[Sree73]

Originally Posted by philgrac

Just temporarily fix the Toll receipt by inserting it between the window glass and inside beading of front RH window, with the toll receipt facing outside.

My brother in law had a bad experience with this method. The receipt went inside the door panel throgh the loose gap between the glass and the beading. He had to literally tell the story to attendant at each of the L&T tolls and they enter the vehicle no and let him pass.

[philgrac]

Originally Posted by Sree73

My brother in law had a bad experience with this method. The receipt went inside the door panel throgh the loose gap between the glass and the beading. He had to literally tell the story to attendant at each of the L&T tolls and they enter the vehicle no and let him pass.

Yes, I forgot to mention that only the bottom tip of the receipt should go into the beading gap. Besides, as you said if the beading is loose, it might get dropped into the door cavity Still, there is another potential danger,
due to absent mindedness, you may roll down the window glass (at the toll gate itself to talk to the attendant!) and you will not have a receipt to show him as the receipt has gone inside along with the window glass
There fore my advice is to use this method Only with due caution!

[Mnjdnght]

Returned from Edappally to Bangalore today through the NH47/NH7 route. Left home in Edappally at 5 AM and reached home in Bangalore at 1 PM (including stop time of around 40 mins). Smooth ride. Only bad patches are in the Mannuthy - Vadakkumchery stretch, which too is a lot better nowadays, and the Walayar - Madukkarai stretch (if you take this stretch once, I had done on my way up, you can manage this sector well). Most of the tolls are accepting PayTM but unfortunately I just couldn't get the scan to work from my PayTM app, in multiple booths, and ended up paying cash. Later it refused to work at Sai Sangeet also where I stopped for lunch after Thoppur toll gate. So something seems amiss in my phone/ app but don't have an idea yet what it could be. Sai Sangeet was empty when I stopped but the food was quite tasty. Place looks clean and also has clean rest rooms. There is also a coffee day in this complex. I had reported earlier about some work going on in Thoppur in the direction towards Bangalore. Either I reported wrong or they have completed the work.

[PRADEEP KUMAR]

Kochi to Kasargod.

Kasargod to Bangalore.

Folks,
I plan to drive to kochi from chennai and onwards as mentioned above.
Kindly advice on route options . Good hotels in Kasargod for a night stay required as well.
Thanks in anticipation

cheers

[bejoy]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

The toll receipt waving at L&T byepass was irritating.

Same here. Me and my wife are quite irritated by this 'procedure'. Actually, they don't need to check the receipt as the details will pop up on their computer screen and the boom barrier is automatic. They make us believe that they are checking the receipt.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by bejoy

Actually, they don't need to check the receipt as the details will pop up on their computer screen and the boom barrier is automatic.

Most of the times they will be able to make out the details without the receipt. What they do is type in the vehicle registration number and check in their system if the toll paid by you is for full trip or part.

However, instead of having a CCTV linked to system which displays the front area of the car like in other toll booths, L&T toll booth guys have to read the license plate through the glass window.

So, if you stop close to the barricade they are not able to make out the same. What I usually do is to stop couple of meters before the toll booth so that they can read the number plate easily. Works out most times, but that said it is still an irritating procedure.



On a positive note, Coimbatore bye-pass has become the worst section in Bangalore - Cochin route barring the work in progress sections. This is a reminder how roads have improved in past 2 decades or so.

Still remember looking wide eyed at Coimbatore bye-pass I guess in 1999 in awe. It was and is still an arrow straight road with well marked borders. However, over the years other sections caught up and overtook it. The bye-pass and its numerous toll booths still continue without any change.

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by bejoy

Same here. Me and my wife are quite irritated by this 'procedure'.

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

What they do is type in the vehicle registration number and check in their system if the toll paid by you is for full trip or part.

Does any one know if this bye-pass falls under the purview of NHAI or TN State Govt (PWD)? I am planning to file an RTI to get a few details of this tolled road.

Still remember looking wide eyed at Coimbatore bye-pass I guess in 1999 in awe..

True. When I started my trips to (and from Bangalore), this was the only stretch which some one could be proud off. The refrain then was at least Coimbatore city can be byepassed by the "excellent" byepass road they have built. That could not be said about places like Perundurai etc. I was mentioning my wife the same thing during my last trip. How the once excellent road, has now pretty much become a show stopper.

May be we should have "Road Travel Nostalgia" thread, where people can write about their usual routes; and how they have changed across the years. I have lots to write about the NH47-NH7 roads.

