All Roads to Kerala

coolclouds · 4th July 2011, 12:35

About 10 kms stretch near Kuthiran Ghat is in very bad shape and can damage the car. The traffic too in this stretch is bad convoy due to very slow moving traffic.

naveen.raju · 4th July 2011, 13:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by ontheroad

Iam planning a Thrissur-Kollam drive this weekend. Anyone have driven in this stretch recently? How is road condition particularly in Cherthala-Kollam stretch? Thanks in advance

I did Chertalla-Changacherry two weeks back. There are huge potholes in this stretch. These are really huge and was in news last week stating the pathetic road conditions in and around Alleppey.

coolclouds · 4th July 2011, 15:38

I did Ernakulam-Ranni and back on 2nd July.

1. Ernakulam-Thalayolapparambu-Ettumanoor-Palai-Ponkunnam-Manilama-Ranni
Road near Thalayolaparambu (3-4kms near DB College) is in bad shape.
Thalayolaparambu-Ettumanoor-Palai (excellent)
Pala - Ponkunnam - OK with some rough surfaces
Ponkunnam-Manimala-Ranni - Narrow but ok road.

2. Ranni-Kodangur (?) - KK Road - Manarcaud - Ettumanoor : Usual village road, no serious issues potholes anywhere.

Soccerfan · 4th July 2011, 18:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by ontheroad

Iam planning a Thrissur-Kollam drive this weekend. Anyone have driven in this stretch recently? How is road condition particularly in Cherthala-Kollam stretch? Thanks in advance

Road is bad from kalavoor till punnapra. bad from haripad till karunagapally.
rest is good

ramanan.skr · 4th July 2011, 19:45

Have a plan to go to Quilon during August/September on a family function. Thought I could make use of this opportunity to cover Guruvayoor, Chottanikara, Mannarsala temples- enroute to Kollam.

I have the below route in mind. Please suggest if there needs any changes in terms of well maintained roads/good food joints.
Chennai - CBE - Pallakad - Ottapallam - Guruvayoor
GVR - Trissur - Ernakulam - Chotanikarai
Ernakulam - Allepey - Haripad
Haripad - Chertala - Kollam

ampere · 4th July 2011, 19:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by ramanan.skr

Have a plan to go to Quilon during August/September on a family function. Thought I could make use of this opportunity to cover Guruvayoor, Chottanikara, Mannarsala temples- enroute to Kollam.

I have the below route in mind. Please suggest if there needs any changes in terms of well maintained roads/good food joints.
Chennai - CBE - Pallakad - Ottapallam - Guruvayoor
GVR - Trissur - Ernakulam - Chotanikarai
Ernakulam - Allepey - Haripad
Haripad - Chertala - Kollam

Chennai-GVR : Chennai-Trichy-Dindigul-Palani-Udumalpet-Pollachi-Meenakshipuram-Koduvayur-Alathur-Pazhayannur-Wadakacherry-Kunnamkulam-GVR

(Pollachi-GVR is Ranjit special. !) Gives you the best route.

Chennai, Tamil Nadu to Guruvayoor, Kerala - Google Maps

GVR-Ernakulam is correct. I dont know much about the other two sections.

binaiks · 4th July 2011, 20:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by ramanan.skr

Chennai - CBE - Pallakad - Ottapallam - Guruvayoor
GVR - Trissur - Ernakulam - Chotanikarai
Ernakulam - Allepey - Haripad
Haripad - Chertala - Kollam

You need not go to Ernakulam to proceed from Guruvayur to Chottanikkara. You have the following options:

1. Guruvayur-Kunnamkulam-Thrissur-Thalore-Chalakkudy-Ankamaly-Aluva-Kalamassery-Kakkanad-Irumpanam-Thiruvankulam-Chottanikara.

Alternatively,
2. Guruvayur-Kodungallur-Parur-Aluva... then same as above.
3. Guruvayur-Kodungallur-Parur-Varapuzha-Kalamassery-Kakkanad-Irumpanam-Chottanikara.

The 2nd and 3rd routes mean you have to battle a very congested road from Kodungallur onwards. Guruvayur-Kodungallur is decent, but Kodungallur-Parur is in horrible shape now - roads are torn everywhere.

