[srinivaspai]

Help required in planning this route from experts
Tholpetty - Kattikkulam - Sulthan Battery - Gudalur. How is the road surface especially after the rains? Also Google shows multiple roads after Kattikkulam to S.Battery. Which route would you suggest keeping in mind my requirement is good surface for my low slung car?
Also is it better to take a detour via Kattikkulam - Mananthwadi - Kalpetta - Sulthan Battery to be safer on better roads?
Thanks .

[knightrider_7]

Did a round trip from Calicut to Thalassery and back. The roads are good now. There were (almost) no potholes to speak of. Some short stretches have undulations due to the patchwork. I was able to do the trip in 1.5 hours (one-way), on my bike without exceeding 60 kmph. The only issue is the undivided 2L Highway. If you get yourself behind truck or bus, its difficult to overtake due to the narrow roads and oncoming traffic.

[vijaymishra]

Looking for Information :-
I will be traveling to Guruvayur on Wednesday the 22nd November to attend a wedding. The first time I traveled in this route was 4 years back, not sure which is the optimum route to pick.
Is - Bangalore - Krishnagiri-Salem-Avinashi-Palakkad-Alathur-Guruvayur a better route and is 5AM start too late to avoid traffic enroute(especially Salem)

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by vijaymishra

Looking for Information :-
I will be traveling to Guruvayur on Wednesday the 22nd November to attend a wedding. The first time I traveled in this route was 4 years back, not sure which is the optimum route to pick.
Is - Bangalore - Krishnagiri-Salem-Avinashi-Palakkad-Alathur-Guruvayur a better route and is 5AM start too late to avoid traffic enroute(especially Salem)

Blr Salem Avinashi Coimbatore Palakkad Ottapalam Kulappully Pattambi Kunnamkulam Guruvayur would be ideal.Involves a little bit of town driving inside Palakkad but your GPS or Gmaps will easily guide you.
The other option is to go via Thrissur in which case you will keep on the highway from Palakkad Vadakkencheri Mannuthy Thrissur Kecheri Guruvayur.This is the route you must have taken last time.All bypasses between Salem and Coimbatore have been completed so 5am Blr will see you reaching Coimbatore by 11am Palakkad by 12 1230 and Guruvayur by 3 330pm.

[AshiqueS]

Originally Posted by sknair

Anybody passed through Vadakkencheri to Kuthiran recently? How is the road condition?

Is the kuthiran tunnel opened?
I saw the below youtube video showing Kuthiran tunnel in motorable condition?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L7s0WYdf2Y

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by AshiqueS

Is the kuthiran tunnel opened?
I saw the below Youtube video showing Kuthiran tunnel in motorable condition?

That's definitely not Kuthiran tunnel. The topography is different and the video was uploaded on August 20th. I passed this section in Sept, during Onam and can confirm that I didnt pass through the tunnel .

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by AshiqueS

Is the kuthiran tunnel opened?

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

That's definitely not Kuthiran tunnel.

Read a report in Mathrumi that the traffic through kuthiran tunnel will not happen in near future as approach road work is not done. The PWD minister has however assured that traffic will be allowed by year end. See news below.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/61705075.cms

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by AshiqueS

Is the kuthiran tunnel opened?
I saw the below Youtube video showing Kuthiran tunnel in motorable condition?

That is not Kuthiran,looks like some tunnel on NH4.

[treadmark]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Blr Salem Avinashi Coimbatore Palakkad Ottapalam Kulappully Pattambi Kunnamkulam Guruvayur would be ideal.Involves a little bit of town driving inside Palakkad but your GPS or Gmaps will easily guide you.
The other option is to go via Thrissur in which case you will keep on the highway from Palakkad Vadakkencheri Mannuthy Thrissur Kecheri Guruvayur

Originally Posted by vijaymishra

Looking for Information :-
I will be traveling to Guruvayur on Wednesday the 22nd November
Is - Bangalore - Krishnagiri-Salem-Avinashi-Palakkad-Alathur-Guruvayur a better route and is 5AM start too late to avoid traffic enroute(especially Salem)

I would suggest to stick to the route you had mentioned.
Bangalore - Krishnagiri-Salem-Avinashi-Palakkad-Alathur- Chelakara - Wadakkanchery ~ Kuranchery ~ Kechery ~ Guruvayur. Roads are good all along with minimal traffic. I can vouch for this because my native is
Wadakkanchery and have all the routes extensively at all times of the day.
The one through Ottapalam ~ Pattambi, you'll lose good amount of time passing Palakkad and the other one through Thrissur is more circuitous and time consuming.

