[anachronix]

Leaving tomorrow in the afternoon from Chennai to Kozhencherry. Last time around Diwali, I took the route via Trichy - Dindugal - Theni - Kumily - Erumeli - Ranni. The road expansion work between Dindugal to Kumily was in a complete mess. Too many diversions and the diverted path filled with stones and full of mud. It was a torture test on the suspension with some unusual rattles coming from the car too! Took the alternative route via Pathanapuram - Punalur - Tenkasi - Madurai - Dindugal - Trichy on my way back at that time (this being longer by atleast 70KMs).

Anyone who tried the Dindugal - Theni - Kumily route recently and give an update on the situation with the roads please

[Tassem]

Thought I'll put up an update for people travelling to Bangalore from Kochi.

Try the following route:

Kochi-Shoranur-Ottapalam-Palakkad-Walayar-Coimbatore-Avinashi-Salem-Dharmapuri-Hosur-Bangalore.

You'll save a lot of time, not to mention sparing your suspension the horrendous track between Thrissur and Palakkad. The Shoranur route is somewhat scenic as well since you drive through a proper field (If you like that sorta thing). The roads are not as smooth as a baby's bottom. But they dont make you feel like you should've bought a moon rover for the craters that fill the Thrissur-Palakkad stretch.

Left Kochi (Kaloor) at 6am and reached Bangalore (Begur Road) at 3pm on the dot. A 30 min break included.

If you're on holiday in or around ernakulam, do visit Mattancherry and Fort Kochi. This is my first time there and I loved it! A mixture of Goa and Pondy. Lovely streets to walk. Lot of antique shops (Some of the shops are antiques in itself!) The dutch palace is interesting and so is the Synagogue. Plus the Biennale beckons those of us who love art.

I'm sorry I don't have any pics. When in Kerala, I try and observe a clothes-optional policy. The heat and humidity don't go down too well with me. So a tee, shorts and a pair of sandals sum up my attire. No phones, no camera

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by Wind

A controlled access highway is referred to as Expressway.

This is pay and use stretch of road. Cost Rs. 55. Ridiculous if you ask me.

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

The kodungallur option is going to be longer.Stick to the standard Nh47 EKM-Thrissur route.

In that case I shall stick to NH47 till Thrissur.

On the Banana Chips, I am getting some delivered from Calicut.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by anachronix

Anyone who tried the Dindugal - Theni - Kumily route recently and give an update on the situation with the roads please

Dindigul-Theni is bad. So what you can do is once you get to Dindigul, take the GQ towards Madurai and exit at Kodai road. From here take the road to Batlagundu.
That solves some of the problem. At Batlagundu look for the road to Andipatty which is on Madurai-Theni NH.

Route Link

[B103]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Did the yearly Bangalore Cochin drive via the suggested route, that is, Hosur - Krishnagiri - Salem - Perundurai - Kangayam - Palladam - Pollachi - Kollengode - Pazhayannur - Chelakkara - Wadakanchery - Trichur - EKM. Stunning road surface quality all the way.

Pollachi route seems to be the best option available as of now. I drove to Coimbatore 2 weeks back via Salem - Bhavani. Seems like no progress in construction since last 2+ years. Tamil Nadu is usually progressive when compared to Kerala in the pace of construction. But this strech seems to be a let down. Road from Walayar to Mannuthy is legendary for notoriety now.

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

However, we still took 12 hours to reach Ernakulam. The Trichur - Ernakulam freeway was a disaster. We got held up for a traffic light at Angamaly for over 45 minutes and the trend continued all the way to Ernakulam. There was a line of cars at every single traffic light leading to Ernakulam. This is probably the worst paid expressway I have ever come across. So what should have taken just an hour to cover took 2.5 hours. This completely ruined the journey for us. We made good time till Trichur and it looked like we could complete the journey in 10.5 hours including breaks. All ruined on the Trichur - EKM expressway. Don't know if you can really call it that. There are over half a dozen signaled intersections on the four lane road and it is just terrible. I am seriously evaluating the option of returning via Kondungallur to Trichur. Suggestions will help. There you go folks. Thank you for the route suggestion. It was awesome. This has to be the best route to take if you are headed to Cochin.

