[motomaverick]

Originally Posted by Accent Martin

I travelled from Bangalore to Angamaly on last sat - 15h oct via Salem, Coimbatore, Palakkad. Left at 5:15 am, stopped for breakfast at sree saravana bhavan at 8 am and reach home at 1:15 pm. Returned on 17th via the same route. Both drives were peaceful.

Did you take deviation before Salem since you started at 5am? If so did you join back the highway at Vaikundam?

[NPV]

Originally Posted by motomaverick

Did you take deviation before Salem since you started at 5am? If so did you join back the highway at Vaikundam?

If one takes omalur-tharamangalam-idappady bypass-sankari which is the usual route one reaches NH 47 at Sankari bypassing vaigundam and closer to the Saravana bhavan classic near reddipalayam.

[shajufx]

Originally Posted by NPV

If one takes omalur-tharamangalam-idappady bypass-sankari which is the usual route one reaches NH 47 at Sankari bypassing vaigundam and closer to the Saravana bhavan classic near reddipalayam.

I was totally confused with this deviation last week. First of all I hate deviating from the highway and passing through small towns. I still have no idea why navigation took me this route. Last time I went via Salem bypass.

After testing my patience through crowded towns, we finally saw the highway on the map, but getting into it was a pain. Had to pass under it and deviate right at Shankari and drive a good distance to join back. I am not sure if I would take this route again.

Except the Palaghat Trichur stretch, I found entire route to cochin so comfortable. Another year, that work must finish too.

[Accent Martin]

Originally Posted by motomaverick

Did you take deviation before Salem since you started at 5am? If so did you join back the highway at Vaikundam?

No deviation taken. stuck to one straight route through salem where I saw construction for flyover has begun. This is the usual route that I take when I drive to kerala. haven't explored alternate routes yet

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Accent Martin

Returned on 17th via the same route. Both drives were peaceful.

Please let us know your return drive timings, I'm specifically interested in knowing how long it took to navigate through the construction zone in Salem. In the onward journey, since you started early, this may not have been a problem.
In my past experience (even before the construction work began) on weekends and holidays especially, Salem can be painful to cross between 4pm-8pm, so I was wondering how it is now.

[Accent Martin]

Originally Posted by NPV

Please let us know your return drive timings, I'm specifically interested in knowing how long it took to navigate through the construction zone in Salem. In the onward journey, since you started early, this may not have been a problem.
In my past experience (even before the construction work began) on weekends and holidays especially, Salem can be painful to cross between 4pm-8pm, so I was wondering how it is now.

Return drive on 17th Oct - Left Angamaly at 5:30 am, we had breakfast near Coimbatore (I don't know exact location as that never mattered to me) by around 8:15 am. The place is where after passing a series of tolls using just one ticket (sorry for poor description ) At one signal you will notice a small Sree Saravana Bhavan on the road that goes right. After breakfast, we returned to the highway and passed through salem. No exceptionally heavy traffic nor any difficulty to pass through Salem. By around 12 noon we stopped at A2B Thoppur for a 15 minute break. We were at electronic city by around 1:45 pm and faced dense traffic. Took some time to take the NICE road towards bannerghatta road. Finally reached home by 2:30

My first post didn't carry much details as my intention was to only highlight the safety part of travelling this route ; given the route's tension that existed last month.

[motomaverick]

Originally Posted by NPV

If one takes omalur-tharamangalam-idappady bypass-sankari which is the usual route one reaches NH 47 at Sankari bypassing vaigundam and closer to the Saravana bhavan classic near reddipalayam.

Originally Posted by shajufx

I was totally confused with this deviation last week. First of all I hate deviating from the highway and passing through small towns. I still have no idea why navigation took me this route. Last time I went via Salem bypass.

After testing my patience through crowded towns, we finally saw the highway on the map, but getting into it was a pain. Had to pass under it and deviate right at Shankari and drive a good distance to join back. I am not sure if I would take this route again.

Except the Palaghat Trichur stretch, I found entire route to cochin so comfortable. Another year, that work must finish too.

Thats the reason for me asking about the route via Vaikundam. Because as per Google the state road passes right under the highway from where I can turn right and join it. I think there is a Sarvana Bhavan right after joining the main highway.

