[kraken]

Originally Posted by kala

How about the roads on the other Kottayam/Changanacherry bypass ? (i.e if you take the Puthuppally-Vakathanam-Thengana-Perumthuruthy route) ?

Hi ! I can only comment on the Thengana- Perumthuruthy stretch with first hand knowledge. There were some potholes/bad patches on the road but manageable. Vakathanam- Thengana is just fairly good as I understand from the guys who drive my supply vehicles. They seem to have noticed some areas through which water was flowing into the road has deteriorated and some potholes recently. That's about it.

[deepclutch]

Originally Posted by kala

Re: Changanacherry bypass :


How about the roads on the other Kottayam/Changanacherry bypass ? (i.e if you take the Puthuppally-Vakathanam-Thengana-Perumthuruthy route) ?

I've done a trip to Parelpalli, Changanassery last saturday, from Muvattupuzha. Due to traffic blocks at Ettumanoor, took the Ettumanur temple bypass to reach Manarcaud-Puthupally-Vakathanam-Thengana-Changanassery route. The road condition between Ettumanur and Manarcaud was horrible due to works going on. No asphalt at many places, besides the traffic. Do not take Ettumanur-Manarcaud road now.



While returning also (from Kurumbanadam, Changanassery), observed big traffic block at Puthupally and especially towards Kottayam road, which was not normal, may be due to some local church celebrations. Somehow managed to pass Puthupally to Manarcaud road and took a turn somewhere after Kidangoor to join MC road at Vembally.


Thengana junction, Manarcaud junction all have slow moving vehicles unlike earlier.

[gk1234]

Guys, any update on how’s the Cochin-Trivandrum route looking these days? Looking to make a quick drive between these two cities soon. The Cochin-Alleppey-Kayankulam—Kollam-Trivandrum route, mainly. Also, any updates on the Kottayam-Thiruvalla-Kottarakkara route?
Thanks!

[dhanushmenon]

Originally Posted by gk1234

Guys, any update on how’s the Cochin-Trivandrum route looking these days? Looking to make a quick drive between these two cities soon. The Cochin-Alleppey-Kayankulam—Kollam-Trivandrum route, mainly. Also, any updates on the Kottayam-Thiruvalla-Kottarakkara route?
Thanks!

I did Kochi to Varkala and back on 12- 13 Sep. The roads are in good shape. The usual villains (traffic congestion) at Alleppey and Karunagappally can be expected. The road surface is good.

[Safety is Param]

Hi.

Cross posting from the Trivandrum - BLR thread.

Does anyone have latest information?

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post4465496 (Trivandrum to Bangalore : Route Queries)

[kraken]

Originally Posted by gk1234

Guys, any update on how's the Cochin-Trivandrum route looking these days? Looking to make a quick drive between these two cities soon. The Cochin-Alleppey-Kayankulam—Kollam-Trivandrum route, mainly. Also, any updates on the Kottayam-Thiruvalla-Kottarakkara route?
Thanks!

Kottayam Thiruvalla Kottarakkara is in good shape. Except Changanachery bye pass. But they have closed the pot holes in the bye pass as of yesterday and it's little bumpy but good now. After that roads are good.
Thiruvalla - Kottarakkara is good except traffic issues at Thiruvalla, Chengannur and Adoor. Pandalam is fine.
Hope this helps.

[gk1234]

Originally Posted by kraken

Kottayam Thiruvalla Kottarakkara is in good shape. Except Changanachery bye pass. But they have closed the pot holes in the bye pass as of yesterday and it's little bumpy but good now. After that roads are good.
Thiruvalla - Kottarakkara is good except traffic issues at Thiruvalla, Chengannur and Adoor. Pandalam is fine.
Hope this helps.

Thank you for the details. I have been getting conflicting reports post the flood situation late last month about this route, hence the query.