Kunnamkulam-Thrissur sees very heavy traffic, though.

ampere · 4th July 2011, 20:27

Binai, Why Kunnamkulam? He can directly come to Chondal right?

Also I had a question on the route to Chotanikara temple. I thought it was easy to drive on NH47 all the way and by-pass
Ernakulam and enter Tripunithura and reach Thiruvankulam.

Is that not an easy thing? I did that stretch 2 years back. Then traffic on NH47 was kinf of manageable. How is it today? I have no idea.

binaiks · 4th July 2011, 21:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere

Binai, Why Kunnamkulam? He can directly come to Chondal right?

True. Any route taken, GVR-Thrissur is a pain during the day. This is one reason why I always suggest NH17 to anyone who asks for a suggestion - Its much better to take the GVR-Vatanappally-Thrissur route - traffic is on the lower side, but the road is a strict two-laner.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere

Also I had a question on the route to Chotanikara temple. I thought it was easy to drive on NH47 all the way and by-pass
Ernakulam and enter Tripunithura and reach Thiruvankulam.

NH47 - the traffic depends a lot on the time of the day one travels - Aluva-Edappally-Vyttila is a breeze during afternoon hours, but is a pain during morning/evening hours.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere

Is that not an easy thing? I did that stretch 2 years back. Then traffic on NH47 was kinf of manageable. How is it today? I have no idea.

More than NH47, the Vyttila-Pettah-Tripunithura section is a royal mess. The road is too narrow at places, and the traffic has grown many folds.

I'd suggest the Seaport-Airport road anyday - not that the road is empty, but its much better than taking the bypass.

Soccerfan · 4th July 2011, 21:15

I am planning to drive to bangalore on friday. Seeing the posts on the condition of roads from Thrissur-Palakkad (NH 47), I'm planning to take the shornur->Ottappalam route to Palakkad. We are planning to start from EKM by 3. What would be a good place for dinner (around 8-9 PM)?

Twiny · 4th July 2011, 21:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere

Also I had a question on the route to Chotanikara temple. I thought it was easy to drive on NH47 all the way and by-pass
Ernakulam and enter Tripunithura and reach Thiruvankulam.

Kalamassery-Kakkanad-Irumpanam-Thiruvankulam-Chottanikara is shorter than continuing on NH47. And it should be the preferred route anytime of the day.

Twiny · 5th July 2011, 14:55

Planning to drive to Kochi this friday.. start time would be around 4pm from Bangalore.
Thinking of taking, Salem - Perundurai - Kangeyam - Palladam - Pollachi - Valparai - Chalakkudy route.

Guess I reach Pollachi by 11pm, but never traveled in Pollachi-Valparai-Chalakkudy route.
Has this stretch got enough sign boards and can it be done in 3hrs time, safely?

ampere · 5th July 2011, 15:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twiny

Planning to drive to Kochi this friday.. start time would be around 4pm from Bangalore.
Thinking of taking, Salem - Perundurai - Kangeyam - Palladam - Pollachi - Valparai - Chalakkudy route.

Guess I reach Pollachi by 11pm, but never traveled in Pollachi-Valparai-Chalakkudy route.
Has this stretch got enough sign boards and can it be done in 3hrs time, safely?

I would say not worth it for the night drive. Facilities and directions would be limited.
Thought its one straight narrow road from Valparai to Chalakudy.

ontheroad · 5th July 2011, 15:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soccerfan

I am planning to drive to bangalore on friday. Seeing the posts on the condition of roads from Thrissur-Palakkad (NH 47), I'm planning to take the shornur->Ottappalam route to Palakkad. We are planning to start from EKM by 3. What would be a good place for dinner (around 8-9 PM)?

You may reach Palghat by 7 30-8 00, if you go by Shornur-Ottappalam. Hotel Aryas in Chandranagar,Palghat is good, but a bit costly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twiny

Planning to drive to Kochi this friday.. start time would be around 4pm from Bangalore.
Thinking of taking, Salem - Perundurai - Kangeyam - Palladam - Pollachi - Valparai - Chalakkudy route.

