[ajithbr]

Any specific reason to take NH-212 only? Some of us have taken the Nilambur route to Calicut and found it much more comfortable alongwith time-savings.

[kala]

Originally Posted by ajithbr

Any specific reason to take NH-212 only? Some of us have taken the Nilambur route to Calicut and found it much more comfortable alongwith time-savings.

Actually even I'd like to know if they have done some repairs to the Kalpetta-Calicut road. I'm travelling to Calicut on Friday morning and would like to go through Kalpetta if the road is decent. (If it was in the same shape what it was a month ago, I think I'll skip Kalpetta and go via Nilambur)

[prsnck]

Originally Posted by kala

Actually even I'd like to know if they have done some repairs to the Kalpetta-Calicut road. I'm travelling to Calicut on Friday morning and would like to go through Kalpetta if the road is decent. (If it was in the same shape what it was a month ago, I think I'll skip Kalpetta and go via Nilambur)

If its nilambur, where should we take deviation. But will it be extra kilometers to reach calicut right.

Yesterday heard from some friends that nanjangud repair is going on, not sure how far completed. Me will either leave by car if train ticket not confirmed, but return plans to take car from home.

Hey btw, you too from calicut. We had plans to make a tbhp meet, another guy was srijesh which often used to contact, the bhpian from calicut.

In case plans to meet, reach me on +91 9880 44665

rgrds
prsn

[kala]

Originally Posted by prsnck

If its nilambur, where should we take deviation. But will it be extra kilometers to reach calicut right.

Yesterday heard from some friends that nanjangud repair is going on, not sure how far completed. Me will either leave by car if train ticket not confirmed, but return plans to take car from home.

Hey btw, you too from calicut. We had plans to make a tbhp meet, another guy was srijesh which often used to contact, the bhpian from calicut.

In case plans to meet, reach me on +91 9880 44665

rgrds
prsn

To go via Nilambur, you have to go straight from Gundlupet (instead of the right turn to Bathery). You go past Bandipur / Mudumalai and reach Gudalur where you need to take a right turn (The straight road goes to Ooty) for Calicut/Nilambur. Go about 12 kms on this road and you reach a place called Nadugani where you need to take a left turn to go to Nilambur. (Straight will take you to Calicut via Meppadi / Chundale). For directions from Nilambur to Calicut, you can follow my last trip log in reverse (Check my post http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ml#post2186086 ).

The Nilambur route isn't longer by too much - The route I took last time (via Areekode) is longer by about 3 kms only, and if you go via Manjeri / Malappuram instead (the more straightforward road) it would be about 10 to 15 kms more.

And no - I'm not from Calicut, I live in Bangalore and my visits to Calicut (which is my wife's place) is probably 1 or 2 times a year. But I do travel to Wayanad quite often (at least once or twice a month), and if the Calicut meet happens to be sometime when I'm around there, may be I can make it too..

[Chopper]

Back from another trip to Calicut via Mysore-Sultanbathery. Road condition improved from last trip. Thamarassery ghat section seems to be okay. Mysore-Nanjangud section is getting repaired. Forest section under Karnataka got some potholes, but once you cross Karnataka potholes are repaired. Overall journey was okay this time.
Met Bhpian AstonMartin on the way to Bangalore.

[Soccerfan]

How is the Ponnani-Kozhikkode stretch through Edappal now? In November Ponnani to Kuttipuram was in very bad condition with lot of potholes and work going on

[nims]

Originally Posted by kavu75

I am planning to take the following route while traveling to Pandalam next week.
I used to take usual NH7 - NH47 route via Palaghat.
This time i am planning to try
Bangalore - Salem - Namakkal - Dindigul - Periyakulam - Theni - Cumbum - Kumily - Munakayam - Ponkunnam - Manimala - Ranni - Pathanamthitta - Pandalam

Got this from google map.
from:Bangalore, Karnataka to:Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu to:salem, Tamilnadu toindigul, Tamilnadu to:Pandalam, Kerala - Google Maps

Got to see the comments from benbsb29, ssriram75, saying good experience.

What's the current update about this road and how much time it may take, compare to regular NH47 route?
I am planning to start at 5am from Marthahalli, Outer ring road.

Any other suggestions?

don't know if you already made the trip. i did so here:

Bangalore - Salem(excellent road) - Namakkal - Dindigul(excellent road) - Periyakulam - Theni - Cumbum - Kumily(very bad roads with a lot of bumps) - Munakayam - Ponkunnam(very good roads) - Manimala - Ranni - Pathanamthitta - Pandalam(average with some potholes)
My advice is if you want the scenic route take the kumily road via mundakayam or else stick to the NH-47 road if you want to get there faster. you loose a lot of time from theni till pathanamthitta due to the curves and if you have kids they will get car sick very easily. carry barf bags if you have kids and you drive a bit fast

Originally Posted by jacs

Thanks Pramod, very useful since I am driving from Kottayam this weekend. But wanted to include some scenic route and was thinking of Satyamangalam or Munnar but without compromising much on road condition.

