[Wind]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

But why go to Valancherry at all? You can go directly to Pattambi/Shoranur and thereon to Trissur without coming to NH17.

Thanks, Kumar. I am traveling to Kutippuram .

-- Wind

[nairrk]

Two months back I took following route to Guruvayur:

Kannur - Calicut - Ramanattukara - University - Kottakal - valancheri-
Edappal - Kunnamkulam - Guruvayur.

Anybody travelled recently through above route - please advise the road conditions and is there any other better route than above ?
Thanks

[mkuruvil]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

If you start at 2 pm from Bangalore, you could cross Mysore latest by 5 pm (assuming you do not get stuck in city traffic trying to get to Mysore road), and from there it is a 2 hour run to Gundulpet just before the gates close. Please bear in mind that there are check posts after Gudalur too for the Gudalur-Nilambur road although these are not closed at night. If you have a smooth drive, you could be in Nilambur by 10 pm -

Since this is my first drive via this route and second long distance drive, I think that I will venture to be on the safer side and break the journey at Mysore itself. Thanks!!

[TomRider]

Originally Posted by Wind

Which of the following is the best route from Nilambur, if we are traveling up to Kuttipuram. I heard the road conditions were pretty bad about six months back in the Angadipuram Valanchery sector. Not sure of the conditions now.

a) Nilambur-Wandoor-Pandikad-Angadipuam-Valanchey
b) Nilambur-Edavanna-Manjeri-Mangada-Angadipuram-Valanchery
c) Nilambur-Manjeri-Malapuram-Kottakal-Valanchery

-- Wind

I prefer route 'a' or 'b'. The shortest is 'c' but the road condition is not good due to the road widening of NH17.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by mkuruvil

Since this is my first drive via this route and second long distance drive, I think that I will venture to be on the safer side and break the journey at Mysore itself. Thanks!!

Then instead you should start the next day early morning. That should avoid breaking at Mysore and save on the hotel cost. Driving to Mysore early morning will not add any stress at all.

[TomRider]

Originally Posted by mkuruvil

Since this is my first drive via this route and second long distance drive, I think that I will venture to be on the safer side and break the journey at Mysore itself. Thanks!!

Originally Posted by ampere

Then instead you should start the next day early morning. That should avoid breaking at Mysore and save on the hotel cost. Driving to Mysore early morning will not add any stress at all.

I second that. It is only 2 hour drive to Mysore if it is in the morning (if you can start at 4AM or 5AM). It is only a 6 Hr drive till Nilambur. So if everything goes smooth you should be in Nilambur by 10.00 (or 10.30) in the morning.

[jacs]

Thanks HVK and All, we reached home safely from bangalore. Driven BLR-HOSUR-SELAM(by pass)-COIMBATORE(by pass)-PALAKKAD-TRISSUR-ERNAKULAM-MUVATTUPUZHA-THODUPUZHA.
Trissur - Angamaly has some diversions but absolutely problem free . Traffic was bit high from Selam to Avinashi and Valayar to Trissur. Started by 3PM and reached Trissur by 11:30PM with an hour break in Shankari in Hotel Grand Bliss which is pretty new with good hygiene serving very affordable but decent food.

Return journey would be either on 2nd Jan Eve or 3rd Jan early morning through same route.

[psvinay]

Dear Jacs: Can you write little more about Hotel Grand Bliss? Do you find the rest rooms neat? Any landmark to spot this hotel easy?

[jacs]

Originally Posted by psvinay

Dear Jacs: Can you write little more about Hotel Grand Bliss? Do you find the rest rooms neat? Any landmark to spot this hotel easy?

Hi Vinay,

Its somewhat near to Shankari Bus Stand on left hand side when you come from Selam or Bangalore side. Also there are some ad boards before the place indicating distance to the hotel. Dont worry, you cannot miss that on the way as they have enough boards and lightings.

I'm not very sure whether they have any accomodation facility but food yes.

[ccnarayanan]

Some update on road conditions (from my Bangalore-Calicut-Bangalore trip last week-end) ...