[Flyer]

Originally Posted by gk1234

Guys, any update on how’s the Cochin-Trivandrum route looking these days? Looking to make a quick drive between these two cities soon. The Cochin-Alleppey-Kayankulam—Kollam-Trivandrum route, mainly.
Thanks!

Some rough patches after Aroor till Cherthala. Expect some slow moving traffic when passing through Alleppey. Otherwise there are no issues in this route.

[kraken]

Originally Posted by gk1234

Thank you for the details. I have been getting conflicting reports post the flood situation late last month about this route, hence the query.

I've just travelled Thiruvalla - Kochi today via Alleppey and returned via Kottayam so first hand experience.

[treadmark]

Did a quick shuttle between Bangalore ~ Thrissur ~ Bangalore over the weekend.
Left on Saturday evening 4 from Bangalore, thin traffic all along except for 20 ~ 30 minute block at Kuthiran.
On return left from Wadakkanchery at 4:30, all good till Bangalore. Surprisingly all tolls even after Dharmapuri were a breeze may be because long weekend last week and one another coming next week. In fact, it was the FastTag which helped.
All in all a good drive without anything to complain.

Cheers!

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by treadmark

... Surprisingly all tolls even after Dharmapuri were a breeze ...

Similar experience, except at Attibele toll booth where it took me about 10 minutes.

At the Coimbatore bypass, one of the toll booth supervisors requested a drop from the Trichy road toll to Neelambur and I obliged. Struck a conversatoin with him on the way. He said that just like us travellers, the booth operators are also frustrated with the traffic on this stretch - they are helpless because the decisions are taken in Delhi (his words, so I assume it comes from L&T HQ) without due consideration given to the situation there. Pointing at the yellow boundary marker stones that are placed a good 100 metres away from either edge of the existing road, he said that's the width of the land available to L&T. If they want, they can build even a 6 lane highway and charge the same toll to recover the investment, because such is the traffic volume. There was a case going on until last year, which prevented L&T from hiking the toll every year, but now that the case is closed, the toll rates will be revised (upwards) every year. From whatever little he knows, this toll collection and the road in its present form will go on for at least the next 10 years. When I casually mentioned that it took me almost the same time and much lower stress levels when I drove through the city (Neelambur-Hope College-Ukkadam-Madukkarai) a couple of weeks ago, at night time, he said that he's heard it from others too. Because of the traffic, he rarely rides his bike - it's too dangerous for 2-wheelers especially at night.

In short, the L&T bypass road is going to haunt us for a long long time.

[naveen.raju]

Guys, need the best route to Chennai from Cochin. 4 years back I had taken the Villupuram (onward) and PY (return) route.

Recommendations please.

[binand]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

Guys, need the best route to Chennai from Cochin. 4 years back I had taken the Villupuram (onward) and PY (return) route.

Depends on where you want to go in Chennai I suppose. Kochi to Salem is the regular NH 544 route. From Salem you can do Krishnagiri-Vellore-Chennai or Ulundurupet-Chengalpet-Chennai. Both I believe are equally bad in terms of traffic, for the last one hour or so.

Don't know why one would go to Pondicherry unless one is interested only in destinations along the ECR.

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by binand

Depends on where you want to go in Chennai I suppose. Kochi to Salem is the regular NH 544 route. From Salem you can do Krishnagiri-Vellore-Chennai or Ulundurupet-Chengalpet-Chennai. Both I believe are equally bad in terms of traffic, for the last one hour or so.

Don't know why one would go to Pondicherry unless one is interested only in destinations along the ECR.

It's Anna nagar. I had two days in Pondicherry so took that route. It's definitely not the route planned this time. It's either Vellore or Ulundurupet.

[Surprise]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

It's Anna nagar. I had two days in Pondicherry so took that route. It's definitely not the route planned this time. It's either Vellore or Ulundurupet.

Ulunderpet route would be much quicker I believe & you can take Maduravoyal bypass after Perungalathur to reach AnnaNagar. Roads are in very good condition. From Salem to Ulunderpet, double road to single road conversation at few places to be taken care