[Sree73]

Originally Posted by tortoise

Did anyone notice that Google maps now route us through SH86 instead of salem while driving from kerala to bangalore via Coimbatore?. It cites a road closure near to Salem in NH 544

Yes. I noticed it couple of days back when I checked for Bangalore - Thrissur. Google map shows the deviation from NH44 into road No.86 (State highway?) at Kalaimagal higher secondary school near Omalur and then joins back the Salem-Kochi highway just after Shree Satyam College of Engineering. The total route shows a reduction of 24 KMs as well. Not sure about this diversion and the road condition also.

[sun_king]

Originally Posted by Sree73

Yes. I noticed it couple of days back when I checked for Bangalore - Thrissur. Google map shows the deviation from NH44 into road No.86 (State highway?) at Kalaimagal higher secondary school near Omalur and then joins back the Salem-Kochi highway just after Shree Satyam College of Engineering. The total route shows a reduction of 24 KMs as well. Not sure about this diversion and the road condition also.

Yesterday I drove through Salem town on my way from Thrissur to Bangalore and found the roads to be normal in the supposedly blocked region. At 9:05 AM I exited the flyover and was past AVR junction by 9:10. Maybe it was because of the holiday but that was the fastest I have been through Salem town.

A friend of mine took the Omalur-Tharamangalam road and according to him the roads are fine, it is just that the single lane combined with high truck count makes it tedious. On the upside, three toll booths can be skipped!

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by sun_king

Yesterday I drove through Salem town on my way from Thrissur to Bangalore and found the roads to be normal in the supposedly blocked region. At 9:05 AM I exited the flyover and was past AVR junction by 9:10. Maybe it was because of the holiday but that was the fastest I have been through Salem town.

A friend of mine took the Omalur-Tharamangalam road and according to him the roads are fine, it is just that the single lane combined with high truck count makes it tedious. On the upside, three toll booths can be skipped!

What is the status of the flyover construction at Salem?

[sun_king]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

What is the status of the flyover construction at Salem?

Not much of flyover made, still pillars and occasional beams under construction. Two lane roads for both directions was what made the travel fast.

[binand]

Originally Posted by tortoise

Did anyone notice that Google maps now route us through SH86 instead of salem while driving from kerala to bangalore via Coimbatore?

Probably due to flyover construction on Salem bypass (3 flyovers, I think). Last time I came this way was in last week of August - the construction had blocked the main carriageway completely then; and I had to drive through the service lanes. I was driving overnight but I can see that this would lead to massive pile-ups during rush hour.

The various minor roads through interior TN towns that bypass Salem are quite popular here on this thread. There is a very adventurous route that avoids all tolls from Bangalore to Ernakulam, for example. The simplest is Omalur-Tharamangalam-Idappadi-Sankari.

[tortoise]

Yes. Infact, i used the Google suggested route Sangiri-Omallur . Well laid 2 lane roadall through with a small 2 km stretch that connects between two state highways. On my way to Kerala, came across plenty of trucks, but return was good.

This avoids two tolls en route. While it may not be a major time saver, this may help us avoid pileups close to salem town.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by tortoise

While it may not be a major time saver, this may help us avoid pileups close to salem town.

With the flyover construction in progress at Salem, does one still need to pay the Omalur toll if taking the NH 47 and not the Omalur-Tharamangalam-Sankari route ?

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

Drove Whitefield to Vaikom on Oct 1st.

Start Time - 4:40 AM
End Time -6:50 PM
Distance - 585 KMS (The Salem route is 577 KMS long).
Break Time - 1 hour
Total Toll Paid - Rs 7/-

Route Whitefield - Mandya - Mysore - Gundlupet - Sultan Bathery- Kalpetta- Ramanattukara - Parappangadi -Tirur - Charmavattam - Ponnani -Chavakkad - N Parur- Edapally - Vytilla -Tripunithura - Vaikom

Reached Mysore at 7:00 AM. Mysore road is much better. Not many speed breakers. Traffic was also less. Went through city> Entered Kerala at 8:45 AM. Stopped for break fast at Sultan Bathery from 9:15 - 9:45 AM. Took 9 hours to cover 280 KMS from Sultan Bathery to Vaikom. No major blocks anywhere. Progress was slow due to large number of towns and narrow roads. The Charmavattom - Parappanangadi stretch has lot of potholes.

The last 60 KMs to Vaikom took more than 2 hours.

Drove Vaikom to Bangalore yesterday via Kozhikode - Mysore.