I have to disagree with pramod on the kuthiran road. there are some huge missed out potholes. i drove there on the 23rd. i know because i damaged my magnum's tie rod that way. but still better than what it was before.

[govigov]

Originally Posted by Soccerfan

How is the Ponnani-Kozhikkode stretch through Edappal now? In November Ponnani to Kuttipuram was in very bad condition with lot of potholes and work going on

Traveled on this road yesterday. Took the kozhikode - edapal-ponani-chavakkad-ekm route. There is some work going on at edapal. edapal-ponani is not that great, nothing major to look out for. Smooth sailing.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by nims

I have to disagree with pramod on the kuthiran road. there are some huge missed out potholes. i drove there on the 23rd. i know because i damaged my magnum's tie rod that way. but still better than what it was before.

Yes, there are few missed potholes at Kuthiran, but can be managed easily if you drive day time.

I just reached Kochi and find lot of improvement in Trichur-Palghat route. I tried Omallur-Shankari route which was a wrong decision this time due to some potholes and slow traffic compared to Salem route (Peak time travel)

Better, stick on to Salem route itself.

[jeevmenon]

Happy New Year to all,

Just back this afternoon starting Coimbatore at 7:30 am and reaching home in Chennai at 3:15 pm. 45 min lunch break at Milestone hotel 50 km before Chennai. 5 min break at A2B Dharmapuri for filling up the tank, 5 min at Chola - however it was too early for lunch there.

It was straight through Avinashi this time as was the last time and as some one noted all diversions are tarred so did not feel the discomfort much but when we see Chengapalli what a relief. Sad that soon Chengapalli would again become a non-descript village - rose to fame - atleast for me - due to the 4L at Avinashi.

[vasoo]

CAme back from Kottayam through Thrissur, NH47 Palakkad, Salem to Bangalore. Roads between TSR and PKD are not so bad. Heavy traffic though. PKD to CBE Bye-pass was decent enough. Road between bye-pass end and toll roads has many small diversions where they are constructing over bridges. Most these are in decent shape. 4-lane toll road after that is good as always. Some bad patches appearing in Krishnagiri hills though.Took breakfast from Rajabhojanam near Avinashi at about 9AM and lunch from Sri Krishna Inn at Soolagiri at about 2PM. Tried for lunch at A2B but was too crowded and had to get refund of lunch coupons. The meals delivery section was a complete chaos with everybody bossing over each other. Not sure why they dont have proper system for this, either a token system or queue system.

[sarinkumar]

Originally Posted by Chopper

Back from another trip to Calicut via Mysore-Sultanbathery. Road condition improved from last trip. Thamarassery ghat section seems to be okay. Mysore-Nanjangud section is getting repaired. Forest section under Karnataka got some potholes, but once you cross Karnataka potholes are repaired. Overall journey was okay this time.
Met Bhpian AstonMartin on the way to Bangalore.

I second it. road conditions have improved from October last year. Ghat sections have completely repaired, so do most of the NH212 section withing Kerala. Forest section remains the same. As mentioned by Chopper, repair work is on in Mysore Nanjangud section. With or without pot holes, I have my optimized driving. Its always, 6 hours door to door to cover 350 to 360KM.
Regards,
Sarin

[raghu.t.k]

From Kunnamkulam, took the chavakad - NH17 -NH47 to trivandrum. The NH17 was relatively slow, and roads better. On my return took NH47 all the way to Palghat. The Stretch between TCR and PGT has a few bad spots and lots of diversions. Also the traffic at night is really bad.

It took me close to 10 hrs to reach PGT from TVM and 8 hrs from PGT to Chennai(Anna Nagar).

Originally Posted by raghu.t.k

Completed the 1st leg of chennai -TVM to Palakkad quite comfortably. Started from Anna Nagar on 25th around 08:00 and crossed Walayar around 5:30pm. Was pleasently suprised to see Walayar empty, off all the trips done.

Planning to leave for Kunnamkulam today via Kumaranellur (need to visit relatives there) today, and then head for TVM tomorrow.

Fingers crossed on the final stretch, since I have not done this stretch, other than a night trip to Chottanikkara temple once.

[jacs]

Everyone had shared what I wanted to, roads are 70% better than last month . May be 2-3 potholes I jumped in the whole journey from Kottayam to EC yesterday!

[Twiny]

^^^ Yes this time the journey was lot better.
More 4lane sections have been completed between Thrissur-Angamaly. And a horse ride experience due to complete patch work around Kuthiran ghat, in Thrissur-Palakkad(NH47). Worse as usual was Walayar jam for ~2:30hrs, in my onward journey to Cochin on 29th midnight.