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Well, not yet. The minister would first hold a meeting with the Toll operators and then work out the modalities. So far the toll operators have managed to get their way through.

Quick update. This RTI application which was rerouted to NHAI authorities at Coimbatore yielded no response. I have now filed my "First Appeal" which was sent directly to appellate authority at NHAI @ Coimbatore office. The appeal should have reached them last week (after checking Speed Post tracking tool). Let me wait for another 30 days to see if they respond.

Recorded my fastest Vaikom - Whitefield drive yesterday.
Start tim - 5:25 AM
End time - 1:45 PM
Break time - 40 mins

Distance- 566 KMS

This was my first trip with fastag and it must have helped save 10 - 15 mins.

Took the Edappadi - Omalur route to avoid Salem. All the toll booths were cleared fast due to fastag.

Took the Attibele - Sarjapur route instead of Bagalur route after a long time. Attibele to Sarjapur is patchy. Sarjapur - Dommasandra is being widened and hence broken at some places.

Traveled through the highranges and lowranges towns while returning from Velankanni through Kumily route to reach Muvattupuzha. From Theni to Uttamapalayam we were re-routed through Uppukottai Kuchanur which has some bad deserted stretches. The Erattupetta-Thodupuzha road almost 15kms is devoid of tarring as this stretch is getting re-layed. Avoid Erattupetta-Thodupuzha road. Kanjirappilly-Erattupetta road also has some constructions going on.

TV news says police will ensure that no more traffic pileups and will let vehicles pass if there is a crowd.

BTW is this not applicable for toll plazas in TN? We get massive pileups on long weekends on the Bangalore - Palaghat stretch

This sort of a rule is not present anywhere in the rulebook. What I understand is that it is in a clause in the contract between NHAI and Guruvayoor Infrastructure (the company collecting toll), which we can't see. If this clause is present only in that contract then some officer of NHAI was very prescient. If on the other hand this is a standard clause in all such contracts one wonders why it is not applied elsewhere.

On the RTI application filed to know more about the infamous L&T byepass at Coimbatore
In a matter of 10 days, I did get the response from the NHAI at Coimbatore. I am attaching the actual response. To summarise:-
1. L&T built the bye-pass road on a Build-Operate-Transfer mode. NHAI does NOT known when L&T would hand over the road to them. The people who gave contract to L&T does NOT know when the contract would expire.
2. The travelers would have to tolerate paying tolls on this road till the year 2029 (they started toll collection in 1999, so the toll is for a period of 30 years!!)
3. NHAI authorities are clue less on why FasTag is not rolled out on this stretch, or of any plans to widen this byepass road.

To be frank, the RTI response do not seem to be satisfactory as there seems to be lots of information missing/hidden/unknown. In another 2 years time, the entire national highway from Bangalore all the way to Ernakulam would have good four laned highway, but this byepass would remain as an eye-sore till 2029!

During my drive last Sunday, noticed some land being cleared on either side of L & T bypass. Not sure whether it is for widening.

Another issue is that in all toll booths they keep one lane closed leading to pile up.

Seems there is a meeting between the Guruvayoor Infrastructure Co and the Kerala ministry today to discuss the way forward. Hope some useful decision comes out of it.

My personal experience with Paliakkara toll is fine even during long weekends compared to toll plazas in Bangalore Coimbatore route.

Great work there, Sachin

How come the transfer date of a BOT project is not known? The transfer date has to be known, else how does the contractor work out his cost!!

Will Newspapers be interested in publishing this if you forward this? My opinion - would be worth a try

Well actually I thought about it. Have a few contacts who used to be active journalists, but now more or less spending a retired life. Will sound this to them, when I meet them (most likely in June).

The whole response, I felt; was just to send the letter out and comply with the RTI law (in letter, but NOT in spirit). This response itself, I got it elicited after filing an appeal with the appellate authority.

There is also some confusion regarding the TN State's Highway Department's role in this bye-pass scheme. My understanding is that the bye-pass was a kind of joint venture/plan by NHAI-TN Road Dept-L&T (as contractors). In this whole confusing scheme, I guess there would be political involvements as well. Especially if this bye-pass is a cash cow ;).

As per reports in Mathrubhumi, the first tunnel in Kuthiran should be opened for traffic within 2 months. Construction of tunnels that interconnect the main tunnels are in the final stage. Here is the link for those who can read Malayalam.

http://www.mathrubhumi.com/thrissur/...iran-1.1943816

Hi,

Planning to drive down to Guruvayoor in the first week of June, any advise regarding the route to be taken, quality of roads, any tips would be helpful as travelling with family.

Would ideally prefer to break the journey and sleep for the night.

Regards,
Shailesh

You have many route options. The most scenic will be Mysore, Gudalur, Perinthalmanna, Guruvayur. You can start early and by sunset you are at Guruvayur. Plenty of restaurants and lodging fit for family , once you cross over to Kerala. The quality of this route is good, except for some patches in Bandipur. But remember to check your wipers before you set off. Nice time to visit Guruvayur, since coinciding with end of school vacation.

You didn't say where you are starting from. If Bangalore, then you don't really need to break overnight; the Bangalore-Salem-Thrissur-Guruvayur route (about 500 km) can be driven in a day and still have time left over. This route has excellent roads (except about 15 km between Kuthiran and Mannuthy) and is mostly dual carriageway.

Hi,

Yes travelling from Bangalore, travelling with infant, hence was more keen on breaking mid way.

Regards
Shailesh