I advised my colleague to take the same route from Bangalore to Tiruvalla. He too drove the same day as you. He was so furious with me after reaching the destination at Tiruvalla about my misadvice

He drove via Angamali - Kalamassery - Seaport-airport road - Tripunithura - Vaikom - kumarakom - Kottayam - Changanacherry - Tiruvalla. Had to go the same 45 mins ordeal at Angamali and at the multiple intersections. Seaport road too was hijacked by the petroleum trucks to Irumbanam. Kottyam as expected was horrible too.

Now, will it be better to take MC road from Angamali/Kalady to Kottayam rather than Angamali - Kalamassery - Seaport-airport road - Tripunithura - Vaikom - Kumarakom - Kottayam route? Keen to know the public opinion.

[anachronix]

Thanks Ampere!

I will check out this route, I usually do my trips in the night and I dont want to be lost somewhere in the suburbs. Thats the only thing I am worried (I hope Google Maps can help)

The Pathnapuram route is equally faster albeit being 70KMs longer than the regualar Kumily route!

Originally Posted by ampere

Dindigul-Theni is bad. So what you can do is once you get to Dindigul, take the GQ towards Madurai and exit at Kodai road. From here take the road to Batlagundu.
That solves some of the problem. At Batlagundu look for the road to Andipatty which is on Madurai-Theni NH.

Route Link

[naveen.raju]

Just checked with my friend who drove to Blore from Cochin taking the usual NH-47. Although the stretch between Thrissur-Palghat is bad and 4 lane work near Avinashi, he advised me not to take the detour. So will stick with this route when I drive to Blore tomo. Will update the road conditions when I reach.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by anachronix

I will check out this route, I usually do my trips in the night and I dont want to be lost somewhere in the suburbs. Thats the only thing I am worried (I hope Google Maps can help)

Oh yes night would be trouble. Its very easy getting lost. Google maps are good, but still its better to ask some one
on the road. Night can be a problem.

[dhanushmenon]

Drove from Cbe to arakkonam yesterday. Intended to take the normal krishnagiri route after salem. However, at the salem flyover maze, before I could realise I was spiralling and at the end landed up on the highway to attur. Reluctant to turn back and retrace, went ahead through Attur- ulundurpet- chengalpet- kanchipuram - arakkonam. The roads through out is is excellent condition. The down side was the traffic congestion where I had to cut through kanchipuram town towards arakkonam

[ampere]

Originally Posted by dhanushmenon

Drove from Cbe to arakkonam yesterday. Intended to take the normal krishnagiri route after salem.
However, at the salem flyover maze, before I could realise I was spiralling and at the end landed up on the highway to attur.
Reluctant to turn back and retrace, went ahead through Attur- ulundurpet- chengalpet- kanchipuram - arakkonam. The roads through
out is is excellent condition. The down side was the traffic congestion where I had to cut through kanchipuram town towards arakkonam

So you took Kanchi-Arakkonam SH? What is the the latest on Chengalpet-Kanchi? When you mentioned excellent condition,
did you also mean the roads beyond Chengalpet once you exit out of GQ?

[dhanushmenon]

Originally Posted by ampere

So you took Kanchi-Arakkonam SH? What is the the latest on Chengalpet-Kanchi? When you mentioned excellent condition,
did you also mean the roads beyond Chengalpet once you exit out of GQ?

