[binand]

Originally Posted by unni246

With respect to both options - the Byelection results in the Nanjangud & Gundlupet areas are to be announced tomorrow. Should this be something to be concerned about?

The Bangalore-Ch. Nagara-Satyamangalam avoids both those constituencies (goes via Malavally-T. Narasipura-Kollegal-Ch. Nagara constituencies). I don't think I need to worry about election results.

Originally Posted by kala

[snip]

Thanks!

Originally Posted by kala

(The narrow bridge over Cauvery at T.Narsipur is no longer an issue because the new bridge paralell to is now open).

This is the bridge when coming through Sosale, right?

The 1 PM start is a problem, but I do want to avoid Nanjangud and Gundlupet on the day election results are declared. Plus a long-lasting desire to drive through Dhimbam ghats. :-) It has no night closure/traffic ban, right?

Now it looks like I'll have to go to my son's school before starting, which means my start could delayed even further. Maybe I'll have to go via Salem-Coimbatore (though I'd hate the Vishu/Easter traffic).

[unni246]

Originally Posted by binand

The Bangalore-Ch. Nagara-Satyamangalam avoids both those constituencies (goes via Malavally-T. Narasipura-Kollegal-Ch. Nagara constituencies). I don't think I need to worry about election results.

That's pretty cool then

Originally Posted by binand

The 1 PM start is a problem

Now it looks like I'll have to go to my son's school before starting, which means my start could delayed even further. Maybe I'll have to go via Salem-Coimbatore (though I'd hate the Vishu/Easter traffic).

Aren't his schools closed yet?
Well in case you postpone your plan to 14th morning, we could catchup. I have planned for an early morning start to avoid the mad rush on 13th evening, though it's Vishu that day and hope to reach my parents for Lunch!

Originally Posted by kala

Both the options referred to in Binand's post are far enough from the constituencies where by-polls are taking place, so I don't think that should be an issue.

Yes, makes sense

[arjithin]

Originally Posted by binand

Now it looks like I'll have to go to my son's school before starting, which means my start could delayed even further. Maybe I'll have to go via Salem-Coimbatore (though I'd hate the Vishu/Easter traffic).

I am starting at 2.30 PM from Whitefield. Say a Hi if you overtake a light blue Ertiga

Dont think traffic will be bad if you are starting before 4 PM. As of now I plan to take NH7, and Omalur bypass so that I reach NH47 before sunset.

[glenmz]

I would be travelling tomorrow. Hoping that the promise of dedicated FASTag lanes are kept. Would be likely to start after the Thursday service at Bangalore.

[kala]

Originally Posted by kala

(The narrow bridge over Cauvery at T.Narsipur is no longer an issue because the new bridge paralell to it is now open).

Originally Posted by binand

This is the bridge when coming through Sosale, right?

Yes, the first bridge as you come from Sosale and enter T.Narsipura. The old one was not wide enough for two way traffic, so one had to wait if there was a heavy vehicle coming from the other side.

After passing this bridge, you get on to a second bridge over Kabini (or Kapila as it is called in that area) - that was rebuilt a while back and therefore adequately wide. (It is a part of the NH212 connecting Mysore and Kollegal)

The 1 PM start is a problem, but I do want to avoid Nanjangud and Gundlupet on the day election results are declared. Plus a long-lasting desire to drive through Dhimbam ghats. :-) It has no night closure/traffic ban, right?

No night closures on that route - though two wheelers are prohibited inside the forest stretch from 6PM to 6AM if I recall right.

[binand]

Originally Posted by unni246

Aren't his schools closed yet?

School vacation is on, but there is some paperwork that I need to make available to the school by 15/4. Since tomorrow is a holiday courier/post will not work; so I have to drop those papers at the school myself.

Originally Posted by arjithin

I am starting at 2.30 PM from Whitefield. Say a Hi if you overtake a light blue Ertiga

Cool. You too can watch out for a T-Bhp stickered, MH-registered grey I10. :-) I am generally not the overtaking type; you'll see me ambling along at a leisurely 80-90 kmph.

[unni246]

Originally Posted by arjithin

I am starting at 2.30 PM from Whitefield.

Originally Posted by binand

Cool. You too can watch out for a T-Bhp stickered, MH-registered grey I10. :-) I am generally not the overtaking type; you'll see me ambling along at a leisurely 80-90 kmph.

Hope you guys are having a sound & safe journey. Appreciate if you could update the post with the traffic status once you are done with the journey today. I would be starting myself early morning tomorrow.

Originally Posted by glenmz

I would be travelling tomorrow. Hoping that the promise of dedicated FASTag lanes are kept

Kindly let us know how the FASTag experience was especially at Attibele, Krishnagiri & Thoppur booths!

[glenmz]

Originally Posted by unni246

Kindly let us know how the FASTag experience was especially at Attibele, Krishnagiri & Thoppur booths!

There was heavy traffic at thoppur and Krishnagiri toll. Thoppur vehicle queue extended till 1 km. Fastag lanes were clogged at both places. I started late, by about 8pm.
And I took the bagalur route and joined housr skipping attibelle toll. The road from Dommasandra jn till Sarjapur has been widened making traffic much better. There are some minor bad stretches though due to WIP, but much better than earlier

Traffic from Salem is sparse.

[binand]

Originally Posted by unni246

Kindly let us know how the FASTag experience was especially at Attibele, Krishnagiri & Thoppur booths!

Krishnagiri - they changed the fastag lane. I entered the usual one (second from left, with orange colour scheme) but the lady at the counter said it has been changed to lane 4. Paid with cash here.

