Team-BHP - All Roads to Kerala

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Originally Posted by sjcherian (Post 3608691)

Also is there checking for a PUC certificate on route ?

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Originally Posted by NPV (Post 3608771)

Regardless of whether there is checking or not (it is unpredictable on the highways, you never know when/where they may be a check) it is always a good practice to carry a PUC. Sometimes when cops fail to find anything amiss with your documents, they will bring up the PUC thing. I always make sure the PUC is valid before I embark on any trip. :)

Being stopped by cops for checking documents is very common in Kerala. I haven't encountered any checking on NH47 (may be because I don't take that road too often), but I see it almost all the time on NH212 between Kerala border and Kalpetta.

Interestingly, in case your PUC is not current, the fine is Rs.1000, but if you say that you forgot to bring it along the fine is only 300 ! On one of my trips my PUC certificate had expired and the policeman who checked it told me this - he advised me not to show the expired certificate to the SI who was writing the fine chalans.. :)

I might do a Hyderabad-Thrissur in the first weekend of January if my train tickets don't confirm. Hyderabad-Bangalore is the standard route, but my concern is Bangalore-Thrissur. I hope to stop over at Mysore or other touristy place. My travel dates are - start either on 1st or 2nd, attend a wedding on 4th, start for Hyderabad on 5th and be in Hyderabad by 6th. I could have looked over previos pages for routemap but it is 500 odd pages thread!

Could you please suggest an itenary and a routemap based on my travel dates?

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Originally Posted by sachinnair (Post 3608744)

Unfortunately, I had to depend on Google Maps and navigate, and took the original route.

You could have overridden navigation in that stretch as the route I suggested is the original National Highway (NH66, old NH17) and is straightforward. After you crossed Valapattanam bridge, you would have turned left. Instead, all you had to do was continue straight. Its a straightforward route then on till Payyannur without any deviations.

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Originally Posted by sachinnair (Post 3608744)

The drive through Kannur town was not as congested as I had expected; but it could be because I passed Kannur at about 11:00 am on both days. On the return leg, Thalassery was jammed. On a whim we diverted onto a side road, hoping it would be parallel to the main road, and our gamble paid off.

You got lucky with Kannur but that was because you entered the town in non peak hour. Crossing Telicherry is a royal pain anytime of the day except on sundays.

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Originally Posted by kala (Post 3608808)

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Originally Posted by joecherian (Post 3608718)

for petrol bunks, you can have a pit stop at ulundurpet where in you have the BP COCO as well as adyar ananda bhavan. This bunk is around 180 kms from Chennai and is around 3-4 kms before ulundurpet toll plaza.

My usual fuel stop is this bunk and then next fuelling joint is the BP COCO bunk on seaport airport road. That will get me till Ulundurpet on my return trip.

for PUC, I haven't seen anything on this route but then that also might be because, I mostly does this drive at night. Better to take the PUC from chennai itself so that you don't have to hunt for the same.

For the return trip, do look out for a KA registered TBHP stickered city. I am as well planning my return trip from Cochin on 3rd.

Thanks joecherian, NPV & kala. Went this morning and got a PUC certificate done at a HP Bunk on TTK road. Cost Rs 80 and was done in no time. My vehicle passed :-). So hopefully am all set to travel in 2 days.

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Originally Posted by kavu75 (Post 3608107)

Thanks for the updates.
Tomorrow morning I am planning to take this route. If Thirumangalam - Rajapalayam - Shenkotttai section is not great I may consider taking the following route from Thirumangalam.
Thirumangalam - kovilpatti - Sankarankovil - Puliyangudi
https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/9....d9.1725368!3e0

Even though this route is 25-30km more, I can cover more distance in 4-lane NH7 itself and I hope this will be faster.
Any decent place to take breakfast near Namakkal - Karur section?

Roads are not that bad. It used to be regularly maintained and very good condition earlier.

There are not much options after Salem to Dindigul for good restaurants ( unless you go in side towns). Good restaurants starts when you reach 40-50 km near to Madurai.

Hi Folks,
I will be driving to Nileshwar(Kasaragod), Kerala coming tuesday from Bangalore. What would a good route for this journey? I will be driving an i10 and a 2 year kid would be on-board, so would be happy to take a better road even if means a few kms extra on the odometer. What time should I start in the morning and what would be the tentative time it takes to reach the destination?

