[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by sachinnair

Hello BHP ians

I need your suggestions on this route. Is there an alternate route that I should consider? Also, how much time will it take? With a break about every 100 km, will I be able to do it in 6 and a half hours?

The map you posted suggests you plan to go from Kannur to Payyannur via Pappinishery-Payangadi. Avoid this route as there is widespread construction and widening activity going on (KSTP roads project). Instead, stick on to the NH66, via Taliparamba. Link here: http://goo.gl/maps/NGkkV

Originally Posted by binand

NH 17 beyond Kannur I believe is in pretty bad shape.

NH 17 (now NH 66)stretch from Kannur to at least Payyannur is in very decent shape.

Unfortunately, no option to bypass Kannur town. Be prepared to face heavy congestion from Melechovva to Pallikunnu if you hit the town in peak hours.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by binand

NH 17 beyond Kannur I believe is in pretty bad shape.

I think 6.5 hours is a bit on the lower side. Palakkad-Calicut should take between 3-3.5, Calicut-Kannur between 2.5-3 and rest everything maybe another hour. In general I don't expect to average better than 40kmph in Kerala.

I did Mangalore-Trivandrum two days back. Road between Mangalore and Kasaragod is bad especially the stretch till Kumbla is very bad.

I started in the evening and the traffic was high till Kannur. Better, don't even think of driving day time. Plan it as a night drive for peace of mind.

[RajeshK]

Originally Posted by binand

NH 17 beyond Kannur I believe is in pretty bad shape.
.

There is no issue with the road at least till Kasaragod from Kannur. Better stick to the main highway.

[binand]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

NH 17 (now NH 66)stretch from Kannur to at least Payyannur is in very decent shape.

Originally Posted by RajeshK

There is no issue with the road at least till Kasaragod from Kannur.

Alright, alright - I was going by hearsay and obviously am wrong. :-) It is Kasargod-Mangalore stretch of NH 17 that is bad. Kannur-Kasargod is in good shape. Just confirmed it with someone who travels Calicut-Kannur-Kasargod weekly-ish.

Unrelated - a colleague of mine tells me that Thrissur is attempting a world record gathering of 40,000 people dressed as Santa Claus on Christmas day. Which I think will make it near impossible to pass through the city from Shornur/Kunnamkulam side and connect to NH 47 on that day. Can someone confirm this? Vernacular newspaper links will do.

[ThePunter]

Originally Posted by longhorn

Anyone having info on good fuel stations along the Salem - Avinashi route? Or along the Perundurai - Kangeyam - Palladam - Pollachi stretch? Planning to drive down from Chennai to Kerala for Xmas. Any updates on road conditions between Avinashi and Mannuthy would also be welcome.

We too here planning to start 24afternoon from South Chennai to KL (Gvr). Looking forward for similar info, so also for the top up. Last I went in July till Cbe and between Avinashi and Cbe there were still construction in progress related speed humps. Cbe to Pgt road condition I hope is at least patched up

Originally Posted by binand

Unrelated - a colleague of mine tells me that Thrissur is attempting a world record gathering of 40,000 people dressed as Santa Claus on Christmas day. Which I think will make it near impossible to pass through the city from Shornur/Kunnamkulam side and connect to NH 47 on that day. Can someone confirm this? Vernacular newspaper links will do.

This headsup helps. Hopefully wont effect us since I can then plan thru Shornur(or Patambi)- Knmklm-Gvr not taking Tsr route.

[dhanushmenon]

What is the update on the following stretches:
1) Chalakkudy- Valparai- CBE
2) CBE- Avinashi- Bangalore

Intend doing this route next week

[NPV]

Originally Posted by dhanushmenon

What is the update on the following stretches:
1) Chalakkudy- Valparai- CBE
2) CBE- Avinashi- Bangalore

Intend doing this route next week

From recent updates - chalakudy to vaparai is good barring a slightly rough patch of 5-10km before the Malakkapara checkpost.
Valaparai-aliyar-pollachi-coimbatore is good.

I did route #2 in early November and it is excellent just a few speed breakers on the avinashi bypass flyovers due to expansion joints but has signages saying speed limit 30kmph.

