[PatienceWins]

Just back from a trip to Wayanad from Bangalore. The road is very good other than Mysore - Nanjangud section and Bathery - Wayanad section.

Originally Posted by sv1976

If you had seen them last month after the heavy rains, you would've searched for a heavier synonym to 'atrocious'. Even now, not all hair pin bends are ok but compared to last month, its much better.

Bathery to Lakkidi view point - The stretch is not very bad, need to watch out for sudden deep pot holes during curves.

[Sujai]

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

Sujai: Please give more info on road conditions Ernakulam-Thrissur?

Diversions in Angamaly - Thrissur - not big deal
Bad near Chalakkudy, but ok to drive ( even with Punto's ground clearance )

Which toll booths, which area?

All toll booths between Salem -Bangalore except the express way ( Electronics city flyover ). In Krishnagiri , police diverted us to some crappy road ( my punto's underbody hit multiple times ) which goes through Krishagiri Collectorate ? and then back to NH 7 . I think this was because of the long weekend . It shouldn't be an issue during other days ( I did this road last month and the toll booths were free of traffic ) . Then it became dark around 5:30 pm along with rain. Felt like I was in Korean F1 race and at the end I got a puncture

Did you get food at the Dharmapuri A2B ? It was full of people at 1:30 pm when we arrived.

Not even place to park car

Or did you go via Sathy/Mysore?

No , I took Avinashi Salem road

Question to jacs/Sujai/Skywalker and any recent visitors of the stretch:

How did you find Avinashi (4-Laning) stretch yesterday/last week? Do you remember how many diversions? Do these diversions take you a long way away from the NH or are these small bypasses created especially for the 4-Laning work? Was it cumbersome and frustrating?

This road is not a big deal. For me, the main issue was overtaking trucks. The road contruction didn't create much issues at all

[jacs]

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

Question to jacs/Sujai/Skywalker and any recent visitors of the stretch:

How did you find Avinashi (4-Laning) stretch yesterday/last week? Do you remember how many diversions? Do these diversions take you a long way away from the NH or are these small bypasses created especially for the 4-Laning work? Was it cumbersome and frustrating?

Hey Jeev,

nothing to worry about Avinashi, town had many potholes though. None of the diversions took me off the NH, it will be just a service road kinds stuff.

Only worry is Palakkad-Trissur stretch, rest all are fine. I have another trip on 16th evening but this time on Xylo .

[SkyWalker]

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

Question to jacs/Sujai/Skywalker and any recent visitors of the stretch:

How did you find Avinashi (4-Laning) stretch yesterday/last week? Do you remember how many diversions? Do these diversions take you a long way away from the NH or are these small bypasses created especially for the 4-Laning work? Was it cumbersome and frustrating?

There were about 5 diversions. The diversions were small, and well planned. The conditions were not bad, though i suspect a deterioration after it rains as they were kuchha roads.

The do break the pace, and they make overtaking very difficult - but apart form that i wont consider them as big deal as its only a small stretch.

As Jacs mentioned, once you hit Kerala - real frustrating roads start.

[pramodpk]

I drove from Bangalore to Trivandrum on October 30th, Trivandrum to
Vaikom on November 1st and Vaikom to Bangalore on November 7th.

Bangalore - Trivandrum Trip Sheet



I have updated the details in

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ngalore-6.html

Trivandrum - Vaikom
Route - Trivandrum (Kesavadasapuram) - Sreekaryam - Venjaramoodu -
Kottarakkara - Adoor (Bypass) - Chengannur - Thiruvalla - Changanassery
- Kottayam - Ettumanoor - Kaduthuruthi - Thalayolaparambu - Vaikom.

Started at 5:50 AM and reached Vaikom at 10:30 including 30 mins break.

Distance 189 KMs

Road Condition - Venajaramoodu to Chengannur - Excellent, less traffic
Chengannur - Ettumanoor - OK. Heavy traffic. Potholes in certain parts.
Ettumanoor - Thalayolaparambu - Excellent. Heavy traffic
Thalayolaparambu - Vaikom - Road does not exist as it was dug up for Japan drinking water project. Work was going on when we passed that way. Should be completed in 20 days. Should be as good as Ettumanoor - Thalayolaparambu once completed. Kottayam - Vaikom via Kumarakom is shorter by around 9 KMS but the road condition is bad. Some part around Vechoor was dug up for Japan drinking water project

Vaikom - Bangalore

Started at 8:22 AM and reached Bangalore ( Brookefields, Kundalahalli)
by 9:15 PM.

