[ccnarayanan]

It is better to apply for the pass with correct details and carry it during the drive (although nobody checked mine in the last 2 trips to Kerala).

Originally Posted by darklord

Is there any recent update on the pass requirement to enter Kerala by road as well as TN transit pass? Planning to drive to TVM from BLR next week, and I am wondering if I need to apply or not.

[saisree]

Originally Posted by saisree

I'm taking both the roads.

Completed my 1281 KM round journey both ways.

Took the Vellore - Krishnagiri route for my onward journey from Chittoor. Beautiful and relaxing till Krishnagiri. After the left on to the Salem highway, joined by more vehicles from the Banglore end and the roller coaster ride started. Road between Coimbatore and the Walayar checkpost is pathetic two lane and the 45 Rs toll at the Pollachi Cochin toll is not at all worth. Road between the Walayar and Palakkad is the best road I have seen in Kerala until now.

Return journey was on the Ulundurpet - Tindivanam route. Roads were good and could keep a constant speed. We were joined by a large political groups after Sengurichi toll plaza. Govt is opening the memorial for the late CM Jayalalitha and all the big and small politicos joined us. And after that there were congestions in almost all the toll plazas. Took me 4 hours from Vikravandi Toll plaza to Tambaram.

Please don't go to the Vasanta Bhavan hotel just before the Vikravandi toll plaza. Its all in shambles and they are plagued with shortage of people for services. The quality of food has gone down. A2B is getting ready just opposite and should be a better place.

Originally Posted by darklord

Is there any recent update on the pass requirement to enter Kerala by road as well as TN transit pass? Planning to 'drive to TVM from BLR next week, and I am wondering if I need to apply or not.

Not required. I wasn't stopped for any e-pass in all the three states (AP, TN & KL) and I guess its the same across all the borders.

[balenoed_]

Originally Posted by darklord

Is there any recent update on the pass requirement to enter Kerala by road as well as TN transit pass? Planning to drive to TVM from BLR next week, and I am wondering if I need to apply or not.

As per an order issued on 27/Jan by MHA, no more approvals/permissions/passes/e-permits required for inter state movements.

[sumukha]

I travel every week from wayanad to Mysore and back, the recent one being on 30th Jan.The Covid checking centre in Muthunga border check post is closed.No pass is required.

[sachinpk]

Made a Palakkad & back trip, by train. To be on the safer side, I had applied for the COVID pass (Short stay) on the Jaagratha portal. The certificate issued generally have a registration number. Mine read 123xxxx34/2020. The last part is actually the year of issue. Which means they have not even bothered to change the default year on the portal. Which also is an indication on how much enthusiasm is there to now track people their contacts etc.

[brownkaiser]

Recently did a Hyderabad-Calicut round trip.

Hyderabad to Bangalore:
1. Roads are in excellent condition and can cruise in 6th gear all the way.
2. Lots of trucks as usual and the route has hardly any trees for shade or decent restaurants to stop by.
3. Distance is approx. 600km (had to reach electronic city). Airport to airport can be done in 6.5 hours with small breaks in between.
4. The main stops are Hyderabad-Jedcherla-Kurnool-Anantpur-Bangalore.
5. Do keep in mind that the weather starts to become really hot after 10:30-11 am till 2-3 pm.
6. Ensure to carry water/fruits/snacks for this route.

Bangalore to Calicut:
1. Took NICE road (only toll where fastag was not accepted) to Mysore via Kanakapura road (Bangalore-Mysore highway has some extension works in progress).
2. There was no checking for travel passes at borders and reached Calicut city in 8 hours with small breaks in-between.
3. Journey has many small towns in between and causes a significant drop in average speed.

The return journey was uneventful however at the Muthanga border, Kerala officials stopped and asked for insurance and PUC (vehicle was AP registered). Also, there was heavy fog after Bangalore airport so much so that we thought we'll have to stop, but decided against this and drove slowly.

Had apprehensions about our car (Mahindra XUV 5OO) but to say she impressed would be an understatement. And there is a different connection while you are cruising. Speaks volumes about how competent the vehicle is and the long way vehicles have come wherein you can do a trip like this with basic or nil preparations.

[MSAneesh]

Originally Posted by brownkaiser

Bangalore to Calicut:
1. Took NICE road (only toll where fastag was not accepted) to Mysore via Kanakapura road (Bangalore-Mysore highway has some extension works in progress).

Even though there are a lot of diversions along Blr - Mys highway due to road work, it will not slow you down much, if you are driving in daylight. The diversions are done pretty well without causing much trouble.

Only potential congestion is at Maddur town where the new road flies over the existing road through the town area. Rest all towns will be bypassed.
The flip side is, you have to concentrate harder than normal and night drive may be more challenging (i haven't done night driving recently on this route).

