[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by Sportsmind

Kindly update on road conditions between Coimbatore- Palakkad- Calicut.
I have these two options. Kindly advice the expected day travel time and conditions.
Cheers!!!

Coimbatore-Walayar-Palakkad Bypass-Olavakode-Mundur-Mannarkad-Kozhikode should be the preferred one.Roads are good,nothing to worry.The Anaikatti route would take a longer time,take it if you want a scenic drive.

[Sportsmind]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Coimbatore-Walayar-Palakkad Bypass-Olavakode-Mundur-Mannarkad-Kozhikode should be the preferred one.Roads are good,nothing to worry.The Anaikatti route would take a longer time,take it if you want a scenic drive.

Thanks mate. I guess this is what my navigator will be following.

[govigov]

what is the status of the roads to thirunelli? after that plan is to proceed to kollur mookambika temple.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by govigov

what is the status of the roads to thirunelli? after that plan is to proceed to kollur mookambika temple.

All roads leading to Tirunelli are super. To go to Kollur, best way is to go from Mananthavady to Taliparamba and then take NH17

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Hunsur-Nagarahole-Kutta is the best route to get to Tirunelli.

Thanks Kumar Sir. I did take the Nagarahole route to and fro - and road conditions were great all the way, especially in Kerala (after Kutta). Checked with the locals around Thirunelly and was advised against taking the Kartikulam - Manathawady route on the way back.

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Checked with the locals around Thirunelly and was advised against taking the Kartikulam - Manathawady route on the way back.

The road from Thirunelly to Mananthavady via Kattikulam is in very good condition. May be you would have meant Kattikulam-Bavali (not mananthavady, on the return route to Bangalore) Yes, there is a stretch of around 14km in that route which is almost '4x4 only'. Work is going on, and hopefully it would be completed by May-June.

In other news, work on renovation of the road from Hunsur to Virajpet via Gonikoppal will start on 27th February. The road which is presently almost non motorable would be widened to 7 meters and the work is expected to take 11 months to complete. This is really an important road as it is part of the shortest route from Bangalore to Kannur/Telicherry and also is the only nighttime route from Bangalore to Kozhikode.

[binand]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

the road from Hunsur to Virajpet via Gonikoppal [...] is the only nighttime route from Bangalore to Kozhikode.

Is that true? There is also the Gundlupet - Bandipur - Nilambur - (Areekode or Manjeri) route to Calicut, if I am not mistaken. As far as I know it has no night-time restrictions (though there is strict security action at the moment due to Maoist sightings in the nearby forest areas).

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by binand

Is that true? There is also the Gundlupet - Bandipur - Nilambur - (Areekode or Manjeri) route to Calicut, if I am not mistaken. As far as I know it has no night-time restrictions (though there is strict security action at the moment due to Maoist sightings in the nearby forest areas).

Binand, this route also has nighttime restriction on vehicle movement on the stretch that passes through the Bandipur national park (from Bandipur sancturay gate till Karnataka-TN border) from 9PM to 6AM.
(EDIT: I am not very sure weather the traffic is stopped at the sanctuary gate or at Gundlupet itself)

[jacs]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

Binand, this route also has nighttime restriction on vehicle movement on the stretch that passes through the Bandipur national park (from Bandipur sancturay gate till Karnataka-TN border) from 9PM to 6AM.
(EDIT: I am not very sure weather the traffic is stopped at the sanctuary gate or at Gundlupet itself)

Traffic is stopped at the sanctury gate only, not heard any change in this.

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

The road from Thirunelly to Mananthavady via Kattikulam is in very good condition. May be you would have meant Kattikulam-Bavali (not mananthavady, on the return route to Bangalore) Yes, there is a stretch of around 14km in that route which is almost '4x4 only'. Work is going on, and hopefully it would be completed by May-June.

Yes, you are correct - I meant via Kattikulam-Bavali. When you say work is going on, does it mean that they are doing up the "diversion" roads and the main SH stretch would be permanently closed for traffic?

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Yes, you are correct - I meant via Kattikulam-Bavali. When you say work is going on, does it mean that they are doing up the "diversion" roads and the main SH stretch would be permanently closed for traffic?

Yes, the road through the villages, from Damman katta to Udbur which is now the alternate route avoiding some critical wildlife zones inside the national park.
This is the route: http://bit.ly/TWS923
I presume the main stretch would be permanently closed.

[Wind]

Latest updated on the NH-47 construction status. "Works to widen the National Highways (NH 47) from Chengapalli to Neelambur into a six-lane road will take nearly four more months to be completed. "


http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...cle4481211.ece

-- Wind

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Wind

Latest updated on the NH-47 construction status. "Works to widen the National Highways (NH 47) from Chengapalli to Neelambur into a six-lane road will take nearly four more months to be completed. "

Hope it gets completed soon. All the more reasons to take Perundurai-Kangeyam-Palladam-Pollachi circuit.

[dhanushmenon]

Any recent updates on the stretch between avadi- walayar-mannuthy?

[arjithin]

I have to drive to Chalakudy with my pregnant wife (14 weeks) from Bangalore. Searched for the tips and found this thread

Which route is the most pregnant woman friendly? I am assuming one with least no of potholes/speed breakers and one which is the most familiar to the driver.

I plan to start around 4 AM from Bangalore and take either the CBE route or the Palladam-Pollachi route. I haven't driven the Palladam route yet. Should I stick to CBE route? Or the Palladam route is so good that I should take it even though I havent driven that way? My speed limit will be 80kmph.

Other option I am thinking of is to start around 6 PM, stay somewhere after Salem and continue the travel next day. Any suggestions on good accommodation between Salem and Bhavani?

Return trip will be via CLT (overnight stay) and Mysore. I think I will take SH17 as its condition is better compared to the Gundlupt - Chamarajnagar section. This drive will be in day time.