[Sree73]

Kerala Covid cases are increasing rapidly. Do not think the travel registration requirement / 7 days quarantine is going to go away.

Even though the cases contributed by travelers from outside will be bare minimum, it's really sad to see the continuation of these requirements. Almost all states lifted these restrictions.

[amods]

Can anyone please help with the road conditions on the route Madurai-Aryankavu-Trivandrum ?

Is it ok to drive at night(up to 10PM) and any other road conditions to be wary of?

[avaneesh.]

Originally Posted by balenoed_

But 14 days quarantine if you travel from some 350 Kms away Bangalore. (Kms has nothing to do, just saying)

Sorry, a rant and

Well if you want to visit kasargod without quarntine, You can do that without any restrictions. Since many kasargodians work at Mangalore, the border checking has been partially withdrawn. There is literally no checking unless you stop at the checkpost.(Given that you have friendly neighbours or you live in a jungle)

[king of cochin]

I did a two day short visit to Calicut from Bangalore on the 23-24 September, 2020. Purpose was legal however as proof submitted the return Transit e-pass I booked on Tamil Nadu Portal. When I tried the same steps last week to visit Kochi I was denied permission. This indicates Calicut District administration may be more lenient than Ernakulam.

I travelled from Bangalore via Muthanga to Calicut and returned similarly. Did not have to use TN epass, which was mainly as insurance if I had to drive back after hours when Muthanga checkpost gets closed.

My epass was checked at the Covid checkpost situated a kilometer or so after the Excise checkpost. Since I had the epass print out ready Police allowed me to go without any issues. There was a Covid testing facility and multiple vehicles parked, who I guess did not have e-pass.

Within Calicut city I was stopped by Traffic Police who seemed unaware of the Short Visit regulations. They were asking me why I am not under quarantine. These cops were under impression that anyone coming from outside Kerala are to be quarantined and seemed to be unaware that for people coming under Short Visit no quarantine is required.

So I would suggest people travelling to Kerala even with Short Visit passes be prepared to be questioned by local and traffic cops.

[rakesh_r]

Any sort of pass required to exit Kerala, will be travelling from Palakkad to Pune mostly next week. Have obtained TN Transit pass which was spot approved.

[king of cochin]

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

Any sort of pass required to exit Kerala, will be travelling from Palakkad to Pune mostly next week. Have obtained TN Transit pass which was spot approved.

No pass required to exit Kerala, in my understanding. Since you have your TN pass and Karnataka has no form of Covid checking at all you should be good.

[balenoed_]

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

Any sort of pass required to exit Kerala, will be travelling from Palakkad to Pune mostly next week. Have obtained TN Transit pass which was spot approved.

No one at the check does care about exiting. Free to go.

[Ram78]

Dear All,Please excuse my ignorance but im royally confused. Rules seem to be changing by the day.

I alongwith family plan to travel to Thrishur from Hyderabad the coming week by personal car.Period of stay = 30 - 45 days. The default route i believe would be Hyd-Bglr-Salem-Coimbatore-Walayar-Thrishur.

Queries:

1) Do i need to take Telangana / AP / Karnataka /Kerala pass?
2) How early do i need to apply for pass if any..i mean can i take a pass now and travel after a week?
3) Does the application get rejected and if so any specific tips on the entries to be made in the application to ensure that it doesn't get rejected?

Due to the Covid paranoia I do not intend checking into a hotel in Bangalore at night. Planning to park outside the hotel where i usually stay..there is a open plot where we generally park.. and take rest in the car itself.

[Garth]

No pass is required for Karnataka. You need a transit pass for TN. You will need a domestic returnee pass for Kerala.

In Kerala you have to quarantine at home for 14 days. If you get yourself tested on 7 th day and are negative, the quarantine can end on that day.

[Bibendum90949]

Originally Posted by amods

Can anyone please help with the road conditions on the route Madurai-Aryankavu-Trivandrum ?
Is it ok to drive at night(up to 10PM) and any other road conditions to be wary of?

Driving on the Madurai-Rajapalayam-Thenkasi-Aryankavu stretch is better avoided in the night especially if you're driving solo or with family. There are a lot of remote stretches in that route. If you've male company or have another car accompanying you, it's alright. There are hardly any restaurants that operate in the night, so are small tea shops. Few other regular stops which I used to take (pre covid times) are as below. In case you travel during the regular hours, it may be noted. None of these are 24/7.

Hari's restaurant - on the NH7 just after the Thirumangalam toll and few kms before we get off the Salem Madurai highway to enter Rajapalayam highway. Take the service road on the right immediately after the toll.

