[NPV]

Originally Posted by arjithin

Option 1 - Regular NH7 via Tharamangalam
Option 2 - Bhavani -Idappadi - Mecheri - pennanagaram - Palakode - Rayalkottai - Hosur - Bagalur- Whitefield

Why don't you try a mix of option 1 & 2 ?

Take the sankari-idappadi-tharamangalam-omalur route to escape crazy lines at tolls as well as the Salem flyover construction zone.

Then at Hosur, take the turn off to Bagalur and reach Whitefield.

Having FasTag will be a bonus at the toll plazas.

[arjithin]

Originally Posted by NPV

Why don't you try a mix of option 1 & 2 ?

Take the sankari-idappadi-tharamangalam-omalur route to escape crazy lines at tolls as well as the Salem flyover construction zone.

Then at Hosur, take the turn off to Bagalur and reach Whitefield.

Having FasTag will be a bonus at the toll plazas.

Thanks. Option 1 is my default and I always take Tharamamgalam irrespective of time of travel.

But the unfortunate part is that I didn't go to Coimbatore this weekend !!!

[Sandy28]

Did a visit to hometown (Pattambi) last weekend. Took the usual Salem -Coimbatore route while going. Nothing to report. Flyover work was on at Salem but luckily we didnt get stuck anywhere.

On return, we took the Nilambur-Bandipur route. I had done the Bandipur-Chamrarajnagar-Kolegal-Bglor route few months back and it was in excellent condition. So decided to take that route to avoid Mysore. Till Bandipur it was excellent road but after that I was in for many shocks. Road relaying is on at many places and in those stretches, roads have practically been dug up. Its a slow bouncy drive thru them.

From Chamrarajnagar, took the Santhamarahalli-Yelandur route. Luckily this was in excellent condition with no work going on. I was just beginning to think that alls fine now, when cops diverted traffic away from the Yelandur-Kolegal main highway (as some VIP was visiting) and onto the Uppinamloe-Kunagalli bylane. This is a pure country lane with bad to no roads and takes hell lot of time to cover. Finally we reached Kollegal and from then on it was a smooth ride with traffic picking up as you near Bangalore.

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by Sandy28

Did a visit to hometown (Pattambi) last weekend.
On return, we took the Nilambur-Bandipur route.

How is the condition of Pattambi - Pulamanthol - Perinthalmanna - Nilambur- Gudalur - Muthumalai - Bandipur- Gundlupet stretch? How much time did it take for you?

[Sandy28]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

How is the condition of Pattambi - Pulamanthol - Perinthalmanna - Nilambur- Gudalur - Muthumalai - Bandipur- Gundlupet stretch? How much time did it take for you?

Pattambi-Nilambur via Perinthalmana has some rough patches but nothing to worry about. Also contrary to what I had heard, the traffic was also pretty moderate. The route till you cross Bandipur is good. Trouble starts after that due to the road laying that I mentioned.

I was at Pattambi 9.25 am and reached NICE road around 7.15 pm. However we took couple of breaks prior to and around Nilambur, stopped at few tea estates to click pics and do some tea shopping and drove pretty slow thru Mudumalai & Bandipur hoping to see some wild life (which we didnt). If you drive fast and with fewer breaks, you can cover the route faster.

[smekad]

All need some advise, how long does it take to cover bangalore to Bandipur forest gate if we leave bangalore in afternoon 330PM. The reason I am asking is that Bandipur forest closes at 9PM, I heard they allow the vehicles to enter till 9PM.

I am travelling with family (infant , wife and 7yr old). Wondering what time we should leave bangalore (east) so that we will enter the gate before it closes. Need to give time for a break in between of at least 20min.

-thanks

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by smekad

All need some advise, how long does it take to cover bangalore to Bandipur forest gate if we leave bangalore in afternoon 330PM. The reason I am asking is that Bandipur forest closes at 9PM, I heard they allow the vehicles to enter till 9PM.

I am travelling with family (infant , wife and 7yr old). Wondering what time we should leave bangalore (east) so that we will enter the gate before it closes. Need to give time for a break in between of at least 20min.

