[Cyrus_the_virus]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Guys

I'm planning to go on a week's vacation in June/ July, and Kochi is one of the options. In all likelihood, it will be a driving holiday from Hyderabad. I was wondering if I could cover Kanyakumari also in the same trip and return from there via NH7. I heard driving from Cochin to Kanyakumari would be tortuous, so wanted feedback from Kerala experts. If yes, then perhaps I can forget Kanyakumari and return via Munnar or Valparai to make the journey less tiresome.

If you are leaving from Hyderabad, no questions asked, go straight to kanyakumari. one straight road, 4 laned all the way(Asian Highway). HYD > BLR > Salem > Madurai > Tirunelveli > Kanyakumari. Once you cross Salem, roads start looking like dead straight arrows. From Kanyakumari, you have multiple entry options into Kerala. Either through the normal TVM NH, or enter Trivandrum and then take State Highway where you have rubberized long winding roads all the way upto Chengannur. From there depending on traffic, you can reach cochin in about approx 2.5-3 hours. Another option is to ride back to Tirunelveli and enter Kerala through Tenkasi > S valavu > Punalur > Kottarakkara. The other options like you mentioned, riding back on AH and entering through Munnar etc. FYI, I have no idea of recent road conditions on these routes.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by Cyrus_the_virus

FYI, I have no idea of recent road conditions on these routes.

Thank you so much. I leave it to other Kerala experts to provide an update on the road condition. I'd really like to know the driving time between:

1. Cape Comorin and Trivandrum
2. TVM to Allepey
3. Allepey to Cochin
4. Cochin to BLR

Listing other options for the return leg, I'd also like to know the driving time and road conditions between:

1. Cochin and Thekkady/ Munnar
2. Munnar to Bangalore
3. Cochin to Valparai
4. Valparai to Bangalore

I plan to make Bangalore a pitstop boty ways. Thanks in advance.

[Cyrus_the_virus]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

I plan to make Bangalore a pitstop boty ways. Thanks in advance.

Salem would be a more appropriate mid point coz Hyd-Blr is too easy. FYI, if you are looking for hotel, look no further than Park Plaza in Salem. One of the top notch hotels that you rarely find in places outside of Tier1 cities. Enjoyed my overnight stay there about year and half ago.

[Wind]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Thank you so much. I leave it to other Kerala experts to provide an update on the road condition. I'd really like to know the driving time between:

1. Cape Comorin and Trivandrum
2. TVM to Allepey
3. Allepey to Cochin
4. Cochin to BLR

Road Conditions between Kanyakumari and Trivandrum can be found in the following thread.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...galore-22.html

Road conditions from Cochin to BLR are discussed in this thread itself. It is a four lane highway barring the following stretches which is two laned:

1. Manuthy to Palakkad -60 KM (four laning in progress for 31 KM between Vadakumcherry and Palakkad)
2. Valayar to Nellambur ( 38 KM)

Manuthy to Palakkad usually takes 1 and a half hours with moderate truck traffic and Palakkad to Bangalore can easily be covered in six and a half hours without any breaks in between.


-- Wind

[Saint_Krish]

I drove down from Calicut to Bangalore over the weekend. Yesterday night to be exact.
Just wanted to give you guys a quick heads-up. Never take the stretch from Gundlpet to Mysore for maybe a month from now(I hope the work will be complete by that time?)
The reason: The stretch from Gundlpet to Mysore is being widened and the roads are now in pathetic condition now. There are many sharp stones and sudden deviations and the heavy vehicles which speed over them can throw these stones to your vehicles!
I really don't have to mention about the extra time it takes to reach Mysore.

Alternates: Use the Kanakpura route! Way more scenic if you have daylight and the roads are not this bad anyway. I see that this route has been mentioned many times before on tbhp.

Godspeed!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Saint_Krish

Alternates: Use the Kanakpura route! Way more scenic if you have daylight and the roads are not this bad anyway. I see that this route has been mentioned many times before on tbhp.

