[lloydofcochin]

Originally Posted by dhanushs

Back to Wayanad from Bangalore via Malavalli>Kollegal>Chamarajanara>Gundelpet>S.Bathe ry

Roads are generally very good, except for some rough patches and narrow roads from Chamarajanagar till Gundelpet. After crossing the Kerala border, roads aint butter smooth till Sulthan Bathery.

The roads on the Karnataka side is good except the stretch were tarring is going on after Gundlupet and the small trenches that they have made apart from the numerous humps which are there.

Once you cross Muthanga the ride turns bumpy and most potholes are patched up but last Saturday I hit a sharp pothole at speed and ended up breaking my Car's Front right shock absorber :(

[pgginish]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Road widening still on between Dindigul & Theni.
Beyond that, roads are fine.
You can also avoid Munnar by doing Poopara-Rajakkad-Adimali.

There are some road widening happening between Bodinayakanur to Bodimettu (Ghat road - ~ 20Km) and day time traffic is blocked for the month of March 2013. The notification was done by Theni Dist. collector. Please refer local news paper for latest updates.

[pgginish]

Originally Posted by pgginish

There are some road widening happening between Bodinayakanur to Bodimettu (Ghat road - ~ 20Km) and day time traffic is blocked for the month of March 2013. The notification was done by Theni Dist. collector. Please refer local news paper for latest updates.

Poopara to Kallar road work also started and traffic between Munnar and Poopara is blocked now (This stretch was last repaired on 1992!). All the buses are taking Munnar-Anachal-Kunchithanni-Rajakkad road.
Source: Malayala manorama (Munnar local - saturday, 16th March)

[Mnjdnght]

Bangalore - Cochin - Bangalore: A quick trip update

Started from Bangalore (Arekere) on Mar 14 at 9 AM
Arekere - Kanakapura: Heavy traffic exiting Bangalore, moderate traffic until Kanakapura. Excellent roads.
Kanakapura - Malavalli: Sparse traffic. Excellent roads.
Malavalli - Kollegal: Sparse traffic. Excellent roads.
Kollegal - Chamrajanagar: Sparse traffic. Excellent roads.
Lunch at Nijaguna Residency: Decent quality. Good restrooms.
Chamrajanagar - Sathy: Sparse traffic. Excellent roads.
Dhimbam ghats: Sparse traffic. Excellent roads.
Sathy - Annur: Moderate traffic. Excellent roads.
Annur - Karumathampathy: Sparse traffic. Excellent roads.
Karumathampaty - Pollachi via Somanur: Moderate traffic. Good roads but patchy. Confusing to cross Somanur (~ 5 Km)
Pollachi town: Moderate traffic. Good roads but narrow.
Pollachi - Vadakkencheri via Kollengode, Nenmara: Moderate traffic. Excellent roads until Kollengode. Good but narrow roads after that until Vadakkencheri.
Vadakkencheri - Mannuthy: Heavy traffic. Bad roads (some big potholes otherwise bumpy and patchy)
Mannuthy - Edappally toll: Heavy traffic. Excellent roads. 20 minute jam at Edappally toll due to recent opening of Lulu mall.
Reached home (near Edappally toll) at 8 PM (~ 520 KM, 3 stops totaling 2 hours)
Choice of route was to try some new routes while avoiding the "presumed" bad Chengapalli - Neelambur - Walayar - Palghat - Mannuthy stretch. Enjoyed excellent roads until hitting Vadakkenchery though didn't do any good on time due to narrow roads and traffic after Pollachi. The route overall doesn't allow sustained good speeds.

Return, started from home (near Edappally toll) at 5 AM
Edappally toll - Kuttanellur (between Ollur and Mannuthy): Moderate traffic. Excellent roads.
Kuttanellur - Chembukavu (Trichur): Moderate traffic. Average roads.
Chembukavu - Shoranur: Moderate traffic. Excellent roads.
Shoranur - Palghat: Sparse traffic. Excellent roads.
Palghat - Walayar: Heavy traffic. Average roads.
Walayar - L&T bypass: Heavy traffic. Good roads with deviations.
L&T bypass - Neelambur: Sparse traffic. Excellent roads.
Neelambur - Chengapalli: Sparse traffic. Good roads. Some deviations but lot of sections show great improvements. Don't think this has to be now a "avoided" sector.
Chengapalli - Arekere (via Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Hosur, Nice road, Bannerghatta road): Sparse traffic until Hosur. Excellent roads except Bannerghatta road and some sections around Hosur. Due to Six lane work, some deviations between Krishnagiri and Hosur.
Reached home near Arekere at 1:30 PM (~ 560 KM, 3 stops totaling 1 hour 15 minutes)
Choice of route was to try the conventional route (still took the detour via Shoranur) to avoid presumptuous rerouting. Great decision since it now removes the fear of bad roads on the conventional route at least until Walayar.

[RSUDARSANAN]

Originally Posted by denver85

If interested you can try the Trivandrum-Palode-Thenmala-Tenkasi-Rajapalayam-Srivillaputhur-Thirumangalam-Madurai-Salem-Bangalore. I have done this route solo in Feb and it took 10 hours 15 minutes with two breaks. Started from Mannanthala at 2.15 pm and reached my home in Bangalore(Marthahally) at 12.30 AM.

Planning to take the route suggested by you in mid April '13. Plan to leave B'lore 6 am. Bio/refreshment break @ Estancia Salem. Need suggestion: a. bio/lunch stop between Dindugul-Madurai and b bio/tea break around Thenmala.