4 AM start will be ideal to pass Salem before the morning rush hour given you travel on a week day and you'll be able to reach Guruvayoor around 1 PM.

Cheers!

[vijaymishra]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Blr Salem Avinashi Coimbatore Palakkad Ottapalam Kulappully Pattambi Kunnamkulam Guruvayur would be ideal.Involves a little bit of town driving inside Palakkad but your GPS or Gmaps will easily guide you.
The other option is to go via Thrissur in which case you will keep on the highway from Palakkad Vadakkencheri Mannuthy Thrissur Kecheri Guruvayur.This is the route you must have taken last time.All bypasses between Salem and Coimbatore have been completed so 5am Blr will see you reaching Coimbatore by 11am Palakkad by 12 1230 and Guruvayur by 3 330pm.

Originally Posted by treadmark

I would suggest to stick to the route you had mentioned.
Bangalore - Krishnagiri-Salem-Avinashi-Palakkad-Alathur- Chelakara - Wadakkanchery ~ Kuranchery ~ Kechery ~ Guruvayur. Roads are good all along with minimal traffic. I can vouch for this because my native is
Wadakkanchery and have all the routes extensively at all times of the day.
The one through Ottapalam ~ Pattambi, you'll lose good amount of time passing Palakkad and the other one through Thrissur is more circuitous and time consuming.

4 AM start will be ideal to pass Salem before the morning rush hour given you travel on a week day and you'll be able to reach Guruvayoor around 1 PM.

Cheers!

Thanks for the feedback Ranjith & Treadmark!
I may try both the routes one while onward and return journey, starting 04:00 am looks good and will try my best to start early.
Any recommendations for breakfast post Salem?

[treadmark]

Originally Posted by vijaymishra

Thanks for the feedback Ranjith & Treadmark!

I may try both the routes one while onward and return journey, starting 04:00 am looks good and will try my best to start early.

Any recommendations for breakfast post Salem?

Hotel Sree Saravana Bhavan
Near Sankagiri Toll Gate, NH-47, Salem-Kanyakumari Hwy, Vaikundam, Sankagiri, Tamil Nadu 637103

https://goo.gl/maps/6RMRLuDjb3F2

The above one should be the best bet after Salem. Spacious car parking, clean rest rooms and decent food too.

Even intercity buses plying on this route prefer this hotel.

Cheers!

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by vijaymishra

Thanks for the feedback Ranjith & Treadmark!
I may try both the routes one while onward and return journey, starting 04:00 am looks good and will try my best to start early.
Any recommendations for breakfast post Salem?

The A2B at Sankari would be my suggestion.Comes to your left.You would be there in about less than 30mins of drive time from Salem town.Clean and excellent washrooms and the food like always is good.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

The A2B at Sankari would be my suggestion.Comes to your left.

@ranjit - this picture seems to be of the A2B attached to the Bharat petroleum bunk called KPN Plaza, it is at the beginning of NH 47/544 soon as you take the ramp from NH 7 from Salem. This is very close from Salem town and usually opens around 6:30, if one reaches earlier, better to drive ahead to the next one.
The next one is about 20km later on the left near Vaigundam toll and that is Sree Saravana Bhavan.
Another 10-15km away on the right there is a Saravana bhavan classic, this one is near Reddipalayam/Sankari west.

[Waxeloquent]

On tunnels in Kuthiran, we just drove back from Kerala. No they are not going to be ready in December 2017 for sure. May be...just may be 2018.

[glenmz]

Originally Posted by AshiqueS

Is the kuthiran tunnel opened?
I saw the below Youtube video showing Kuthiran tunnel in motorable condition?

Definitely not Kuthiraan. The over bridge towards is a giveaway. I passed by 2 weeks back and the approach roads are not way close to completion. Cross posting from the FASTag thread, the Thrissur toll now has a dedicated tag lane!

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...ml#post4304225