Another potential option:

Get on to HD Kote road to Mysore via Handpost. The condition is quite good I think.

[tomchacks]

Originally Posted by zenren

I'll be doing Hyderabad-Trivandrum round trip next week and would be going via NH-47 and MC Road.

Frequent travellers, any specific places to watch out for en-route where the speed limit is lower than highway speed limit?

Also, what is the limit they are enforcing currently? 70 or 90?

Kerala speed limits in kmph, are- NH; Four lane 90, Two lane 85 and
SH (including MC road) is 80.

[aspire]

Originally Posted by aspire

Hi Folks,

Please help with the best route to reach Kollam(Kerala) from Bangalore.

We are a husband and wife team, please do suggest the best time to start, as well as places to make a pit stop.

Posting this query so as to get the latest update on the road conditions as well.

Approximately how long does it take? Google says around 11 hrs!

Regards
Shailesh

Hi..
Didn't drive down,thanks to tatkal...now staring at the thought of driving our kerala registered car to blr,as tatkal return ticket not confirmed.

Few questions
1.same route to be followed. A good starting time from kollam,considering 2 ladies along with me.
2.Good places for a stop for food.. Restroom etc
3.Any precautions to be taken considering we are taking a kerala registered car to Blr, plan to bring it back within 3 months. What kind if proof to keep,to avoid harassment by the Bangalore traffic police.
4.Any other useful tip.

Using the team-bhp to post,for the first time
Regards
Shailesh

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by aspire

3.Any precautions to be taken considering we are taking a kerala registered car to Blr, plan to bring it back within 3 months. What kind if proof to keep,to avoid harassment by the Bangalore traffic police.

As per the Karnataka Motor Vehicle Taxation Act, the time frame to use a non-KA vehicle in KA is 1 month. After that you are liable to pay the life time tax here. So for your immediate journey the toll receipts etc. are sufficient, but that would still not allow you to use the vehicle beyond one month.

The second round (after HC vacating the stay) of tax collection drive has not yet started, but it may start soon. So either you have to keep the KL vehicle indoors, or plan to take it back to KL before one month.

[ramzsys]

Originally Posted by aspire

3.Any precautions to be taken considering we are taking a kerala registered car to Blr, plan to bring it back within 3 months. What kind if proof to keep,to avoid harassment by the Bangalore traffic police.

Fill fuel at some bunk in your home state where you get a printed bill,

Service bills to indicate car serviced in KL only,

Owner's ration card, Voter ID, Aadhaar, which indicate KL homestate,

Owner's credentials to indicate that he/she is dependent on KL for his daily bread,

take a recent PUC certificate,

shopping bills from home state and keep it in glove-box, door pockets, etc.

If you are adventurous and of sporty nature, try to get a on the spot traffic rule violation challan from the home state- seat belt being the easiest.

Remember to keep the fuel tank full before parking at BLR. Refuse to take that bill or incinerate it then and there.
...

And then once you bring it inside KA, if you have time then remove number plates and keep car covered in tarpaulin for the n number of months,

When you decide to drive back the car, return from office, take a sleeping pill, wake up by 12 AM or so, remove tarpaulin cover, fit the number plate back, clean just the glasses only and START!

...

Looks like getting a tatkal seat is an easier thing to do?

[Saint_Krish]

Hey aspire, My roommate was a victim of harassment for a KL registered Swift Vxi. He was caught by one of those RTO or Police vehicles with some superintendent in it. Shall explain what happened later.
I would suggest what ramzsys said. i.e about the fuel bill. I would also ask you to be wary of cops in Koramangala region and near Jayadeva circle in BTM area. They are known to write off those RTO notices (is that what they are called?). You may have to walk into the RTO office then. Please avoid that route as much as you can.