I was initially thinking of going via Hassan/Sakleshpur/Shiradi Ghats but looks like that side might be closed for repairs. Appreciate any guidance on this.

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Originally Posted by svaid (Post 3609006)

I would suggest the BLR-Hunsur-Periyapatna-Maldare Forest-Siddapura-Ammathi-Virajpet-Ititty-Thaliparambu-Payyanur-Nileshwaram.

I am travelling from Shoranur to Udupi - Mookambika temple tomorrow morning. I have never travelled beyond Kannur by road so dont have any idea about the route from kannur. Checked google and find this route map. Is this the correct route or any other suggestions? How about the current road condition? How much time it will take during the day time? Please help

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Originally Posted by ranjitp1 (Post 3609015)

I would suggest the BLR-Hunsur-Periyapatna-Maldare Forest-Siddapura-Ammathi-Virajpet-Ititty-Thaliparambu-Payyanur-Nileshwaram.

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Originally Posted by ampere (Post 3609038)

Take the Mysore/Hunsur option instead.
Mysore-Hunsur-Virajpet-Iritty-Thaliparamaba-Payyanur-Nileshwar

Thanks folks. What is a good time to start from Bangalore in the morning to avoid traffic? I guess Bangalore-Mysore would probably be most crowded in terms of traffic. Is road from Mysore onwards (Hunsur,Iritty) in good condition and how is the traffic? Any recommendations for breakfast and lunch assuming sedate driving wrt time taken to travel?

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Originally Posted by svaid (Post 3609087)

If you can start by 4/4:30 so as to be on Mysore ORR by 7, that would be ideal. That way you cover the crowded section early, even if you may to drive slow thanks to fog (if any). You can break at Kalyani on ORR. Ideal place.

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Originally Posted by ranjitp1 (Post 3609015)

I would suggest the BLR-Hunsur-Periyapatna-Maldare Forest-Siddapura-Ammathi-Virajpet-Ititty-Thaliparambu-Payyanur-Nileshwaram.

No need to go via Siddapura these days. The straight road through Thithimathi-Gonikoppal has been relaid and is in excellent condition except for a 5 km stretch inside the forest. Even that is very much doable on any car.

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Originally Posted by svaid (Post 3609087)

Bangalore-Bekal fort thread might provide you some insights on other options to reach Kasargod.

Bangalore-Iritty-Thaliparamba-Nileshwaram has excellent roads almost all the way except a 5 km stretch between Gonikoppal and Hunsur. Traffic would be light between Mysore and Iritty but expect typical heavy kerala road traffic between Taliparamba and Nileshwaram. Roads are good, though.
Plan to leave before 5.30-6 AM to avoid Mysore road traffic. There are umpteen options for breakfast on Mysore road. For lunch, probably you can have from any of the towns in Kerala- Iritty, Taliparamba, Payyannur. If you are a non vegetarian, you have more options. M2H residency is a decent hotel in Iritty town for lunch, but you will have to deviate to go a couple of KMs onto Kannur road to reach the hotel. Same case with Taliparamba town also.

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Originally Posted by noblecr (Post 3609036)

Shoranur-Kannur-Mangalore-Udupi-Kundapura-Right turn onto Kollur road.To go to Udupi temple you need to deviate off the NH66 (the old NH17). 4laned for most parts between Mangalore and Kundapura.

I would suggest that you stay in Udupi and do Kollur as a day trip from Udupi as Kollur does not have any good stay options except for lodges and temple accomodation.You could also stay in Mangalore and do Mangalore-Kollur-Udupi-Mangalore as a day trip that is what I have done in the past and is very convenient as Mangalore has a host of stay options.

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Originally Posted by sandsun7 (Post 3609117)

Thanks. Are you suggesting to take this route ? How much time should I expect for this travel with sedate driving? I will take a look at Bekal thread as well.

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Originally Posted by svaid (Post 3609154)

Thanks. Are you suggesting to take this

Yes, but slightly modified to avoid Taliparamba town: http://goo.gl/maps/1PtsA

I can estimate the time upto Taliparamba : around 7-8 hours with sedate driving and 1 hour break included. Beyond Taliparamba, it might take around 1 to 1.5 hours to Nileshwaram, depending on traffic and your driving style on Kerala roads.