-thanks

Depending on which part of Bangalore you are starting and your driving habits, it can take 4.30 to 5 hours to reach the Bandipur gate and you need to add your break time to it. I feel you will be cutting it too close by starting at 3.30 pm. Where exactly are you heading through Bandipur? Unless you are heading for one of the resorts in that area, it will become late night for you to cross Muthumalai forest stretch. Please consider this while you are traveling with family and infant

[smekad]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

Depending on which part of Bangalore you are starting and your driving habits, it can take 4.30 to 5 hours to reach the Bandipur gate and you need to add your break time to it. I feel you will be cutting it too close by starting at 3.30 pm. Where exactly are you heading through Bandipur? Unless you are heading for one of the resorts in that area, it will become late night for you to cross Muthumalai forest stretch. Please consider this while you are traveling with family and infant

Thanks I am travelling to Nilambur. I will have a friend also accompanying me, but yes I agree it looks like 330 is late. I stay in east bangalore, will have to travel via ORR to hit Nice road to Kanakpura onwards to Nilambur.

[NPV]

Yesterday, on the way back from Sathyamangalam on the NH 7 after Thoppur toll (I think it was on the short stretch of Krishnagiri Ghats), saw a digital signboard say something to the effect "Your speed is under surveillance, follow the correct speed limit and maintain safe distance from other vehicles". Another one mentioned the Speed limit for Cars as 100Kmph.

I guess some kind of action on speeding vehicles is around the corner, not sure how it will be implemented though.
During a recent trip towards Chennai, I also remember seeing posters at the toll booths that speed of vehicles is being monitored and over speeding vehicles will be fined.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by NPV

During a recent trip towards Chennai, I also remember seeing posters at the toll booths that speed of vehicles is being monitored and over speeding vehicles will be fined.

There were posts on Chennai route thread about speed guns around Hosur and those who cross the limit will be stopped at Krishnagiri toll and fined.

Not sure about the same in North / Salem- Krishagiri- Bangalore route though.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by smekad

Thanks I am travelling to Nilambur. I will have a friend also accompanying me, but yes I agree it looks like 330 is late. I stay in east bangalore, will have to travel via ORR to hit Nice road to Kanakpura onwards to Nilambur.

Then it is definitely late. Ideally you should be at kanakpura/nice road jn latest by 3.30. Also after 8 there is an increase in traffic as people rush to beat the deadline. You should plan to cross the checkpost by 8-8.30 max. They don't always wait till it is sharp 9pm to stop the entry.

[glenmz]

Accident at thoppur, 42 km before Salem. Truck overturned. Recovery process is on. Stuck here for the past 30 mins.

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by NPV

Yesterday, on the way back from Sathyamangalam on the NH 7 after Thoppur toll (I think it was on the short stretch of Krishnagiri Ghats), saw a digital signboard say something to the effect "Your speed is under surveillance, follow the correct speed limit and maintain safe distance from other vehicles". Another one mentioned the Speed limit for Cars as 100Kmph.

I guess some kind of action on speeding vehicles is around the corner, not sure how it will be implemented though.
During a recent trip towards Chennai, I also remember seeing posters at the toll booths that speed of vehicles is being monitored and over speeding vehicles will be fined.

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

There were posts on Chennai route thread about speed guns around Hosur and those who cross the limit will be stopped at Krishnagiri toll and fined.

Not sure about the same in North / Salem- Krishagiri- Bangalore route though.

I too saw the same near Thoppur a week back, but have not seen any speed checks in the Bangalore Coimbatore stretch till day. As mentioned, there might be something getting implemented in future

BTW what is the speed limit on these stretches?

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

As mentioned, there might be something getting implemented in future
...
BTW what is the speed limit on these stretches?

There should be a link to that in the NHAI, web site. But here is a link to Deccan Chronicle, which says - "speed limit on four-lane highways was 80 kmph and 100 kmph on six lanes."

And to be frank, if NHAI, Central or State governments really wish to bring in some revenue, nothing would be the easier thing to do. Equip all highway police vehicles on these four lane/six lane highways with hand held speed-radars !! In my journeys through TN (via Krishnagiri, Salem) I have noticed that in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts there are at least two highway police mobiles. Erode, Tiruppur I guess has one each. Coimbatore has at least 2 or 3, with the L&T byepass being their favourite camping site.

If these folks start "running the radar", then that would be it.

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

There should be a link to that in the NHAI, web site. But here is a link to Deccan Chronicle, which says - "speed limit on four-lane highways was 80 kmph and 100 kmph on six lanes."

Kerala government increased the speedlimt to 90kms on 4-Lane highways last year. Like in AP (as mentioned in the link), looks like there is a clash with NHAI. But unlike in AP, government in Kerala has set a higher limit than NHAI