Start Time - 5:15 AM
End Time - 7:00 PM
Distance - 603 KMS
Break Time - 1 hour
Total Toll Paid - Rs 2/-

Route - Vaikom - Vytilla - Edapally - N. Parur - Chavakkad - Ponnani - Edappal - Valanchery -Ramanattukara - Kalpetta - Sultan Bathery - Gundlupet - Mysore (Ring road) Mandya - Bangalore - M G Road -Domlur - Marathahalli - Whitefield.

Stopped for Break fast at Ramanattukara at 9:05 AM. Had packed lunch after Gundlupet at 1:50 PM. Reached Columbia Asia juncion via Ring Road at 3:08 PM. Reached Gopalan Mall/NICE road junction at 5:30 PM.

Mysore road is much better. Almost all speed breakers are gone.

Took the Edappal route instead of Chamravattom route. This is longer by atleast 10 KMS. Also Mysore ring road (Bannur side) added to the distance compared to onward journey.

Saw that the Palarivattom flyover was almost done. Read in paper that it is opened today.

[wilful]

Planning to go to Chengannur from Kochi.
The usual route taken is Ernakulam-Alleppy-(SH-11) Perunna-Thiruvalla-Chengannur.
Was looking at an alternative route i.e.
Ernakulam-Ambalapuzha (turn off at temple) - (SH-12) Edathua-Panchamoodu-Kuthiyathode-Chengannur.
Anyone familiar with this route and the saving if any in time?
I was just mulling with this option because the Perunna-Chengannur stretch on MC Road is super saturated (particularly in the evening).

[kavu75]

Originally Posted by wilful

Planning to go to Chengannur from Kochi.
Ernakulam-Ambalapuzha (turn off at temple) - (SH-12) Edathua-Panchamoodu-Kuthiyathode-Chengannur.

I have taken the route(Ambalapuzha - Thakazhi - Edathua - Podiyadi - Mannar) during September 1st week.
The road condition was very bad all the way till Neerattupuram, some water authority work was going on, dug up more than half of the road. We were struggling with XUV itself.
But i could see some banners, which congratulating local representatives for sanctioning the fund to repair the road.

Instead you can consider Haripad - Mavelikara - Chengannur. All the way roads are good.

[wilful]

Originally Posted by kavu75

I have taken the route(Ambalapuzha - Thakazhi - Edathua - Podiyadi - Mannar) during September 1st week.
The road condition was very bad all the way till Neerattupuram, some water authority work was going on, dug up more than half of the road. We were struggling with XUV itself.

Thanks very much for your prompt response.
I think, on 2nd thoughts, after going through your reply, I will stick to the known devil. My usual route it will be.

[JohnnyBoss]

Originally Posted by wilful

Planning to go to Chengannur from Kochi.
The usual route taken is Ernakulam-Alleppy-(SH-11) Perunna-Thiruvalla-Chengannur.
Was looking at an alternative route i.e.
Ernakulam-Ambalapuzha (turn off at temple) - (SH-12) Edathua-Panchamoodu-Kuthiyathode-Chengannur.
Anyone familiar with this route and the saving if any in time?
I was just mulling with this option because the Perunna-Chengannur stretch on MC Road is super saturated (particularly in the evening).

Suggest to take Tripunithura - Ettumanoor - Manarcad - Puthuppally - Thengana - Perumthuruthy - Thiruvalla - Chengannur.

Road is all good till Perumthuruthy. Then there is WIP sections on MC Road but very much manageable, as per a friend recently drove this way.

[Sree73]

Did a Bangalore - Thrissur trip yesterday. (15th Oct). Pleasant drive. Took the normal Salem-Coimbatore-Palakkad route. As per the Google map, took diversion at Omalur and took the SH86 for some distance and joined back on NH544.

Started at 3:15AM from Whitefield and Reached home (496KM) @11:15AM with a 30 minutes break for breakfast.
Overall FE of 22.7km/l. (S-Coss 1.3).

Was running with a FE of 26Km/l, but some spirited driving in the second half of journey and the slowdown before Kuthiran and after that dropped the FE.

Returning on Tuesday.

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by Sree73

Took the normal Salem-Coimbatore-Palakkad route. As per the Google map, took diversion at Omalur and took the SH86 for some distance and joined back on NH544.

Can you please post the google map link of the diversion? Is it via Omalur town?

How is the progress of the Vadakkenchery - Mannuthy NH? Any sections completed?

[Sree73]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

Can you please post the google map link of the diversion?

How is the progress of the Vadakkenchery - Mannuthy NH? Any sections completed?

Here you go with the map.
Not much progress in Vadakkenchery - Mannuthy section.