Co-passenger, 87 year old mother hence max 3 hour non-stop drive per sector. Where & how long were your two breaks in Feb ? Thanks

[RobC]

I am planning to travel to Ooty from Trivandrum next Friday. Considering, it is the start of the long weekend, which would be the better route for me to take?

via Palakkad or Nilambur?

How are the road conditions on the route through Nilambur - Gudalur?

How much time should i budget for the following sectors -

- Trivandrum - Ernakulam
- Ernakulam - Perinthalmanna
- Perinthalmanna - Gudalur
- Gudalur - Ooty

Also, what would be an ideal start time from Trivandrum?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by RobC

via Palakkad or Nilambur?
How are the road conditions on the route through Nilambur - Gudalur?

Most decent roads with some rough patches around Nadugani ghats.
Regulars on the route can update the latest.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by RobC

I am planning to travel to Ooty from Trivandrum next Friday. Considering, it is the start of the long weekend, which would be the better route for me to take?

via Palakkad or Nilambur?

How are the road conditions on the route through Nilambur - Gudalur?

How much time should i budget for the following sectors -

- Trivandrum - Ernakulam
- Ernakulam - Perinthalmanna
- Perinthalmanna - Gudalur
- Gudalur - Ooty

Also, what would be an ideal start time from Trivandrum?

I would prefer the Nilambur route because it will have less traffic than Coimbatore-Ooty.

To get to NIlambur, I would take the Trissur city route & then via Wadakanchery, Shoranur & Pattambi to Perinthalmanna.

I would leave as early as possible from Trivandrum - say, 5 am.

If you leave at 5 am, then
Trivandrum - Ernakulam, 4 hours + 30 minutes break?
Ernakulam-Pernthalmanna, 5 hours
Perinthalmanna-Gudalur, 3 hours
Gudalur-Ooty, 1-2 hours

[bhunu AMG]

Kumar sir, if he takes Cochin-thrissur-ottappalam-Pkd-Cbe then maximum 4hrs n from coimbatore -mettupalayam-kunnoor-ooty another 3hrs maximum(Cbe-mtp road is in good shape) so he can save 1 to 3 hrs.best regards

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by bhunu AMG

Kumar sir, if he takes Cochin-thrissur-ottappalam-Pkd-Cbe then maximum 4hrs n from coimbatore -mettupalayam-kunnoor-ooty another 3hrs maximum(Cbe-mtp road is in good shape) so he can save 1 to 3 hrs.best regards

Problem with the Coimbatore route is:
1. Heavy traffic on NH47 till Coimbatore
2. Having to go through Coimbatore city, unless you take the longer Karumathampatti-Anur route
3. Heavy commuter traffic on Coimbatore-Mettupalyam road
4. Expected heavy traffic on the road up to Ooty thanks to the holiday week

Hence, the suggestion to go via NIlambur which will have less "holiday traffic", and fortunately the Perinthalmanna-NIlambur road is not as badly trafficked as most KL roads.

[RobC]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

...
I would leave as early as possible from Trivandrum - say, 5 am.

If you leave at 5 am, then
Trivandrum - Ernakulam, 4 hours + 30 minutes break?
Ernakulam-Pernthalmanna, 5 hours
Perinthalmanna-Gudalur, 3 hours
Gudalur-Ooty, 1-2 hours

Thanks for the inputs, HVK.

Would an earlier start, say 3 am, make a significant difference to the overall drive time?

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by RobC

Thanks for the inputs, HVK.

Would an earlier start, say 3 am, make a significant difference to the overall drive time?

Yes, if you start at 3 am, you could cross Kochi before 630 am, navigate Trissur town before peak hour & save at least 2-3 hours in time

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by RobC

Would an earlier start, say 3 am, make a significant difference to the overall drive time?

Will help you reduce running time by atleast an hour. If you start by 3AM, you'd be able to reach Thrissur by around 8AM (MAX) - will help you avoid traffic around Ernakulam.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by RobC

via Palakkad or Nilambur?

Originally Posted by RobC

Would an earlier start, say 3 am, make a significant difference to the overall drive time?

I hope you know, how to latch on to the Shoranur road from the 4-lane on Trichur bypass. Ranjit had a post on the optimized route through Trichur to get you to Wadakanchery road which leads to Shoranur.

[denver85]

Originally Posted by RSUDARSANAN

Planning to take the route suggested by you in mid April '13. Plan to leave B'lore 6 am. Bio/refreshment break @ Estancia Salem. Need suggestion: a. bio/lunch stop between Dindugul-Madurai and b bio/tea break around Thenmala.
Co-passenger, 87 year old mother hence max 3 hour non-stop drive per sector. Where & how long were your two breaks in Feb ? Thanks

I have done the opposite direction Trivandrum to Bangalore. My first stop was between Madurai bypass and Dindigul, there was a Hotel Sharavanas on the left side(It will come on your right side). That hotel has good parking facility, clean toilets and decent Veg food. The location is marked in the Google map here : https://maps.google.co.in/maps?q=Mad...3222,78.008562

Near thenmala there are no good restaurants. There is a KTDC near Thenamala dam, not sure how good is that. There is another KTDC motel on the right side of the road near the junction to turn towards Palaruvi falls. I have used that 2-3 years back. It was good with all facilities, but the food options were less. The map location: https://maps.google.co.in/maps?q=ktd...,0.013937&z=17
Also, I have seen some good restaurants(Most of them Veg) in Srivillaputhur and Rajapalayam towns.
Dont miss the Tenkasi bypass road unless you need to go inside. the map link is here: https://maps.google.co.in/maps?saddr...sz=14&t=m&z=14