[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by passionforcars

Planning to undertake a journey from Palladam to Trivandrum
Till now I was either following the Madurai –Thirunelveli –Nagercoil route or the usual Palakkad-Ernakulam –Kollam route.

Now for a change I want to travel by this route.

Palladam-Dharapuram - Oddanchathram-Sembatti-Thirumangalam-Rajapalayam-Thenkashi-Chengottai Route.

Please advise me the route I should follow from Chengottai, and about the road condition.

I will be travelling with my 18 months old baby and I am planning for a 5 AM departure.

About the Sembatti-Thirumangalam-Rajapalayam leg, anyone knows whether Thirumangalam is a better option or Sembatti->Batlagundu->Usilampatti->Peraiyur->Rajapalayam?

It has been very very long time since I had ventured into this zone and can't commend anything myself. But some young college folks did Oddanchathram->Trivandrum on this Usilampatti route about a couple of years back, choosing Oddanchathram as a meeting point (at someone's home) of 2 groups, one coming from Palani and another from Velankanni. Did not hear any bad comments then !

[passionforcars]

@ all thanks for your valuable comments, keeping my fingers crossed to hear about the current road condition !

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by ampere

Please check with Pramod. He had used the Palode option once.
His feedback was that roads were good, but they are narrow.

Here is the route link


Pramod's Post:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post2554991

Originally Posted by passionforcars

@ all thanks for your valuable comments, keeping my fingers crossed to hear about the current road condition !

Thanks Ampere for finding out my thread.

The road condition should not be bad but average speed could be low as you have to pass through multiple towns. Plan for a relaxed drive. No point in pushing yourself to save time. I also travelled with my daughter who was 1 yr 9 months old then. Be careful in the Thenmala ghat section as the road is very narrow in some sections.

[passionforcars]

Thanks Pramodpk for your inputs.

The route decided as of now is

Palladam->Sembatti->Batlagundu->Usilampatti->Peraiyur->Rajapalayam->Thenmala->Palode->Nedumangadu

Vehicle-Wagon R

Open to corrections/advices.

[jacs]

Originally Posted by jacs

This time we travelled via Palakkad. But coming week, we are taking Kattappana route. Shall update.

Last weekend had a long drive on the Xylo.

Bangalore-Salem-Dindigul-Theni-Cumbom-Cumbommettu-Kattappana (halt)-Kuttikkanam-Mundakkayam-14th Mile-Chenganassery-Alleppy-Changanassery-Tengana-Njaliakuzhy-Manarcad(halt)-Koothattukulam-Trissur-Palakkad-Salem-Bangalore

Updates :
Dindigul - Theni -Cumbom road widening is in full swing (as updated by JoeCherian earlier) and there are many deviations and narrow strecthes. I travelled suring night and was able to tackle this without much issues. May be day travellers would have to budget some extra time for negotiating this stretch.

Cumbom-Cumbommettu road had many potholes and bad stretches especially in the curves which would come as a surpise during night drives.

Avinashi is still in the deviation and rough patch state only.

[coolclouds]

I am doing Bangalore-Kochi tomorrow, may be in the afternoon. Anyone reported any traffic block at Walayar recently? Also, is the Avinashi bypass open?

[lloydofcochin]

Originally Posted by jacs

Last weekend had a long drive on the Xylo.
Avinashi is still in the deviation and rough patch state only.

Are you driving a KA-05 Xylo with T-bhp stickers? I remember spotting a Black Xylo with T-bhp stickers while returning from Cochin on 19th.

Originally Posted by coolclouds

I am doing Bangalore-Kochi tomorrow, may be in the afternoon. Anyone reported any traffic block at Walayar recently? Also, is the Avinashi bypass open?

Last week when I returned there was a 15-20 min traffic jam near Avinashi but nothing at Walayar.

Btw, Avinashi stretch is much better now? Which bypass are you referring to?


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[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by lloydofcochin

Last week when I returned there was a 15-20 min traffic jam near Avinashi but nothing at Walayar.

Btw, Avinashi stretch is much better now? Which bypass are you referring to?

Thanks Lloyd for the quick update. I read it somewhere that the Avinashi bypass is getting ready and will be inaugurated soon. There could be a bypass as there were no construction/road widening happened in Avinashi town.

[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

Thanks Lloyd for the quick update. I read it somewhere that the Avinashi bypass is getting ready and will be inaugurated soon. There could be a bypass as there were no construction/road widening happened in Avinashi town.

yes there is a bypass - you can see the road rejoining the current NH47 from the left while coming from Bangalore side

[jacs]

Originally Posted by lloydofcochin

Are you driving a KA-05 Xylo with T-bhp stickers? I remember spotting a Black Xylo with T-bhp stickers while returning from Cochin on 19th.

Yes its a KA05MG with L2D yellow sticker on rear. But its a Java Brown, misintepreted as blank in dark?

We started around 3PM from Kottayam and reached Bangalore around 3AM in the morn.

Sorry I was sleeping while my friends were driving most of the time and couldn't notice any TBHP cars.

[lloydofcochin]

Originally Posted by jacs

Yes its a KA05MG with L2D yellow sticker on rear. But its a Java Brown, misintepreted as blank in dark?

We started around 3PM from Kottayam and reached Bangalore around 3AM in the morn.

Sorry I was sleeping while my friends were driving most of the time and couldn't notice any TBHP cars.

Oh OK. I guess that's the same vehicle I spotted. I remember seeing it stopped somewhere on the 4 lane to Mannuthy 1st and then I guess we overtook you guys sometime later & vice versa.

Mine was a Minimal Grey Palio with a KA-03 regn. Btw, I don't have any T-bhp stickers on my Car

[rajeev k]

Originally Posted by ontheroad

One can byepass Paliyekkara Tollgate following the red line in the image. The small road from the northside of Paliyekkara towards the highway is not yet closed due to objection from locals.

I travelled that stretch today early morning. Saw a lot of trucks and other vehicles taking a by road just before the tollgate and then reentering some distance down. Probably they were taking the route you have marked up. I also felt that the Rs55 toll is on the higher side.
But this stretch is the best motorable road in the state as of today. The old 4lane stretch from Ankamali to Alwaye which earlier felt so good to drive suddenly felt bad.

[jacs]

Fortgot to update that vehicle checking by Police was very frequesnt and detailed in TN as noticed in both of my recent drives. In Hosur and Thoppur, each vehicles coming from Bangalore side were stopped and checked. Saw many vehicle's trunk opened, doors opened etc. Family travellers were not disturbed to such details though.

My friend also updated that their bus was stopped around Theni and checked each nook and corner. So as many private vehicles too.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by jacs

Fortgot to update that vehicle checking by Police was very frequesnt and detailed in TN as noticed in both of my recent drives. In Hosur and Thoppur, each vehicles coming from Bangalore side were stopped and checked. Saw many vehicle's trunk opened, doors opened etc. Family travellers were not disturbed to such details though.

My friend also updated that their bus was stopped around Theni and checked each nook and corner. So as many private vehicles too.

It may be because of the recent bank robbery in TN

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

It may be because of the recent bank robbery in TN

They started checking before that too. I was stopped just before Walayar by TN cops. Boot was checked and had to open my bags.