[binand]

Originally Posted by kala

Bangalore-Kanakapura-Malavalli- Talakadu-T.Narsipur-Chamarajnagar-Dimbum - Sathy- Puliampet-Avinashi-Palladam-Pollachi-Kollengode-Vadakkencherry-Trichur-Angamaly-Cochin

Puliampet-Avinashi-Palladam-Pollachi or Puliampet-Karanampettai-Kamanaikenpalayam-Pollachi? The latter seems to be shorter and avoid the towns of Avinashi and Palladam, so what's the catch?

[kala]

Originally Posted by carpacman

Thanks Kala, I considered your alternate router but this seems to be a 600 KM+ stretch; I am considering your suggestion to deviate from Pattambi towards Shoranur. Have you taken this Shoranur-Cochin route recently, how are the roads

No recent experience. The last time I tried the Shoranur-Trichur route was probably 6 months or so back.

And by the way the route I mentioned is not 600+ kms. I did the same route today also. It was 521 kms from Vyttila in Cochin to my house near Banashankari in Bangalore. And the actual driving time excluding of breaks was around 9 hours 10 minutes (10 hrs 15 minutes inclusive of breakfast and lunch breaks)

Originally Posted by binand

Puliampet-Avinashi-Palladam-Pollachi or Puliampet-Karanampettai-Kamanaikenpalayam-Pollachi? The latter seems to be shorter and avoid the towns of Avinashi and Palladam, so what's the catch?

No catch - Just wanted to experiment with the two options since both are nearly the same distance.

Tried out the Kamanaikenpalayam - Annur option today. The comparitive statistics are interesting..

KamanaikenPalayam-Palladam-Avinashi-Puliampatty (Sept 29th) : 57.4 kms - Time taken = 57 minutes

KamanaikenPalayam-Palladam-Avinashi-Puliampatty (Dec 14th) : 55.5 kms - Time taken = 55 minutes

I felt the roads were a slightly smoother in the Palladam-Avinashi-Sevur route, but yes - as you said you have two fairly large towns to traverse, so the average falls to 60kmph because of that.

Even the SH165 route to Annur has very decent roads, but you do spend a little bit of time crossing Annur town (especially since there is no right turn at the junciton connecting the Avinashi-Annur road and NH209, so you have to go a little bit ahead and take a U turn.

So overall there isn't much of difference - 2 kms / 2 minutes is really insignificant in a 500+kms journey.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by kala

So overall there isn't much of difference - 2 kms / 2 minutes is really insignificant in a 500+kms journey.

So given the same drive timings: Pulliampatti-Sevur-Avinashi-Palladam-Pollachi makes much more sense. Gets the best of every thing?

[DieselLover]

Anyone know the current state of Mananthavady-Kutta-Gonikoppal-Virajpett-Madikkery route?

[kala]

Originally Posted by kala

KamanaikenPalayam-Palladam-Avinashi-Puliampatty (Sept 29th) : 57.4 kms - Time taken = 57 minutes

KamanaikenPalayam-Palladam-Avinashi-Puliampatty (Dec 14th) : 55.5 kms - Time taken = 55 minutes

That second one should be KamanaikenPalayam-Karumathampatty-Annur-Puliampatty

Sorry about the slip-up..

Originally Posted by ampere

So given the same drive timings: Pulliampatti-Sevur-Avinashi-Palladam-Pollachi makes much more sense. Gets the best of every thing?

Don't think there is much to chose - It's more like "toss a coin and decide which is better"

[D C]

Originally Posted by carpacman

Have you taken this Shoranur-Cochin route recently, how are the roads

Shoranur to Thrissur is a two way state highway with no median. However, the roads are good and won't kill your excitement

Thrissur to Cochin is the NH 47 and is great stretch. Please note, there are multiple traffic cameras in operation on this stretch and speed limits are very strictly enforced.

[dhanushmenon]

Originally Posted by DieselLover

Anyone know the current state of Mananthavady-Kutta-Gonikoppal-Virajpett-Madikkery route?

I did that in June.
The roads were good except some five Kms stretch around 10 Kms short of Madikere.

[denver85]

Originally Posted by DieselLover

Anyone know the current state of Mananthavady-Kutta-Gonikoppal-Virajpett-Madikkery route?

Around 2-3 kms between KL/KA State border and Kutta town and 3-4 kms between Virajpet and Madikeri has bad sections. All the other portions are good as per the latest update.