[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

[b]...Had to spend lot of time at toll booths - Thoppur - around 10 mins, Krishnagiri around 15 mins and Attibele around 20 mins. The line of Vehicles stretched to almost a KM at around 9:30 PM. Luckily nobody jumped the queue anywhere.......

...Lesson Learnt - NH 7 - NH 47 route will be the fastest even if there are no road blocks. I covered Vaikom - Bangalore in 10.5 hours in May....

This is the reason why I still stick on to NH47. Small towns, local traffic and extra distance will reduce average speed especially for a day travel.

Considering the time taking at toll booths, I am more inclined towards Kanakpura-Satyamangalam route now. The road surface is too good and average running time would be almost same.

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

This is the reason why I still stick on to NH47. Small towns, local traffic and extra distance will reduce average speed especially for a day travel.

Considering the time taking at toll booths, I am more inclined towards Kanakpura-Satyamangalam route now. The road surface is too good and average running time would be almost same.

Or take the Nilambur route. This is the shortest to Kochi and come via Kanakpura road. If the road condition remains the same, I would consider this on my return during the next trip.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

Or take the Nilambur route. This is the shortest to Kochi and come via Kanakpura road. If the road condition remains the same, I would consider this on my return during the next trip.

Yes, Nilambur route is shortest, but the traffic may be high once get into Kerala. I am planning this route for Onam holidays, to leave Bangalore by 4pm to avoid traffic on Kerala roads. Only issue will be the humps.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

Yes, Nilambur route is shortest, but the traffic may be high once get into Kerala. I am planning this route for Onam holidays, to leave Bangalore by 4pm to avoid traffic on Kerala roads. Only issue will be the humps.

Originally Posted by pramodpk

Or take the Nilambur route. This is the shortest to Kochi and come via Kanakpura road. If the road condition remains the same, I would consider this on my return during the next trip.

Nilambur route is good to take before 7am or after 9pm!In between 7am and 9pm traffic is a killer between Vazhikadavu and Kulappully(if you intend to take the Pattambi route).

[gadadhar]

Did Cochin Bangalore on last Sunday, drove through Thrissur, Shornur, Kolapully, Palakkad, Pollachi, Kangayam, Perudurai Munnar. Took me 11.5 hrs with a 1 hr lunch break in Pollachi. I am driving to Kerala in another 2 weeks, hope Kuthiran will be repaired by then! .
BTW
1. Is Shornur, Vadakanchery, Nenmara, Pollachi a better option?
2. Got 2 speed tickets, 1 in Vytila bypass after the Vytila junction signal, second was on Kulapully, Palaghat route, should be around 25 kms before Palghat. Please beware.

Adding to the trouble is the long queues at toll plazas. I would have lost around 1 hr for this, one at Bangalore border being the worst

[ampere]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

1. Is Shornur, Vadakanchery, Nenmara, Pollachi a better option?

A better option would be : Shornur-Pazhyannur-Kollengode-Pollachi

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by ampere

A better option would be : Shornur-Pazhyannur-Kollengode-Pollachi

Thanks Ampere. I am hoping Kuthiran will be done in 2 weeks, if not will try this road. I hope the road condition is good

[A350XWB]

I'm planning to drive down to my hometown (Pathanamthitta) this weekend. Planning to take the Salem, Dindigul, Theni, Cumbam, Kumily, Mundakkayam, Ranni route. Has anybody traveled through this route recently? How are the road conditions? Planning to leave on Saturday early morning around 4:30.
My other option is to go via Kozhikkode, take a break at my in-laws' place and drive down next day morning. I've driven via Coimbatore, Palakkad, Thrissur once, before 3-4 years back and I had a horribly long journey that time.

[rameshnanda]

Originally Posted by A350XWB

I'm planning to drive down to my hometown (Pathanamthitta) this weekend. Planning to take the Salem, Dindigul, Theni, Cumbam, Kumily, Mundakkayam, Ranni route. Has anybody traveled through this route recently? How are the road conditions? Planning to leave on Saturday early morning around 4:30.
My other option is to go via Kozhikkode, take a break at my in-laws' place and drive down next day morning. I've driven via Coimbatore, Palakkad, Thrissur once, before 3-4 years back and I had a horribly long journey that time.

Road widening is on between Dindigul and Theni. You should be prepared for bad roads if you decide on this route. Alternately, you can do Dindigul-Madurai-Theni which would be around 40-50 kms more.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by A350XWB

I'm planning to drive down to my hometown (Pathanamthitta) this weekend. Planning to take the Salem, Dindigul, Theni, Cumbam, Kumily, Mundakkayam, Ranni route.

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

Road widening is on between Dindigul and Theni. You should be prepared for bad roads if you decide on this route.
Alternately, you can do Dindigul-Madurai-Theni which would be around 40-50 kms more.

Use this to bypass Dindigul-Theni:

Didnigul-Theni Alternative

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

I am hoping Kuthiran will be done in 2 weeks, if not will try this road.

Read in manorama news that there is no progress on the repair of Kuthiran inspite of assurance from CM that the work will be done in 10 days. Only 1.5 KMs has been repaired. For those who can read Malayalam, here is the link.

Manorama Online | Malayalam News | Latest News |

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

Read in manorama news that there is no progress on the repair of Kuthiran inspite of assurance from CM that the work will be done in 10 days. Only 1.5 KMs has been repaired. For those who can read Malayalam, here is the link.

Manorama Online | Malayalam News | Latest News |

Thanks Pramod. There is some protest going on today, hope things will change in next few days.

[jingaboysr]

I am driving to Kerala (near Aluva) this Saturday. The plan is to start at 4AM in the morning.
Hearing all the horror stories of palakkad-trichur road, and the uncertainty at Walayar, I am seriously thinking of taking the Mysore-Nilambur route.

This is the route that I am planning: https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=H...z=10&via=1&z=9
Has anyone taken this route? How good are the roads and what about the traffic?
What would be a realistic drive time, if we start at 4AM from Bangalore?

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by jingaboysr

I am seriously thinking of taking the Mysore-Nilambur route.
This is the route that I am planning
Has anyone taken this route? How good are the roads and what about the traffic?
What would be a realistic drive time, if we start at 4AM from Bangalore?

Bangalore to Nilambur via Mysore-Gundlupet, road was in pretty good condition when I traveled in May. Nadugani ghats was also in good condition then, but things could have changed post monsoons. There are road humps every kilometer inside Bandipur forests which would slow you down, other than that, its a breeze all the way. Beyond Vazhikadavu, expect typical Kerala road traffic!
Also note: I heard, ever since Chamravattom bridge was opened, traffic has increased in leaps and bounds on NH17 (NH66) Chavakkad to N. Paravur. So would not be a bad idea going on to trichur mannuthy bye pass directly from Perinthalmanna via shornur, hitting the 4 lane highway till Aluva and then deviate towards N. Paravur. May be some regulars on the route could throw light on this.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

Also note: I heard, ever since Chamravattom bridge was opened, traffic has increased in leaps and bounds on NH17 (NH66) Chavakkad to N. Paravur. So would not be a bad idea going on to trichur mannuthy bye pass directly from Perinthalmanna via shornur, hitting the 4 lane highway till Aluva and then deviate towards N. Paravur. May be some regulars on the route could throw light on this.

While the traffic has increased, there isn't much effect on the route. Considering the fact that the destination is North Paravur, I think it would be better to continue through Kunnamkulam-Chavakkad-Kodungallur-Kottapuram-N.Paravur itself. Going via Thrissur bypass would mean paying that Toll, and then driving under the constant fear of getting speeding tickets!