Originally Posted by Accent Martin

No deviation taken. stuck to one straight route through salem where I saw construction for flyover has begun. This is the usual route that I take when I drive to kerala. haven't explored alternate routes yet

My only concern is since we start by 6-6.30am we are most probably going to reach Salem by 9.30am which might see some rush. Anyhow will stick to the Omalur - Vaikundam route.

The last time I planned so much about a route was for Leh,

[NPV]

Originally Posted by motomaverick

Because as per Google the state road passes right under the highway from where I can turn right and join it. I think there is a Sarvana Bhavan right after joining the main highway.

Look for Tamil Nadu SH 86 on gmaps - that road comes from Idappdy bypass and where it merges with NH47, there is no flyover/underpass, just an open cross-road junction. It continues towards Tiruchengode on the other side of NH47, so you just need to make a right turn onto NH 47 at this junction. After that, in just a few more kilometers you will see the Saravana Bhavan Classic to the right so need to make a U-turn/right turn if going there.

Originally Posted by motomaverick

My only concern is since we start by 6-6.30am we are most probably going to reach Salem by 9.30am which might see some rush. Anyhow will stick to the Omalur - Vaikundam route.

The Omalur route will NOT get you to Vaigundam (it goes beyond Vaigundam so you will bypass it), it reaches near West Sankari and closer to Reddipalayam.

[motomaverick]

Originally Posted by NPV

Look for Tamil Nadu SH 86 on gmaps - that road comes from Idappdy bypass and where it merges with NH47, there is no flyover/underpass, just an open cross-road junction. It continues towards Tiruchengode on the other side of NH47, so you just need to make a right turn onto NH 47 at this junction. After that, in just a few more kilometers you will see the Saravana Bhavan Classic to the right so need to make a U-turn/right turn if going there.


The Omalur route will NOT get you to Vaigundam (it goes beyond Vaigundam so you will bypass it), it reaches near West Sankari and closer to Reddipalayam.

I was referring to the right marked in red circle. Are you referring to the blue circle intersection? But that was actually goes under the highway.

The green circle is where there is a Sarvana Bhavan. But anyways we will be completing our breakfast before Krishnagiri itself and lunch near Kerala border is what I had planned. I think there is one Kerala Tourism hotel if I am not wrong that serves delicious biryani right after crossing the border. Do we still need to pass n the wrong side when crossing the border?

[NPV]

Originally Posted by motomaverick

I was referring to the right marked in red circle. Are you referring to the blue circle intersection? But that was actually goes under the highway.

My bad, I wasn't referring to the blue circle intersection but the one after that (which leads to Idappadi). At this junction on NH 47, there is no flyover, just an open junction on the NH47 and you continue onto SH86 towards Tiruchengode from here as well.
I have always taken the NH 47 (Sankari)-Idappadi-Tharamangalam-Omalur (NH 7) route and haven't tried the one leading to Vaigundam. If you take this route when going from Bangalore, it is easier to go to the Saravana Bhavan Classic - see this post for details.

[binand]

Originally Posted by motomaverick

My only concern is since we start by 6-6.30am we are most probably going to reach Salem by 9.30am which might see some rush. Anyhow will stick to the Omalur - Vaikundam route.

Weekday? You'll lose between 30-60 minutes in Salem. The route in this post is better - you avoid Vaikundam toll as well.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post4075710 (All Roads to Kerala)

[Sree73]

Originally Posted by binand

Note that at the bottom left corner, Google Maps routes you through some not-so-ideal roads; the route most of us here prefer is via the outskirts of Idappadi town. This is the faint white line in your map which starts from the kink in the blue line just above the "8 hr 23 min" marker.

I agree binand. The last 4 KMs (through Manjakalpatti village) on the google suggested route for the diversion through SH86 is not very ideal. But, it's pretty OK to travel during the day time. It's a narrow road with many sharp twists and turns but no vehicles at all. I took this section of road for my onward / return drive and did not see even a single vehicle on both directions.
The road is slightly bad for 50 meters immediately after it takes the right turn from SH86 to Idappadi - Sankari road.

