[A350XWB]

Originally Posted by kala

May be recent changes. I did get booked for doing 75 on the Calicut bypass road last July, and I was told the speed limit was 70.

Setting the limit to 80 makes more sense, because I think the accuracy of these speed guns would probably be only +/- 10%

Kala, the speed limit on Calicut bypass is indeed 70. Its clearly written on the boards. The usual spot of speed guns is just before the bridge next to Kadavu resort, when going towards Ramanattukara.

[Arun Venugopal]

I wll be doing Calicut-Mumbai this weekend via Bangalore. Any updates/ must have info on the Calicut and Wayanad road conditions. Will be starting in the morning on Sunday.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by Arun Venugopal

I wll be doing Calicut-Mumbai this weekend via Bangalore. Any updates/ must have info on the Calicut and Wayanad road conditions. Will be starting in the morning on Sunday.

Have a check on night travel restrictions inside forest area and align your timings accordingly.

[sv1976]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

I would suggest to stick to NH47, been to Cochin last weekend. Except for few potholes before you enter Valayar checkpost (on TN side) road is free of potholes. It is uneven in many places due to the patch work, but will be less time consuming than alternate roads

I stuck to the usual NH47 route last weekend and you are absolutely right. Barring a few potholes and uneven patch up, Thrissur-Palakkad is defenitely in drivable conditon now.

[lloydofcochin]

I have seriously fallen in love with the NH-209

Except those narrow stretches and some small towns in between where you have to slow down a little this route is just awesome. I love the scenery + the thin traffic and off course the non-existent morons who drive on the wrong side of the road.

Took the route twice in the last few days. 1st up was a drive to Shoranur via Chamrajnagar-Gundlupet-Nilambur on Saturday and then a 1 day trip too Ooty y'day via the same route.

Chamrajnagar-Gundlupet is a lil rough at short stretches and there are some potholes from Gundlupet to Gudalur. The Nadugani ghats is in pretty good shape but the traffic is pretty thick after Vazhikadavu and overtaking opportunities are very rare.

Returned from Thrissur on Sunday via NH-47 & 7. It was sad to see the mangled vehicles at Kannadi in Palakkad where 7 people died the day before. Palakkad - Thrissur should be made a 4-lane at the earliest else the maniacal truckers and the killer Pvt buses will snuff out many precious lives

Returned y'day from Ooty via the SH-17. Since I left Mysore by 9.45pm the traffic was sparse but the incessant rains which hampered visibility and the thought of those speed breakers meant that the drive took me 2.40 hrs.

And yes the long pending Railway over bridge at Wadakkanchery is now a reality and it made our drive from Shoranur to Thrissur smoother.

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by lloydofcochin

I have seriously fallen in love with the NH-209

This is a route I love.. Very scenic and relaxing to drive with sparse traffic after Kanakapura, and NO tolls at all! Even while going to Palakkad/Coimbatore side, this is a very good option over the NH7/NH47! Only thing is you should plan to start early from Bangalore, as traffic from Bangalore to Kanakapura might be a bit heavy during peak hours and hence speed would greatly reduce, this being a 2 lane undivided road.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by lloydofcochin

I have seriously fallen in love with the NH-209

Lloyed, how safe is this road for night travel?

I considered this route during my last few trips but always landed in NH7-47 as my drives were during night.

[lloydofcochin]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

This is a route I love.. Very scenic and relaxing to drive with sparse traffic after Kanakapura, and NO tolls at all! Even while going to Palakkad/Coimbatore side, this is a very good option over the NH7/NH47! Only thing is you should plan to start early from Bangalore, as traffic from Bangalore to Kanakapura might be a bit heavy during peak hours and hence speed would greatly reduce, this being a 2 lane undivided road.

You arr right about the relaxing drive. On the NH-7&47 and on SH-17 you tend to drive fast and you have to be extra alert to avoid any accidents. But NH-209 with it's sparse traffic is pure bliss

Originally Posted by coolclouds

Lloyed, how safe is this road for night travel?

I considered this route during my last few trips but always landed in NH7-47 as my drives were during night.

I haven't driven this route in the night yet. Maybe on my next Cochin trip I will try it. It will surely be desolate and maybe there could be some Truck traffic to deal with.

[joecherian]

I was planning to take this route tomorrow for my solo drive to cochin. WHat are the options for "khana" on this route ?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by joecherian

I was planning to take this route tomorrow for my solo drive to cochin.
WHat are the options for "khana" on this route ?

If you start early morning you would be in CBE for Khana ! (Breakfast).
There is a hotel in Kanakpura (Gokul) where you can break if you want to.

[kala]

Originally Posted by joecherian

I was planning to take this route tomorrow for my solo drive to cochin. WHat are the options for "khana" on this route ?

There is a discussion about various restaurant options on NH209 in the last few pages of this thread : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ooty-road.html

When going to Cochin this way, going through Coimbatore city can be quite time-consuming. Two options to byepass the city : 1) Turn left at Annur - (the road to Avinashi), and take the first major right turn after about 1 km, you should hit NH47 at Karumathampatti in about 15 to 20 minutes from there. 2) Alternately, travel on NH209 itself for about 15 kms further (from Annur) towards CBE and take a left at Kurumbapalayam (road marked as Coimbatore Airport). This road forks into two as soon as you enter it (within about 50 meters), take the right fork. You should then hit the old NH47 between Neelambur and Coimbatore, so have to backtrack for about 5 kms towards Avinashi and then get onto the CBE byepass. Both roads are in excellent shape. The first one is shorter, but you have to go through the "under construction" NH47 stretch for about 10 kms from Karumathampatti to Neelambur - can be a pain especially when you've been having a very relaxed drive through sparse traffic for the last 5 hours !!

Originally Posted by ampere

If you start early morning you would be in CBE for Khana ! (Breakfast).
There is a hotel in Kanakpura (Gokul) where you can break if you want to.

In my experience Gokul opens pretty late, so one may need to look at other options in Kollegal / Chamarajnagar if departure from Bangalore is early.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by kala

In my experience Gokul opens pretty late, so one may need to look at other options in Kollegal / Chamarajnagar if departure from Bangalore is early.

That is very true. That is why I am up for driving up to CBE (bypass) for first big break (food).
One can definitely break for tea/coffee in between.

[lloydofcochin]

Originally Posted by kala

In my experience Gokul opens pretty late, so one may need to look at other options in Kollegal / Chamarajnagar if departure from Bangalore is early.

There is one Veg restaurant in Kanakapura & Nandini in Kollegal is pretty OK. I have had b'fast there 2-3 times.

[cooljai]

Todays Malayala Manorama reports that the final approved plan is for a 1.5 Kms long tunnel at Kuthiran, and the proposed speed limit after the widening would be 100 Kmph. The width from Vadakkancherry to Mannuthy would be 60 meters while the rest would be widened at 45 mtrs, with flyovers at major towns.

Read more here: Manorama Online | Malayalam News | Latest News |

[sumannandy]

Just back from a kerala trip. Here is the update.

1. Road from Waynad to Calicut is in excellent condition. Bandipur till Waynad is patchy.
2. SH69/NH17(?) is in excellent condition from Calicut till near Guruvayoor. Thrissur to Kochi is 4 lane. Recommend this route if you are travelling from Calicut to Kochi.
3. NH47 - excellent from Kochi to Thrissur. Thrissur to Coimbatore is bad. Coimbatore till Avinashi is a mix of excellent and bad road. After Avinashi till Bangalore it is 4 lane.