[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by silversteed

Planning to drive from Palakkad to Kundara and back on the coming sunday. Having a dilemma, whether to take the NH47 till Karunagapally and turn off towards Sasthamcotta, or, take the MC Road from Angamaly and go via Kottarakkara. Since I haven't been on the MC Road for a very long time, I am apprehensive of the road conditions.

I would like to visit Chengannur on the way back. Whenever I visit Chengannur, I usually avoid MC Road in the evenings and hit the NH47 at Ambalappuzha or Alappuzha, after turning off the MC Road from Tiruvalla or Changanassery. Is this still a good idea, or are there any suggestions for alternative routes that would reduce the travel time?

The plan is to leave very early from Palakkad, say 3 o'clock, and start the return trip by 2:30-3 in the afternoon. Hoping that an early morning start would help us do the onward trip in under 7 hours.

MC Road is going to tire you out,considering that you are planning to drive back the same day.NH47 is a better bet IMO.

On your return take the AC Road and come back via Alappuzha would be my suggestion.

You might want to consider taking the SPAP Road (Seaport-Airport Road) by deviating from Kundannoor Junction-SPAP Road-HMT Kalamasserry-NH47- without going via Lulu junction or else you would end up waiting endlessly there.

[pvgeorge]

Originally Posted by ampere

I initially thought of that too. But then thought why go through more towns. Mulanur-Arvakurichi should be decent enough.

Thanks Amp and Suresh, however this route seems to be more than 100 kms more than the one through Mysore - Cochin - Trivandrum.

So unless the route from Mysore to Cochin has to be avoided at any cost due to bad roads , will prefer to take one of those route

+ I am worried about the traffic from Nagercoil - trivandrum in the evening time ( wanna avoid that at any cost). Pretty familiar on the route from Cochin - Trivandrum and wanna restrict my night travel in this route in case I need to travel by night.

Google maps shows the following route from Mysore - Cochin - Trivandrum
which one would be better
1) Mysore - Dodahundi - hamapura - sagahalli - kalpetta -thamarassery - Koduvally - Ramanattukara - Tirurangadi - Tirur - ponnani - guruvayoor - kodungalloor - cochin
2) Mysore - kadakola - nanjangodu - Gundalpettu - mudumalai - nilambur - perinthalmanna - pattambi - guruvayoor - Kodungallur - cochin
3) Mysore - Chamanrajnagar - sathyamangalam - coimbatore - palaghat - thrissur - aluva - cochin


Any idea which of these will be better

thanks
George V

[deepclutch]

Any Idea if the newly opened Malayattoor-Kodanad bridge will help us bypass Perumbavoor and Kalady? I will not mind if it is slightly circuitous. IINM, you can reach Malayyattoor from Muvattupuzha through Keezhillam-Kuruppampady-Kodanad route in 26kms; Shorter by 12kms. I know there is a road through Angamaly-Manjapra to reach Malayattoor. Any information?

Travelling between Angamaly and Perumbavoor takes a lot of time now. Either there will be a traffic block at Mattoor Junction (CIAL) or in the Kalady central junction. I was unfortunate to travel yesterday to Angamaly from Muvattupuzha and caught in the traffic.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by pvgeorge

Thanks Amp and Suresh, however this route seems to be more than 100 kms more than the one through Mysore - Cochin - Trivandrum.

Cross posting @coolclouds post. To avoid the extra 100km you are taking on the mighty Kerala highway traffic all the way!

+ I am worried about the traffic from Nagercoil - trivandrum in the evening time ( wanna avoid that at any cost). Pretty familiar on the route from Cochin - Trivandrum and wanna restrict my night travel in this route in case I need to travel by night.

Again the same reason. I know its bad. Its the smallest section of the whole route. Rest all are easier.

Originally Posted by coolclouds

Hope others can suggest a faster TN route for day drive.

That was my first preference instead of Kerala.
Mysore-T-Narasipura-Chamarajanagar-Sathyamangalam-Gobi-Changepalli-Uthukuli-Kangeyam-Arvakurichi- And then NH7 4-lane to TVM

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by ampere

That was my first preference instead of Kerala.
Mysore-T-Narasipura-Chamarajanagar-Sathyamangalam-Gobi-Changepalli-Uthukuli-Kangeyam-Arvakurichi- And then NH7 4-lane to TVM

Ampere, how good is Madurai-Thenkasi-Tenmala-Nedumangad-Trivandrum? I did some portion of this road and it was good. Is it worth taking compared to Nagarcovil route?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

Ampere, how good is Madurai-Thenkasi-Tenmala-Nedumangad-Trivandrum? I did some portion of this road and it was good. Is it worth taking compared to Nagarcovil route?

Same thoughts here too! I was about to suggest that to the OP. But then I realised he would then be doing bulk of driving on 2-lanes. Hence did not suggest that.

My only reference to that route is a year back. That section is narrow. And I also heard year it had taken quite a beating during rains. (I mean the section after Thenmala)

[etrast75]

Originally Posted by arjithin

Google maps link: https://goo.gl/maps/TzL2o

The single lane road is completely traffic free and well laid. You will hardly find one or two 2 wheelers in the whole 6 km. If anyone wants to see the capture of this road from my dash cam , let me know; i will upload to Youtube.

I took this road when coming from bangalore to coimbatore yesterday and it was perfect. Thanks arjithin.

Also helps avoid the last 6 kms of heavy truck traffic on tharamangalam -sankagiri road.

I saw a grand total of 2 bikes in the single lane road connecting SH 86 to Idappadi-sankagiri road.

