[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by denver85

Heard that the Kuthiran section is not bad now. The Vadakkenchey-Mannuthy can be doable. But not sure about the Palakkad-Alatur-Vadakkencehry route.

Kuthiran is in good shape. There are diversions between Palakkad-Vadakkencherry due to flyover construction, expect bad surface.

[TheHkrish]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

Kuthiran is in good shape. There are diversions between Palakkad-Vadakkencherry due to flyover construction, expect bad surface.

Great to hear that, For the past 5 months I had been avoiding Kuthiraan stretch.
Thanks for the update

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by denver85

But not sure about the Palakkad-Alatur-Vadakkencehry route.

Originally Posted by coolclouds

There are diversions between Palakkad-Vadakkencherry due to flyover construction, expect bad surface.

Chandranagar junction, like i said earlier, is dug up, and it's a crude roundabout there. The surface is patchy, with some shallow potholes, for the next kilometre or so. There's a bad patch in front of the Malabar hospital (it's a bridge over there, and there will be some construction equipment stationed in the vicinity all the time).

The road surface is decent from there on until the next diversion which is approximately 15km from Chandranagar. Except for the bad patches on the diversions, the road is average to good. Conducive for good speeds whenever the traffic allows.

Originally Posted by denver85

This is normal state for last 2-3 months. The condition became like this once the bridge work started near the TN check post. The service line is only open for the traffic which is 80 % blocked by the parked trucks. The condition towards Bangalore is a little better. I used to bypass the TN checkpost by taking either Sarjapur-Bagalur-Hosur route (http://goo.gl/maps/btPey) or Attibele-TVS Factory-Hosur(http://goo.gl/maps/auKp3). The condition of Sarjapur/Bagalur route is really good other than a 500m stretch in Sarjapur town. The TVS factory road is also very good.

Gonna try your suggestion on my next trip. Thanks!

[theexperthand]

Originally Posted by silversteed

As for the route option, for those intending to go towards North, the Pollachi-Gopalapuram-Palakkad-NH213 is the best way, and for those going towards Thrissur/Kochi, Pollachi-Kollengode-Alathur-Chelakkara route.

I am planning to drive down to kerala tomorrow early morning.

My original plan was to take the palakkad - Shoranur-vadakkanchery route but after going through your suggetions, i am thinking of taking this route - http://goo.gl/maps/qBsJ7

Can you please tell me if I have got the route correct?

--Anoop

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by theexperthand

I am planning to drive down to kerala tomorrow early morning.

My original plan was to take the palakkad - Shoranur-vadakkanchery route but after going through your suggetions, i am thinking of taking this route - http://goo.gl/maps/qBsJ7

Can you please tell me if I have got the route correct?

--Anoop

Kuthiran is not in a bad shape (don't want to call it as good) any more. Valayar stretch is bad, but can be done at a slow pace. If you are looking to save time, it will be better to stick to NH 47 (unless you want to explore the state highways of TN)

I did Pollachi through Kanakpura, Sathyamangalam and then to Thrissur through the very same route mentioned by you. Roads are excellent all through, but you will find it difficuly to maintain the average.

[theexperthand]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

Kuthiran is not in a bad shape (don't want to call it as good) any more. Valayar stretch is bad, but can be done at a slow pace. If you are looking to save time, it will be better to stick to NH 47 (unless you want to explore the state highways of TN)

I did Pollachi through Kanakpura, Sathyamangalam and then to Thrissur through the very same route mentioned by you. Roads are excellent all through, but you will find it difficuly to maintain the average.

Thank you!

Since I am travelling with my baby, the average will not be high any way. I am more concerned about a better \ smooth drive than saving time.

--Anoop

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by theexperthand

Can you please tell me if I have got the route correct?

I wouldn't recommend going all the way to Malumichampatty and then turning off to Pollachi. The Avinashi-Neelambur stretch has many unmarked speed-breakers and also you can see traffic moving in both directions on either side of the divider. I suggest this:
http://goo.gl/maps/RMMRd

Originally Posted by gadadhar

Kuthiran is not in a bad shape (don't want to call it as good) any more. Valayar stretch is bad, but can be done at a slow pace. If you are looking to save time, it will be better to stick to NH 47 (unless you want to explore the state highways of TN)

Originally Posted by theexperthand

I am more concerned about a better \ smooth drive than saving time.