The big one was Kaniyur (the last one before Coimbatore). The queue must have been easily an hour long, but the booth staff valiantly guarded the fastag lane. The Rs. 200 extra, not to mention the charge for loading money to the tag, was all worth it to see the look of jealousy on the exasperated drivers who saw me cruising along what they thought was a non-functional lane. I now know how our politicians with privilege feel. :-)

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by glenmz

There was heavy traffic at thoppur and Krishnagiri toll. Thoppur vehicle queue extended till 1 km. Fastag lanes were clogged at both places. I started late, by about 8pm.
And I took the bagalur route and joined housr skipping attibelle toll. The road from Dommasandra jn till Sarjapur has been widened making traffic much better. There are some minor bad stretches though due to WIP, but much better than earlier

Traffic from Salem is sparse.

How is the condition of the Sarjapur bypass?

[arjithin]

Originally Posted by unni246

Kindly let us know how the FASTag experience was especially at Attibele, Krishnagiri & Thoppur booths!

I started later than planned, 4.30 pm at Silkboard and 1215 at chalakudy.

Worst fasttag experience was at Paliakkara (thrissur) toll, there every one was allowed in fasttag lane.

Omalur bypass helped to save another 20 minutes. I joined back NH @ sankari in 53 minutes, and went for dinner at Saravana bhavan at the end of Sankari bypass; an Etios which was giving me company from Dharmapuri who took Salem route reached the same hotel 20 minutes later.

Return is on Sunday evening. Thinking of starting around 4pm from Chalakudy and take the statehighway route from Bhavani.

[glenmz]

Originally Posted by binand

Krishnagiri - they changed the fastag lane. I

The big one was Kaniyur (the last one before Coimbatore). The queue must have been easily an hour long,

Well, at Krishnagiri, Lane 1 starts from the right side and then at Thoppur, Lane 1 starts from Left. I luckily checked with a toll booth attendant and he asked me to go to the extreme right, which helped.
For me, till Thoppur, even the fastag lanes were full and had lot of trucks. Saw some non Fastag vehicles in the lane too. With the increasing number of Fastag vehicles, hope they increase the number of dedicated lanes.

Originally Posted by pramodpk

How is the condition of the Sarjapur bypass?

Do you mean the Dommasandra - Bagalur route? Pretty good and this is the best I have seen in the near times. Some minor patches have tarring to be completed but they have widened the roads at all places.

Originally Posted by arjithin

I started later than planned, 4.30 pm at Silkboard and 1215 at chalakudy.

Worst fasttag experience was at Paliakkara (thrissur) toll, there every one was allowed in fasttag lane.

Yes Paliekkara was allowing all vehicles. Infact I was the only tag user at that time. Had an argument with the operator; he said he was helpless!

The road condition has improved overall. The Coimbatore stretch after L&T by-pass is almost complete. The Wadakkancherry - Mannuty stretch is the only one thats WIP, but didn't face much issues as the segment is wider compared to earlier times.

From Paliyekkara toll, the road has been scoured. The tyres make a lot of noise at such places. Is this to relay the road?

[binand]

Originally Posted by glenmz

Well, at Krishnagiri, Lane 1 starts from the right side and then at Thoppur, Lane 1 starts from Left.

Sorry, I always count from the left of the direction I'm travelling in. Best method to convey the message, provided I clearly mention it (which I didn't this time).

Originally Posted by glenmz

The Coimbatore stretch after L&T by-pass is almost complete.

Did you also run into immigration and customs delays at KG Chavady? I lost about 20 minutes due to this artificially created traffic jam.

[glenmz]

Originally Posted by binand

Did you also run into immigration and customs delays at KG Chavady? I lost about 20 minutes due to this artificially created traffic jam.

Nope, i passed Coimbatore at around 2am so it would have been over.

I have noticed recently that private buses skip the l&t by pass at night and take the Coimbatore city route. I took this during Christmas and found the route a good alternative.

[Safety is Param]

Hello fellow members!

Wishing a Happy & Prosperous New Year to all folks in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and up-North as well!

Am traveling on the Bangalore - Trivandrum - Alleppey - Thekkady - Munnar - Bangalore route next week, with my parents (not an ideal time to be going to Kerala, I know, but this is the best opportunity!).

Unable to find much update on the Bangalore - Trivandrum route (lots of updates on Kochi route though!)

Google maps shows Hosur - Krishnagiri - Salem - Namakkal - Karur - Dindigul - Madurai - Kovilpatti - Tirunelveli - latch on to NH-944 - then NH-66 - Poovar - Kovalam - Trivandrum Is this the best route? Considering it's GQ most of the way, I don't expect alternate roads to be better, however, considering 12 hrs of journey time on this route do we have similar or 80% similar roads that can cut down the travel time by an hour or two?

I intend to reach the destination before sundown, considering that I am planning to start from Banashankari 3rd stage by 4 am!

Max speed would be 90 kmph and at least 4 breaks of 30 mins each, is what I am considering at the moment. 1st break at Salem for breakfast.

I have done Bangalore - Munnar in Aug 2015, and have traveled on this route till Dindigul. I think, we shall break at Ponram Food Square at Dindigul for our 2nd break.

I would like to avoid ghat sections during the onward journey for 2 reasons -

1. This is the longest leg of the journey, and we would like to utilize as much flat surface as possible.

2. Alleppey - Thekkady - Munnar - Bangalore is going to be a drive through the mountains anyway, so we plan to take that during our return journey.

The route link is https://goo.gl/maps/exoMg8Yn7cE2

Request members to advise based on their recent experiences!

Thank you!