[MacSr]

I am planning to drive Pune to Kochi end May via Goa and return via Puducherry - Bengaluru. Advice from fellow TBHP-ians helped me tons on my drive to Leh & back from Pune. Am now looking for their precious insights and advice on the route / road conditions.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by MacSr

I am planning to drive Pune to Kochi end May via Goa and return via Puducherry - Bengaluru. Advice from fellow TBHP-ians helped me tons on my drive to Leh & back from Pune. Am now looking for their precious insights and advice on the route / road conditions.

Pune - Goa is quite easy. Pune-Belgaum-Chorla-Goa

Its the Goa-Kochi via the NH17 that will tire you out. Drive till Bekal/Kannur on day one. May be you can plan an extended vacation by taking 2-days at Bekal.

Bekal-Kannur-Calicut-Kochi will again have extremely high traffic. Again a tiring section.

Kochi-Pondicherry: Walayar-Palakkad-Salem-Attur-Ulunderpet-Tindivanam-Bangalore

Pondichery-Bangalore: Pondicherry-Tindivanam-Vandavasi-Cheyyar-Arcot-Krishnagiri-Bangalore

Bangalore-Pune : No need to tell!

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by MacSr

I am planning to drive Pune to Kochi end May via Goa and return via Puducherry - Bengaluru.

Mumbai-Goa-Hubi-Bangalore-Salem-Coimbatore-Palakkad-Kochi-Salem-Ulundrupet-Villupuram-Pondy-Bangalore-NH7 all the way to Mumbai.

I have no recent updates on Mumbai - Goa and Pondy - Bangalore. Other routes mentioned above are fastest IMO.

Let others give more options and details.

[MacSr]

We are two drivers in the vehicle and (planning a departure from Goa around noon) looking at a night drive from Bekal to Kochi to avoid 'city' traffic on the highway.
My specific queries are:
Is NH17 section in Kerala 'tiring' only on account of traffic or is it also the road condition / width?
Is it better to do Goa - Bengaluru - Kochi then? Or is there any other alternative route?

[rajeev k]

Originally Posted by MacSr

Is NH17 section in Kerala 'tiring' only on account of traffic or is it also the road condition / width?

Roads in Kerala are considerably good and you can do Bekel to Kochi during night hours safely. This NH 17 stretch is not tiring at all. I had done Kozhikode - Kochi several times.
Roads up to Kasargode from Mangalore have some bad stretches whereas the Kannur-Kochi stretch is fine.
From Kozhikde there are two route options.
1. Via Chamravattom - Ponnani -Chavakkad - Paravur - Kochi &
2. Via Shornur - Trichur - Kochi.
barring the Trichur - Kochi section all other stretches are single lane roads which can slow one down during day time. But during night it is quite conducive.

[sunil8089]

Yesterday there was a program in Malayala Manorama news Channel on NH47 - the work progress from Mannuthy to Vadakkancherry.

As per the discussions in the program–

• From Mannuthy to Vadakkancherry it was proposed as a 6 lane, long back
• As per the contract, Government acquires the land (from public), National Highway authority of India (NHAI) supervise the operations and contractor will carry out the work - on a BoT basis
• The work was awarded to Hyderabad based KMC infrastructure in a tendering process.
• The work was targeted to be completed during the period 2007-2008
• Land acquisition is over long back, but got delayed
• Since it’s a BoT agreement, initially the contracting company has to spent, where the money will be sourced from the banks. Later they can collect it by tolls.
• The work got started and company carried out the initial works.
• Banks paid the initial amounts, but during bank audits they found some discrepancies on the money spent and they immobilized any further funds seeking the transaction clarity. There is an allegation that the money was siphoned and invested in real estate, by the contracting company .
• As there were no more funding, the work came to a halt.
• As per the company, the work was stopped because the estimates gone up due to increase in material costs, (because of the land acquisition delay). Government refused any increase in the project cost (which the banks can fund).
• Now the work is completely stopped and Government and NHAI either have to restart the same negotiating with the company or by retendering the same.

Who is responsible for this situation?

Is it the government, the contracted company, NHAI, Banks or the general public?

One thing is sure; whatever be the political or legal or financial reasons the common man who commutes in this stretch is the ultimate losers and the sufferers.

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by sunil8089

Who is responsible for this situation?
Is it the government, the contracted company, NHAI, Banks or the general public?

Sad case indeed. But what I came to know at least now is that the tenders have got approved, the construction contractors have been finalised, and the banks have sanctioned the funds. But generally in Kerala all such big projects are delayed significantly due to multiple problems. The state is small, free empty space is less and land is tough to get.

As per the contract, Government acquires the land (from public), National Highway authority of India (NHAI) supervise the operations and contractor will carry out the work - on a BoT basis

That is becoming a norm, and Kerala as a state better get used to it . During last week also the Central Minister Nitin Gadkari clearly said that land acquistion is a problem in Kerala, and the state government should work on a plan to fix it. NHAI or Central government cannot take the blame for that. This I feel is a good approach, as state should take some ownership in major projects in the state.

Since it’s a BoT agreement, initially the contracting company has to spent, where the money will be sourced from the banks. Later they can collect it by tolls

The banks generally check for the viability of the project. My understanding is that a blame game started. Contractor blames the state government for not getting the land at the right time, and I do believe that the contractor would have used the funds else where. Banks would not get p-issed off and withhold further funds. Any idea who has won the current contract? It is this same company or some one else?


Any road widening in NH17 also I guess is now stopped. Government has not been able to progress on land acquisition for a variety of reasons. The state may also have to think of other alternate mode of transport (use the water ways?).

[sunil8089]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

Any idea who has won the current contract? It is this same company or some one else?

It was awarded to KMC Constructions (Infrastructure), long time back. After that (as per the information), its not been re tendered.

But the work from Vadakkancherry to Walayar is being done by a different company, which is in progress right now.