If you are going by Mr.gadadhar's suggestion and taking the Kuthiran route, this would be my recommendation:
http://goo.gl/maps/wCb0C

Instead of taking a right at the Kollengode Palace (after a Girls' High school on the right) towards Alathur, stay on the Pollachi-Vadakkenchery SH. It'll lead you onto NH-47.

This route is about 20km shorter, but I am not very sure about the Alathur-Vadkkenchery stretch.

[Rameshdude]

We did Kochi to Coimbatore and back on 1st October. We went in NH 47 only. The roads are fine except for a small stretch. They are doing the repairs too. I feel you can use that route.

[pramodpk]

I will be driving to Trivandrum tomorrow. Plan to start at 4:30 - 5:00 AM. What is the condition of Nagercoil- Trivandrum? Is there any faster alternative to reach Kesavadapuram?

[theexperthand]

Originally Posted by silversteed

I wouldn't recommend going all the way to Malumichampatty and then turning off to Pollachi. The Avinashi-Neelambur stretch has many unmarked speed-breakers and also you can see traffic moving in both directions on either side of the divider. I suggest this:
http://goo.gl/maps/RMMRd

Thank you. Can you please tell me if this route (perundurai to pollachi) is a wide single lane road or is it also well laid with dividers in between (like the Krishnagiri-salem road).

--Anoop

[ampere]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

I did Pollachi through Kanakpura, Sathyamangalam and then to Thrissur through the very same route mentioned by you. Roads are excellent all through, but you will find it difficuly to maintain the average.

Pollachi via Kanakpura would sure kill the average. But Pollachi via Salem should be good. (Hope queues at the Toll Gates are next to none!)

Originally Posted by theexperthand

Thank you. Can you please tell me if this route (perundurai to pollachi) is a wide single lane road or is it also well laid with dividers in between (like the Krishnagiri-salem road).

--Anoop

Perundurai to Pollachi is a nice 2-lane road. Very good surface as well. You should see some traffic between Kangeyam and Palladam.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by theexperthand

Thank you. Can you please tell me if this route (perundurai to pollachi) is a wide single lane road or is it also well laid with dividers in between (like the Krishnagiri-salem road).

--Anoop

Anoop, it is a wide 2-lane State Highway. No dividers like those on the 4-laned highways, but there are some short stretches inside/near towns where it's 4-laned.

Here's a short video from one of my recent trips to Bangalore:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuHrHWyRm48

The road is more or less like this all throughout.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by ampere

Pollachi via Kanakpura would sure kill the average. But Pollachi via Salem should be good. (Hope queues at the Toll Gates are next to none!)

You bet! Experienced it during Onam time. Left at noon time (mistake #1), and it took us about 8 hours to cover 400km via Chamarajanagar-Kollegal-Sathyamangalam (mistake #2). Even with the bad patches at Walayar and two breaks - at Vaikundam and Shoolagiri, it's taken us only about 7 hours to cover 420km on NH-47/NH-7

[Mnjdnght]

Reached Kochi from Bangalore just a few hours back and a quick report:
- Took Hosur-Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri-Salem-Chengapalli-Thirupur ring road bypass-Palladam-Pollachi-Vadakkenchery-Mannuthy-Edappally
- Vadakkenchery-Mannuthy has fresh tarmac (yep, at Kurhiran too) up until 3-4 kms from Mannuthy. Have not driven that stretch on such a good surface in a long time. Don't know how long it will last. No lane marking etc. but is wide enough.
- Overall could do a 9.5 hr drive starting 6:20 AM from Bangalore with 4 stops (totaling about 1 hr 15 mts-ish).
- Pollachi-Vadakkenchery section is excellent but may hit averages
- Overall had a good drive and didn't feel much fatigued at the end of it!

[sbkumar]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

I will be driving to Trivandrum tomorrow. Plan to start at 4:30 - 5:00 AM. What is the condition of Nagercoil- Trivandrum? Is there any faster alternative to reach Kesavadapuram?

Nagercoil-Kaliyakkavilai-Poovar-Trivandrum (Bye Pass) is the one option which is not too much of a detour. The surface is good in the Poovar - TVM section unlike the NH and there is hardly any traffic jam. I think you can take a right towards Pettah and then do Pattom, Kesavadasapuram. I am not sure of this last section but I think you should be able to avoid a good part of the city if you take this bye pass route.