I believe that the regular route via Mandya would still be faster and easier than Kanakapura route (of course all the pre-roadwork rules still apply- time your drive to avoid peak hour and Friday afternoon madness).

[jamesmani]

Just returned from a Bangalore - Kochi trip

Blr - Salem - Cmbtr - Plkd - Thrsr - Kochi - and back

Hello everyone, just completed a return trip from Kochi yesterday.
- Left on 30th before dawn at 4.30 and covered a lot of ground till the rest of the world woke up.
- the roads are in fabulous condition almost all the way through
- the roads in TN have always been amazing but what pleasantly surprised me was the fantastic roads in Kerala which have been known to be notorious (at least till some time ago).
- The thrill of driving too was elevated because the roads are not just straight and boring - the roads are winding and you have to be watchful always.
- Of course, there are some minor stretches which can do with some work but by and large, excellent.
- in terms of the e-pass nothing was asked for at the checkpost, funnily enough, I saw a kiosk set up with a board saying 'Bird-Flu test done here'.
- It was a great drive both ways, although the return took a bit more time and felt more draining - I'm sure it had to do with the fact that my short holiday was over and the next day it was back to the grind again. :-)

[gajadonga]

Originally Posted by jamesmani

Just returned from a Bangalore - Kochi trip

Blr - Salem - Cmbtr - Plkd - Thrsr - Kochi - and back

Hello everyone, just completed a return trip from Kochi yesterday.

- It was a great drive both ways, although the return took a bit more time and felt more draining - I'm sure it had to do with the fact that my short holiday was over and the next day it was back to the grind again. :-)

How are roads post Palghat and Kuthiran stretch. Have they opened the tunnel as yet.

[jamesmani]

Originally Posted by gajadonga

How are roads post Palghat and Kuthiran stretch. Have they opened the tunnel as yet.

To answer if the tunnel has opened - No, not yet.

In terms of road conditions, they're excellent most of the way, except for the Kuthiran stretch. But I do have to say that on the Kuthiran stretch there aren't any undercarriage killer potholes...just a bunch of undulating, uneven and shoddily patchworked stretches.
Should be ideally covered in 15-20 minutes unless you're stuck in a jam which has known to happen.

[darklord]

Did a BLR-TVM trip through Salem-Madurai-Shengottah-Aryankavu route. No checks anywhere till Aryankavu. We were stopped and immediately waved through Aryankavu Kerala Excise/Police border check post once they saw we were travelling with kids. We were stopped by a routine police vehicular check somewhere near Thenmala, and they took down vehicle number, D/L number, and phone number. No followup calls or anything though.

[Fernang]

Have planned a short visit to Palakkad, have got the pass for the same. My reasoning being, better to have it and not need it than not have it and then need it.

Getting the pass though, was not that easy.
For your reference
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post4994108 (Interstate travel with the Covid-19 restrictions)

[balenoed_]

Originally Posted by Fernang

Have planned a short visit to Palakkad, have got the pass for the same.

What pass? Pass system and all is abolished long ago as far as I understand.

[bejoy]

Travelled from Kochi to Bangalore last Saturday.
Kuthiran update:
Started at 7:30am and got stuck at Kuthiran, around 2kms before the ghats. There were already 5-6 lanes of traffic, saw most of the trucks switched off their vehicles in whichever lanes they were in. After being stuck in the slow moving lane for so long, followed a private bus over shoulder of the service lane and reached the place where cops were managing traffic. It seems it is a regular affair. The trucks are stopped during rush hour and only smaller vehicles and buses are allowed. I saw many cars waiting behind trucks unaware of the situation. So the only way to pass kuthiran is to skip the stopped trucks and get ahead. Lost 45 minutes here.

Near the south side tunnel entrance, work is going on to make way for the approach road. Mild blasting of rocks are in progress. There were talks of opening one tunnel in Feb end, but doesn't look promising.

Mettur-Bhavani Route update:
Took the Mettur route from Bhavani to get some greenery and the roads are good all they way, except the last 10 kms or so till Thoppur. There are potholes in this stretch.

Thoppur ghats update:
There is work going on in the descent section towards Selam, probably more rumble strips, after horrible accident that happened last December. Result - entire traffic is routed via single carriageway and caused huge backlog. Again lost 30 minutes here.

Overall traffic was less, owing to Saturday, and all toll booths were relatively empty. Somehow, I don't see the toll deducted at Paliyekkara and Walayar.

Carried the TN transit pass soft copy, no checks as usual.

[sparky@home]

Can someone tell me if any Epass requirement exists for travelling to Mumbai from Thrissur by tain, thanks in advance