[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by mithun

Did you bypass it after paying the toll or before it?

Can you post the map?

After paying the toll (Rs 80).

https://goo.gl/maps/VyrBmkNksSeuYUzH9

[vignesh.cv]

Originally Posted by vignesh.cv

I'm planning to visit Calicut the coming weekend. Will be driving from Bangalore. Me and my wife are double vaccinated, however kids are with us as well. Can anyone please help clarify whether the following are required for the travel?

• e pass for KL for the onward and KA for the return journey?
• RTPCR test for the kids - both ways?

Just a follow up after reaching Calicut (for the onward journey). At the Moolehole checkpost, we (adults) were asked for the double vaccination certificate. Kids weren't checked for. They asked for my name and number and noted that down.

[rajivr1612]

Originally Posted by rohitoasis

Update on road works at L&T Coimbatore bypass. From my discussion with the people working. The work is expected to be completed in next three days. Worst case scenario by this weekend, the roads would be free of these blocks. The road quality is now massive improvement from earlier and reminds me of the heydays of this road. If you are riding close to the shoulder, please be careful. The height difference is now huge. Close to 3-4 inches.

Hi Rohit,

I am planning to drive down from Chennai to Thrissur this coming Saturday.

Will it be good to cross over from Walayar or should I take the Pollachi route?

In any case how is the Pollachi route? I have never been through that way..

Thanks.

[rohitoasis]

Originally Posted by rajivr1612

Hi Rohit,

I am planning to drive down from Chennai to Thrissur this coming Saturday.

Will it be good to cross over from Walayar or should I take the Pollachi route?

In any case how is the Pollachi route? I have never been through that way..

Thanks.

I would not recommend a detour through Pollachi. One of my colleagues took that route fearing blockage in the bypass. Was much longer for him. I barely had a delay of 4 odd minutes. The work which was causing blockages is expected to get over this week. I will keep this thread updated with latest development closer to the weekend.

For the better part of last decade i have been feeling that the L&T Bypass road was not worth the toll being paid. But now barring the limited number of lanes, the road quality is excellent and should be a breeze compared to earlier.

[darklord]

Drove to Bangalore via Aryankavu-Rajapalayam-Madurai-Salem. TN COVID check post is still active at Puliyarai. We have to park by the roadside and walk up to the counter and get the details verified. Vaccination certificates and TN ePass are still getting checked diligently, kind of felt they were more strict about the ePass rather than the vaccination certificate. We had both, so we moved on within 5 minutes. Roads were a mixed bag till Tirumangalam, courtesy the recent downpour.

Had an uneventful journey till Attibele. The KA COVID check post was active and they were selectively pulling over all KL-plate vehicles from all lanes, kind of easy considering they are right at the toll plaza. They had only one demand, RT-PCR, which we did not have. No consideration even with double vaccination certificates. We were asked to go into the structure and undergo antigen test; however, at the counter, we were the only family and only one with a toddler, so the kind counter official let us go after a quick glace at the vaccination certificates. Others were not so lucky and their details were being taken down for antigen test. Highway was excellent as usual in the Tirumangalam-Electronic City section.

[kavu75]

Any updates on road condition between Kumily to Mundakayam after the recent rains. Looking to drive from Bangalore to Erattupetta on Friday. Thinking of taking this route because of Kalady bridge closure.
How about the document verification(Vaccination/RTPCR/EPass) at Kumily check post?

[venkyhere]

Originally Posted by darklord

Had an uneventful journey till Attibele. The KA COVID check post was active and they were selectively pulling over all KL-plate vehicles from all lanes, kind of easy considering they are right at the toll plaza. They had only one demand, RT-PCR, which we did not have. No consideration even with double vaccination certificates.

At what time did you cross Attibele ? is this renewed harassment because of omicron variant or for some other reason ?
What buffoonery our country has come to, no one has clarity on what to do - but they resort to Stalinist "papers please" check posts. As if that will solve everything. It's almost 2 yrs now.

[binand]

Originally Posted by venkyhere

At what time did you cross Attibele ? is this renewed harassment because of omicron variant or for some other reason ?

Karnataka has a mandatory 72 hour RTPCR policy for visitors coming from Kerala and Maharashtra. It was implemented when these two states topped the Covid severity lists of India.

[darklord]

Originally Posted by venkyhere

At what time did you cross Attibele ? is this renewed harassment because of omicron variant or for some other reason?

About 10-ish at night. There was nobody of any authority to ask for details, just a couple of young constables to pull the cars over and a couple of guys at the counter, perhaps KA Health Dept.

[revver]

I drove from Chennai to Hubli via attibele on 9th Dec in a KL registered car. We passed Attibele at around 1.30 pm, surprisingly, no one stopped us & asked for RTPCR/Vaccination certificates. May be the lunchtime played the part.

We returned to Chennai on 13th. Again no checks anywhere.

[doorspf1212]

Has anyone travelled to Kerala in last 5 days or so? I would like to know the latest travel protocols w.r.t Covid. Do we need to take RT-PCR for kids below 10 years? I am travelling with my 7 year old kid.
Others are all double vaccinated.
Do I need to take RT-PCR for kids while traveling back to Bangalore? I am sure that adults need RT-PCR -ve even if they are vaccinated

[greyhound82]

How is Davanagere-Hassan-Iritty-Calicut road. Am driving down from Pune and thinking of taking this road to bypass Bangalore.

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by kavu75

Any updates on road condition between Kumily to Mundakayam after the recent rains. Looking to drive from Bangalore to Erattupetta on Friday. Thinking of taking this route because of Kalady bridge closure.
How about the document verification(Vaccination/RTPCR/EPass) at Kumily check post?

I did Kochi to Kuttikanam last weekend (Crossed Kanjigrappally - Mundakayam). Roads are all good but some sections were narrow due to the landslides.

I also did Kuttikanam - Cumbum. This section had some pretty bad sections (TN side). They had barricades and cops in place but no checking. They did check some random cars that were going to Sabrimala.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by doorspf1212

Has anyone travelled to Kerala in last 5 days or so? I would like to know the latest travel protocols w.r.t Covid. Do we need to take RT-PCR for kids below 10 years? I am travelling with my 7 year old kid.
Others are all double vaccinated.
Do I need to take RT-PCR for kids while traveling back to Bangalore? I am sure that adults need RT-PCR -ve even if they are vaccinated

Not in the last 5 days, updates from 3 weeks back, double vaccination for adults is sufficient, even if stopped they don't ask for rtpcr for kids.

On return rtpcr is needed for any kid over 5 years. Whether you are stopped or not depends on where you enter and exit from.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by doorspf1212

Has anyone travelled to Kerala in last 5 days or so? I would like to know the latest travel protocols w.r.t Covid. Do we need to take RT-PCR for kids below 10 years? I am travelling with my 7 year old kid.
Others are all double vaccinated.
Do I need to take RT-PCR for kids while traveling back to Bangalore? I am sure that adults need RT-PCR -ve even if they are vaccinated

My parents travelled from Kerala to Bangalore and back last week. Their KL registered car was flagged down at Attibele checkpost, and RT-PCR results verified. By verified, I mean, the personnel scanned the QR code in the report, waited for the OTP to be sent to the mobile phones (which took forever) and finally verified it. At the same time, many private buses with KA and NL (sleeper buses) and other vehicles coming from KL were passing by without being stopped.

No drama at Walayar - only the vax certificate was asked and they were let go.