Total Distance - 582 KMS

Road Condition

Bad strectes around Kalamassery
Diversions in Angamaly - Trissur

Thrissur - Palakkad - Except 5 KMs around Kuthiran, other stretches are OK. There are some good sections also. So I don't think it makes sense to take the Shornur - Ottappalam route during non peak hours. Patch work was also going on. Kuthiran is also not as bad as it was in 2007 September.

We lost lot of time in the toll booths. Around 15 mins after salem,
20 mins in Thoppur (this was the worst), 15 mins in Krishnagiri,
10 mins in Attibele. We were at Thoppur by 5:30 PM. The Salem - Bangalore stretch which usually take 2:45 hours took 4:45 hours. Took the electronic city flyover and I completed that stretch in around 5 mins.

I do not know the condition of Mettur - Mechari - Pennagaram - Palacode - Rayakottai - Hosur route. But if the road condition is manageable, I think it makes sense to take this after long weekends as it is shorter by around 40 KMs than the Salem route and you can avoid 3 toll booths.

Trip Sheet

[psvinay]

Hi

Need to go to Kanjirappally from Banglaore. Need help in:

1. Please help with route beyond Salem. If I can get a route which bypass Madurai, that would be great.

2. Please suggest a good hotel @ Kanjirappally. Hotel should be a good one for a family stay.

Thanks in advance.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by psvinay

Hi


2. Please suggest a good hotel @ Kanjirappally. Hotel should be a good one for a family stay.

Thanks in advance.

I don't think there are lot of hotels in Kanjirappally though there are some homestays. You will find good hotels in surrounding areas like Kottayam/Palai etc.

[joe]

Originally Posted by psvinay

Hi

Need to go to Kanjirappally from Banglaore. Need help in:

1. Please help with route beyond Salem. If I can get a route which bypass Madurai, that would be great.

2. Please suggest a good hotel @ Kanjirappally. Hotel should be a good one for a family stay.

Thanks in advance.

Check out Hotel Elegance i went there for dinner last month and the food was ok but the hotel looked pretty good.

[sbkumar]

Originally Posted by psvinay

Hi

Need to go to Kanjirappally from Banglaore. Need help in:

1. Please help with route beyond Salem. If I can get a route which bypass Madurai, that would be great.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...a-salem-2.html

[joecherian]

Originally Posted by psvinay

Hi

Need to go to Kanjirappally from Banglaore. Need help in:

1. Please help with route beyond Salem. If I can get a route which bypass Madurai, that would be great.

2. Please suggest a good hotel @ Kanjirappally. Hotel should be a good one for a family stay.

Thanks in advance.

One hotel which readily comes to my mind is Hotel HillTop. It is very close to Kajirappally police station.

[vasoo]

Originally Posted by psvinay

Hi

Need to go to Kanjirappally from Banglaore. Need help in:

1. Please help with route beyond Salem. If I can get a route which bypass Madurai, that would be great.

2. Please suggest a good hotel @ Kanjirappally. Hotel should be a good one for a family stay.

Thanks in advance.

There is no need to go to Madurai. Take the Dindigul bye-pass and go towards Vatlagundu, Theni, Kumily, Peermade, Kanjirapally.

[wheretonext]

Fellas - question: any recommendations for the type of car to hire for a road trip through Southern Kerala (TVM-Thekkady-Alleppey-Cochin).

It'll be 2/3 people + a driver doing the trip.

Also, I've got a separate thread on this, but it doesn't seem to be getting much love. My question is what are the towns/lookouts/places I should check out en route on that kind of trip.

Look forward to your feedback!

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by wheretonext

Fellas - question: any recommendations for the type of car to hire for a road trip through Southern Kerala (TVM-Thekkady-Alleppey-Cochin).

It'll be 2/3 people + a driver doing the trip.

All these places are eminently motorable. Considering the 2/3 passengers + luggage, a hatch/sedan should be fine. I would opt for Innova with captain seats due to ride comfort, luggage space, ability to navigate potholed roads etc.

[coolclouds]

Reached Kochi from Bangalore today. Road near Kuthiran was in bad shape as expected. Between Puthukad and Angamaly, many places where ever the four lane is not compete, road was in very bad condition. Angamaly to Kochi is fine.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

Reached Kochi from Bangalore today. Road near Kuthiran was in bad shape as expected. Between Puthukad and Angamaly, many places where ever the four lane is not compete, road was in very bad condition. Angamaly to Kochi is fine.

Any status update at Avinashi?