[wanderlust09]

Hello members,
Traveled from Thrissur to Mysore yesterday via Shornur-Pattambi-Perinthalmanna-Nilambur-Gudalur-Gundlupet. Here are some updates:

1. Thrissur-Shornur-Pattambi-Perinthalmanna-Nilambur-Vazhikkadavu:
Roads are in good shape throughout. Well surfaced.

2. Ghat section - KL border: Tarring is progressing in the ghat section in the Kerala side- on the verge of completion. Roads in great state.

3. Ghat section TN border to Gudalur- A little rough in some stretches but still not bad on the whole.

4. Gudalur-Mudumalai-TN/KA border: Roads in horrible state inside the Mudumalai tiger reserve, huge potholes.

5. KA border-Bandipur-Gundlupet: Roads in good shape.

6. Gundlupet-Nanjangud-Mysore: Road works progressing beyond Gundlupet for about 20-25 km. Long stretches of untarred road with plenty of diversions and single lane restrictions. Remaining stretch in good condition.

Regards.

[wanderlust09]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

I'd really like to know the driving time betwee

1. TVM to Allepey
2. Allepey to Cochin

TVM to Alleppy via Kollam(NH 66) would take around 3-3.5 hours. 2 lane roads with heavy traffic especially in the outskirts of Trivandrum, Kollam and Alleppy. The stretch from Kollam to Kayamkulam(36 km) is a little rough.
Alleppy to Cochin takes around 1 hr 15 minutes.

[binand]

I was in Kerala (Ernakulam district) over the long weekend, and went along as the designated driver for a pilgrimage trip. Few observations:

1. Paravoor-Athani is a very good option to connect between NH 47 and NH 17 between Chalakkudy and Kalamassery. Nice road, with the only possible bottleneck a narrow bridge across the the Periyar at Manjaly.

2. MC Road is a complete mess between Koothattukulam and Ettumanur and nothing to write home about between Muvattupuzha and Koothattukulam. Avoid! I took this on my onward journey to Ettumanur, but didn't want to take it on the return - so went Ettumanur-Kaduthurthy-Mulanthuruthy-Chottanikkara-Puthenkurishu-Pattimattom-Perumbavur. Great roads, but with no consideration of pedestrians who then encroach onto the carriageway. Care is required.

3. The new bridge across Periyar at Malayattur is a godsend. I took it both ways (from and to Kochi airport) - avoids the terribly overloaded Kalady bridge very nicely. On the other hand the Thiruvairanikkulam bridge which I took once is not a great option: (a) locating it from the north side is quite difficult, and (b) the approach roads are narrow and ill-maintained.

[pramodpk]

Drove from Vaikom from Bangalore yesterday.

Took the NH 47 - NH 7 route.

There is good progress on the 4 laning of Vadakkencherry - Palakkad stretch.
There is completed stretch of 25 KM long.

Palakkad - Walayar is complete.

Good news is that the work on Walayar - Madukkarai stretch has resumed.


Took the diversion via Sankari - Tharamangalam - Omalur. This deviation is 41 KMs long. The deviation is 45 - 46 KMs from Hotel Annalakshmi while coming from Coimbatore. Distance saved - 10 - 11 KMS. Toll Saved - Rs 126 ( 55 + 71 ). Time taken is almost same. Roads are decent but the surface of Sankari - Tharamangalam road has started deteriorating.

Originally Posted by etrast75;3694597 Follow the route mentioned by arijith

Option 1:
Bascially you take a left from NH 47 into Sankari-edappadi road. (No flyovers. just ground level 4 way intersection. you will see signboards ). Go about a km in sankari -edapppadi road and take a right into a single lane road. Road is good. About 6 kms on that road you will hit the Sankari-Tharamangalam road. Take a left and you will be on your way.
Maps link
[URL="https://goo.gl/maps/54hGZ"

https://goo.gl/maps/54hGZ[/url]

There are other ways also if you want to avoid some truck traffic. Go further on Sankari-Edappadi road.

Originally Posted by arjithin

No, they are different. The route I suggest is to bypass Sankari town, where as the other one is to go via Sankari town.