Guess I reach Pollachi by 11pm, but never traveled in Pollachi-Valparai-Chalakkudy route.
Has this stretch got enough sign boards and can it be done in 3hrs time, safely?

I did Chalakudy-Valaprai-Pollachi-Palghat-Thrissur last sunday. Valparai-Vazhachal stretch is closed for traffic after 6PM. Roads are good. Far better than Wadakkanchery-Pattikkad stretch of National Hellway 47.

Twiny · 5th July 2011, 15:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by ontheroad

Valparai-Vazhachal stretch is closed for traffic after 6PM. Roads are good.

Why is it closed, due to monsoon/land slide?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere

I would say not worth it for the night drive. Facilities and directions would be limited.

Thanks.. Is Palladam-Pollachi-Vadakkanchery deviation too not worth in night.

4th July 2011, 12:35	#2476
coolclouds Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Garden City Posts: 1,798 Thanked: 519 Times	re: All Roads to Kerala About 10 kms stretch near Kuthiran Ghat is in very bad shape and can damage the car. The traffic too in this stretch is bad convoy due to very slow moving traffic.
	() Thanks

4th July 2011, 15:38	#2478
coolclouds Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Garden City Posts: 1,798 Thanked: 519 Times	re: All Roads to Kerala I did Ernakulam-Ranni and back on 2nd July. 1. Ernakulam-Thalayolapparambu-Ettumanoor-Palai-Ponkunnam-Manilama-Ranni Road near Thalayolaparambu (3-4kms near DB College) is in bad shape. Thalayolaparambu-Ettumanoor-Palai (excellent) Pala - Ponkunnam - OK with some rough surfaces Ponkunnam-Manimala-Ranni - Narrow but ok road. 2. Ranni-Kodangur (?) - KK Road - Manarcaud - Ettumanoor : Usual village road, no serious issues potholes anywhere.
	() Thanks

4th July 2011, 19:45	#2480
ramanan.skr BHPian Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Chennai Posts: 208 Thanked: 46 Times	re: All Roads to Kerala Have a plan to go to Quilon during August/September on a family function. Thought I could make use of this opportunity to cover Guruvayoor, Chottanikara, Mannarsala temples- enroute to Kollam. I have the below route in mind. Please suggest if there needs any changes in terms of well maintained roads/good food joints. Chennai - CBE - Pallakad - Ottapallam - Guruvayoor GVR - Trissur - Ernakulam - Chotanikarai Ernakulam - Allepey - Haripad Haripad - Chertala - Kollam
	() Thanks

4th July 2011, 20:27	#2483
ampere Team-BHP Support Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,943 Thanked: 12,925 Times View My Garage	re: All Roads to Kerala Binai, Why Kunnamkulam? He can directly come to Chondal right? Also I had a question on the route to Chotanikara temple. I thought it was easy to drive on NH47 all the way and by-pass Ernakulam and enter Tripunithura and reach Thiruvankulam. Is that not an easy thing? I did that stretch 2 years back. Then traffic on NH47 was kinf of manageable. How is it today? I have no idea.
	() Thanks

4th July 2011, 21:15	#2485
Soccerfan BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Kochi Posts: 591 Thanked: 59 Times	re: All Roads to Kerala I am planning to drive to bangalore on friday. Seeing the posts on the condition of roads from Thrissur-Palakkad (NH 47), I'm planning to take the shornur->Ottappalam route to Palakkad. We are planning to start from EKM by 3. What would be a good place for dinner (around 8-9 PM)?
	() Thanks

5th July 2011, 14:55	#2487
Twiny BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Cochin-Bangalore Posts: 311 Thanked: 50 Times View My Garage	re: All Roads to Kerala Planning to drive to Kochi this friday.. start time would be around 4pm from Bangalore. Thinking of taking, Salem - Perundurai - Kangeyam - Palladam - Pollachi - Valparai - Chalakkudy route. Guess I reach Pollachi by 11pm, but never traveled in Pollachi-Valparai-Chalakkudy route. Has this stretch got enough sign boards and can it be done in 3hrs time, safely? Last edited by Twiny : 5th July 2011 at 14:58.
	() Thanks