thrissur) and Bharathmatha school, there is a junction just before you reach Kalmandapam. Turn right here (last time I tried, this road was horrible but I understand it has been repaired since) and merge with NH 213 coming from the town near the Kalpathy bridge a short distance shy of Olavakkot (Palakkad Jn.) railway station.

Do you mean this option?

Link

If not can you please point in Google? That would be helpful.

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by silversteed

Are you referring to Speed-cameras, or the 'Interceptor' vehicles?

I meant the fixed Speed Cameras. They should be around 1.5-2.0km before the Mundur Jn., where you take a right (when coming from PGT) to proceed towards Mannarkkad. I am yet to see Interceptors on this road, they usually are seen on the much better Palakkad->Ottapalam->Kulappully stretch (ADB road). I have only seen the normal "Kilo" squads of the Kerala's finest.

About the Mundur-Cherpulassery road, the Kongad town area used to be very uneven earlier, is it any better, or the same way as before?

That stretch is still not upto the mark. Pot-holes etc. are still there, but not really dangerous or too uncomfortable.