Yes i took the Kanchi Arakkonam SH. The road from Chegalpet to Kanchi is just normal. No potholes but not too great too. Cannot keep higher speeds constantly like the GQ due to the continuous turns in the route. Approaching Kanchi, the traffic put a clog on my progress and once in the town, i was completely at the mercy of the narrow roads and the slow moving traffic

[bijujj]

Originally Posted by ampere

Dindigul-Theni is bad. So what you can do is once you get to Dindigul, take the GQ towards Madurai and exit at Kodai road. From here take the road to Batlagundu.
That solves some of the problem. At Batlagundu look for the road to Andipatty which is on Madurai-Theni NH.

Route Link

I drove from Chennai to Kottyam yesterday (23rd). Took Madurai->Theni->Kambam->Kumaly route. Roads are good. I could see a few occassional pot holes towards Theni, I drove at a very sedate speed, never exceeding 80KMph, so it was quite ok for me. Some isolated road work is going on in Theni -> Kambam road, but nothing to worry about. I drove a Jazz and didn't have any issue in driving through those portions.

Surprisingly we didnt face much of congestion at Kumaly check post, though it was Sabarimala season.

Just a word of caution. Traffic was heavier from Theni all the way upto Mundakayam, than usual and many of the vehicles (from the number plate, I guess mostly from other states) were driving rashly. So please be extra cautious on the ghat sections.

One of my family friends drove from Bangalore on last Saturday through Dindigul->Theni straight route (He didnt take the Vaigai route), and told that road conditions have improved a lot and is very much drivable. He drove an Innova.

Thanks
Biju

[openroad]

I took the regular route from Mannuthy to Bangalore via NH47 2 weeks back.
Mannuthy Palakkad is okay, provided you drive sedate - not exceeding 70. Till end of Kuthiran, make sure to drive very carefully and you can negotiate most of the craters without causing harm to your suspension.
It took me exactly 85 mins to the right turn at Palakkad for CBE.

During the onward drive, had driven via ottapalam, shornur - though route is good, took about 2h 15m to reach Mannuthy from Palakkad.

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

Just checked with my friend who drove to Blore from Cochin taking the usual NH-47. Although the stretch between Thrissur-Palghat is bad and 4 lane work near Avinashi, he advised me not to take the detour. So will stick with this route when I drive to Blore tomo. Will update the road conditions when I reach.

[daisyb]

Originally Posted by daisyb

I am planning to take the below route from Trivendrum to Bangalore as I want to visit Srivilliputtur. Else would have taken the known Nagercoil route and then NH7. What is the road condition
Trivendrum –> Nedumangadu->Palode->Thenmala ->Rajapalyam->Srivillaputtur->Madurai->NH7 to Bangalore

Did Trivandrum –> Peroorkada -> Nedumangadu-> Chullimanoor -> Palode -> Kulathupuzha -> Thenmala -> Shenkottai -> Tenkasi -> Kadayanallur -> Puliyangudi -> Sivagiri -> Rajapalyam-> Srivillaputtur-> Tirumangalam-> Madurai -> Dindigul -> Salem -> Dharmapuri -> Hosur -> Bangalore.

Between Thenmala and Shenkottai, at Aryankavu - we crossed Kerala border and entered in to Tamilnadu. Trivandrum to Aryankavu is mostly Ghat, the route is very scenic. Roads are good, but very narrow with steep curves. One cannot do more than 40 kmph in this route. Road from Aryankavu to Srivilliputtur is excellent, some parts are newly laid out/widened, its a 2 way but the road is very wide.

[naveen.raju]

Here's an update on NH47.

1) EKM to Thrissur - A pleasure to drive
2) Thrissur to Palghat - I would say max of 20 kms of bad patches with huge craters (one huge crater in front of Hotel Diana). The roads are smooth right after the place where you get banana chips (forgot the name).
3) Coimbatore to Avinashi - Few bad patches but not bad. Watch out for huge dips on bridges here.
4) After that it's fantastic. Many diversions near Hosur.

Started from Vytilla at 4am and reached Koramangala at 11.30am. This shows that the overall condition isnt all that bad.