[NPV]

Update from recent Bangalore-Coimbatore-Bangalore trip:
1. Onward journey was my best in terms of time (did not cross 100Kmph except for overtaking once or twice), started at 3:45am, 20 minute breakfast break at Saravana Bhavan, Vaigundam and was at Neelambur around 9am. Took about 40 minutes to reach Cross Cut Road from here but still fine overall. Traffic was very low on account of the early start and FasTag as well

2. Return was a total FasTag wonder, saved more than an hour easily. Started from Cross Cut Road around 2:15pm, Neelambur at 2:45pm and Attibele at 8pm. Then took an hour to reach home at 9pm via Koramangala, still not bad!

3. Salem- had lot of apprehensions about the work in progress section. It is exactly 2 Km between 2 circles (roundtanas) and was easily manageable due to lower traffic.
The main carriageway lanes are blocked just after the first signal (left fork leads into the city). The work in progress section ends just before the first flyover starts. If they're doing this much now, it would have better to extend it slightly upto the turn off to Salem Steel plant as well.

FasTag experience detailed here

4. Chengapalli-Coimbatore stretch - This used to be the bottleneck earlier as it was 2 laned, then again due to work in progress sections but now it is easily the best as it has been 6 laned, lane markings, expansion joints, service roads, everything done perfectly

Now, the remaining 4 laned sections between Krishnagiri and Chengapalli will soon become the bottlenecks if laning work begins (I don't think the ghat sections can be widened further though).

Family-friendly options with decent food and neat restrooms for breaks (choose based on your timing. All places on left side unless mentioned otherwise):
Bangalore-Coimbatore direction:
1. Krishna Inn, McDonalds inside IOC campus - 65Km
2. Sree Saravana Bhavan, Kaveripattinam bypass - 95Km
3. Annapurna - 140 Km (newish place, haven't tried yet but looks decent)
4. Sai Sangeet, inside IOC campus, Thoppur - 155Km. On right side, make a U-turn before Thoppur toll plaza, first you will see a Bharat Petroleum with A2B, better avoid that A2B as food is mediocre and restrooms are not maintained well
5. A2B (fine dining format), at KPN Plaza inside Bharat Petroleum campus, Salem - 205Km. This is just after you turn off from NH 7 onto NH 47 at Salem.
6. Sree Saravana Bhavan, inside NHAI amenity complex, Vaigundam - 230Km. This is just before the Vaigundam/Sankari toll plaza.
7. A2B (fine dining format), at NHAI Amenity complex, Perundurai bypass - 260Km. This is on right side but there is a break in median and turning right takes you to the service road on other side from where the Amenity complex can be accessed.
8. Sri Sai Krishna - new place with lot of signages has come up on left side in a new NHAI Rest Area after Avinashi bypass - 320Km. Probably 30Km before Neelambur/L&T junction

Coimbatore-Bangalore direction - distance from Neelambur/L&T junction:
1. Sre Saravana Bhavan - 22Km (new place, notice "Sre" not "Sri" or "Sree"). Haven't tried this place, but looks decent.
2. Tiruppur Sree Annapoorna (branding similar to the Coimbatore based chain) - 24Km
3. Anandha Bhavan - 43Km. This place now has a very good access from service road as NHAI has completed all the work on Avinashi bypass and Chengapalli-Coimbatore. Best thing is that now there a new Bharat Petroleum next door to Anandha Bhavan so you can have a single stop for food and fuel

[NPV]

Originally Posted by NPV

Now, the remaining 4 laned sections between Krishnagiri and Chengapalli will soon become the bottlenecks if laning work begins (I don't think the ghat sections can be widened further though)

That should read 6 laning work.

Also, several signages on flexes have come up on the median between Thoppur & Chengapalli saying "Accident Prone Area, Drive Carefully", "Cross Road Ahead, Drive Carefully", "Thank you for being a safe driver", etc.

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by NPV

Now, the remaining 4 laned sections between Krishnagiri and Chengapalli will soon become the bottlenecks if laning work begins (I don't think the ghat sections can be widened further though).

Are there plans to make this stretch 6 lane? Considering the traffic density, this section should be made 6 lane sooner than later.