Bangalore-Mysore - excellent
Mysore-Nanjangud - some potholes, but not show-stopper
Nanjangud-Gundlupet - very good
Gundlupet-Bandipur - road construction going on, half of the road is in good condition due to new pavement, but need to be slow and careful to give way to incoming traffic
Gundlupet-Gudalur - very good, but a lot of well-marked speed-breakers
Gudalur-Chundale - good with some potholes
Chundale-Calicut - excellent

Calicut-Kalpetta-Sulthan Bathery-Gundlupet-Nanjangud - excellent
Nanjangud-Mysore - some potholes, but not show-stopper
Mysore-Bangalore - excellent

[nairrk]

Just a Caution for members travelling to Kerala, especially on Highways !

Recently, the cops started checking the vehicle speed through camera
surveillance. The camera can record a vehicle speed from atleast one km distance.

2 days back when I was driving from my place to guruvayur and back, I found the cops standing in atleast 4 points to check the speed. I dont know what is the speed they set in in the camera but feel if driving at a speed of 80kmph or more will be recorded in the camera. I was driving sometime in excess of 100kmph but luckly escaped. Mostly these cops stand in the straight roads, so that the camera can record the vehicle speed without any interruption.

News paper report says that Cops are going to do more intensive checks througout kerala Roads.

Beware, dear members

[TomRider]

Originally Posted by nairrk

Just a Caution for members travelling to Kerala, especially on Highways !

Recently, the cops started checking the vehicle speed through camera
surveillance. The camera can record a vehicle speed from atleast one km distance.

2 days back when I was driving from my place to guruvayur and back, I found the cops standing in atleast 4 points to check the speed. I dont know what is the speed they set in in the camera but feel if driving at a speed of 80kmph or more will be recorded in the camera. I was driving sometime in excess of 100kmph but luckly escaped. Mostly these cops stand in the straight roads, so that the camera can record the vehicle speed without any interruption.

News paper report says that Cops are going to do more intensive checks througout kerala Roads.

Beware, dear members

Cops caught me last time when I was driving at 87 kmph (They showed me the actual speed in the speed gun). He said if the speed is more than 70 and less than 100, the fine is Rs.300/- and if the speed is above 100, fine will be Rs.1000/-. I paid a fine of Rs.300 and left the place, (yes.. with the receipt ). The cop also mentioned that generally they give a grace for ~10kmph over the speed limit. So the maximum (safe) speed in Kerala is ~80kmph.

I am leaving tomorrow morning to Kochi and planning to be a sane driver after Walayar.

[jacs]

Originally Posted by TomRider

Cops caught me last time when I was driving at 87 kmph (They showed me the actual speed in the speed gun). He said if the speed is more than 70 and less than 100, the fine is Rs.300/- and if the speed is above 100, fine will be Rs.1000/-. I paid a fine of Rs.300 and left the place, (yes.. with the receipt ). The cop also mentioned that generally they give a grace for ~10kmph over the speed limit. So the maximum (safe) speed in Kerala is ~80kmph.

I am leaving tomorrow morning to Kochi and planning to be a sane driver after Walayar.

I Second TomRider's word of caution to stick to 80kmph especially during day time. Cops with speedguns are seen between Trissur to Angamaly route mainly. Have seen lot of sorry faces around them, I was cruising @ 80KMPH most of the time hence they simply ignored me .

[kutlee]

oops..that's bad news. i think atleast a 100 should be permissible. i don't have working speedo. Also do these guns work in the dark? what if i drive in the night?
i have another idea, spot a gun, do a speed of 90, pay the fine and enjoy for the rest of the day. or can they fine another round for doing 120? i think they can't charge for the same offence twice in a single day. i think i will stick to that idea.

[joecherian]

Originally Posted by kutlee

oops..that's bad news. i think atleast a 100 should be permissible. i don't have working speedo. Also do these guns work in the dark? what if i drive in the night?
i have another idea, spot a gun, do a speed of 90, pay the fine and enjoy for the rest of the day. or can they fine another round for doing 120? i think they can't charge for the same offence twice in a single day. i think i will stick to that idea.

Hmm. doesn't look like this will work, Cops will find thousand reasons to fine you again and again and hence beware.