Hari's Restaurant
National Highway 7, Near Tirumangalam Toll Plaza, Kappalur, Tamil Nadu 625008
099429 79987
https://maps.app.goo.gl/GBv8T2Jck5hDNiah6

Hotel Amil - a 3 star facility in Rajapalayam. Contact +91 4563 233600, +91 7867094947 https://maps.app.goo.gl/6F2v5F7wUb6h8QnR8

Bell Monkey Restaurant - Tenkasi ,
3/391,Courtallam to Madurai MainRoad, Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu 627805
04633 225 280
https://maps.app.goo.gl/UTYWQUr2cjScxKGP9

This comes on the left side of highway. There's a traffic signal junction as you are nearing Tenkasi, where the left turn takes you to Tenkasi town and the right towards Aryankavu/ Punalur. This is some 50 metres before on the left side. Food is reasonably good. There is ample parking space, rest rooms are average.

[sachinnair]

I plan to go home to Palakkad for about a week. Going on 11th October and returning on 17th, so that I am there for less than 7 days, and can apply for a short visit pass. I am only going because my DL is up for renewal on 1st november. Yes, the government has given blanket validity extension till December 31, but that is just kicking the can down the road. For some strange reason, my DL details are not on the central government Parivahan website, so I have to go personally.

I applied for the Kerala pass today. It was asking for proof of return also. I remembered someone here had posted they had attached the TN entry pass as proof. (thanks, whoever you are. I'll find your post and thank that entry later). I did the same, and both of them got approved.

I will be driving up and down. Lets see how that turns out.

[philgrac]

Here is a latest report on a road trip from Bangalore to Cochin through Walayar border. Both the E passes, TN Transit and Kerala entry (Domestic returnee) passes for a family travel on 26th September were requested and instantly sanctioned about 2 weeks before. Printed and posted the passes on the windscreen.
Left EC, Bangalore at about 8 AM. There was nobody at Attibele to even glance at us. Drove on anticipating there will be numerous check points within TN itself. Finally we reached Walayar border without a single checking. Now, the final surprise; At about 3PM passed through Walayar checkpoint at a crawling speed, anticipating stops and checks. But there was none, none to even see the entry pass! Thus, we gained entry into our “God’s Own Country” and drove on towards Cochin.
However, feel the reason for this free through fare could be that my car has a KL Registration!
Traffic was lesser all over, inspite of being a weekend compared to our last trip in mid February.

[deemash]

Originally Posted by philgrac

However, feel the reason for this free through fare could be that my car has a KL Registration!

I don't think KL registration has helped you. Twice I crossed the Walayar border in this month and no one was there to check my pass too. Both the times I crossed the border between 6-7am in the morning. I have a TN car.
Inside Kerala around ekm (tripunithura, cherthala, mattancherry..etc) I can see police staring at my car

Today one of my friend went to have Darshan at Guruvayur temple. He crossed the border at 11.30am this morning and he was stopped by a police person asking for epass at Walayar. They showed the approved short visit pass and the police stuck a sticker on his car windshield. That's it.

So I guess it is pure luck and depends on the time you enter KL.

[amods]

My experience:

Bangalore to Trivandrum, via Ngercoil. I had short visit pass.

Left Bangalore at 4am, there was no checking at Zuzuvadi check post. In all of Tamilnadu, only place pass was checked at somewhere between Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri, that too while moving. I had stuck the pass at windshield so wasn’t stopped.

There were multiple checkposts which weren’t manned anymore/were manned but no checking or stopping mostly they had swiping glance at windshield and no one bothered. I think they’ve given up too now in tamilnadu. But having the pass stuck at windshield definitely helped.

Reached Kerala entry following google map and there was exit barricade of tamilnadu, but wasn’t stopped. At Kerala entry, there was no one checking pass/even stopping anyone. I saw a bored looking guy least bothered at small check post. I sailed through smoothly without being stopped.

At One place later in Kerala, there was a police guy who stopped seeing KA number, but just peeped into back seat and after seeing loads of food and fruits, let us pass probably liquor check stop is my best guess.

That was it, no body bothered to stop us anywhere. Reached Trivandrum with exact 750kms on trip meter in 12 hours flat which includes 1 hour in fuel, tea, washroom and food stops.

All eateries enroute were open, minimal traffic so we could maintain a constant 110-120kmph on highways.

Tolls cost us 750 rupees and Fastag worked flawlessly with only one manual scan required.

[philgrac]

Originally Posted by deemash

I don't think KL registration has helped you. ..................

So I guess it is pure luck and depends on the time you enter KL.

Now, have a new update. One of my neighbours, came down to Cochin from Kovai through Walayar on a TN registered private car on 27th Sunday afternoon. They were stopped, E pass and vehicle checked and some details noted at Walayar check point. :confused