[PRADEEP KUMAR]

Originally Posted by PRADEEP KUMAR

Kochi to Kasargod.
Kochi to Kasargod.
Kasargod to Bangalore.

Kasargod to Bangalore.

Folks,
I plan to drive to kochi from chennai and onwards as mentioned above.
Kindly advice on route options . Good hotels in Kasargod for a night stay required as well.
Thanks in anticipation

Cheers

[binand]

Originally Posted by PRADEEP KUMAR

I plan to drive to kochi from chennai and onwards as mentioned above.
Kindly advice on route options . Good hotels in Kasargod for a night stay required as well.

You might get a better response if you ask in the dedicated Bangalore-Kasargod thread (Bangalore to Kasaragod : Route Queries). Both Chennai-Bangalore and Bangalore-Kasargod have two major routes each; so which exact combination works for you depends on your start time and level of comfort on certain types of roads. Briefly:

Chennai-Vellore-Krishnagiri-Bangalore: arrives in the south-side of Bangalore; pro is that you bypass Bangalore via the NICE Ring Road and connect to NH 275 quicker.

Chennai-Chittoor-Kolar-Bangalore: arrives in the east of Bangalore; pro is that you connect to NH 48 quicker.

Then from Bangalore, you take one of:

Bangalore-Srirangapatna-Madikeri-Sullya-Kasargod (NH 275) or Bangalore-Channarayapatna-Hassan-Sullya-Kasargod (NH 48). Which of these is better, only the regulars can tell.

In addition to the above, the Bangalore-Kannur and Bangalore-Mangalore routes have many possibilities to reach Kasargod at the expense of perhaps a few dozen extra kilometres.

For the Kasargod to Kochi leg, you stay on NH 17 till Kuttipuram, deviate to Thrissur via Edappal-Kunnamkulam and from Thrissur take the NH 47. Pretty much every town between Kasargod and Calicut will slow you down due to heavy traffic and inadequate road.

[Mnjdnght]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

...
However, instead of having a CCTV linked to system which displays the front area of the car like in other toll booths, L&T toll booth guys have to read the license plate through the glass window.
...
Works out most times, but that said it is still an irritating procedure.

They can certainly become smarter in verifying toll payment, but, I think the key solution is to redesign the section completely. The section is now overdue for an upgrade and that should be an opportunity to do away with the 6 toll gates, two signals and several cross roads on the stretch. Maybe they should do an elevated stretch from Neelambur to Madukkarai. People carry their speed and attitude from the good sections before into this stretch which the current road cannot support safely for long.

[iVento]

DashCam Update: Salem City Flyover Construction Update (10/3/2017)

Did Bangalore - Thrissur - Bangalore last weekend.
Salem flyover work is progressing fast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9_OjgatKZ8

Link to my earlier update

[kk21]

Hi guys, I have to drive to Kochi from Delhi next week.

Although google maps shows the route through MP to be the quickest option, I am planning to drive via Rajasthan - Gujrat - then either the costal route through Maharashtra & Karnataka or the second option is to go via bangalore.

Which route do you guys recommend? Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks

[sansvk]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Most of the times they will be able to make out the details without the receipt. What they do is type in the vehicle registration number and check in their system if the toll paid by you is for full trip or part.

Over the last two years you would have noticed that they have introduced coloured receipts. The color changes each day from white, somewhat brownish and have seen blue. At the most tolls the chap just opens and closes the boom for each vehicle which takes time. They never look at the details nor do they enter the registration to check.

[arjithin]

Originally Posted by kk21

Hi guys, I have to drive to Kochi from Delhi next week.

Although google maps shows the route through MP to be the quickest option, I am planning to drive via Rajasthan - Gujrat - then either the costal route through Maharashtra & Karnataka or the second option is to go via bangalore.

Which route do you guys recommend? Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks

What are your priorities for the trip? How many days do you have in hand? Any sight seeings you plan to do on the way? Answers depend on all these questions!

Originally Posted by sansvk

Over the last two years you would have noticed that they have introduced coloured receipts. The color changes each day from white, somewhat brownish and have seen blue. At the most tolls the chap just opens and closes the boom for each vehicle which takes time. They never look at the details nor do they enter the registration to check.

I have actually tested that they check the registration number by keeping the toll receipts upside down, showing other toll receipts etc. Every time the attendant who stands outside tells the registration number (4 digits) and the person inside checks the number. Their toll receipts also contain the vehicle number.

Source - 40+ Bangalore - Thrissur road trips

[vinucv]

Planning a trip from Chennai to Poovar. Would be starting from Chennai on 14th April afternoon and looking for an overnight stay somewhere in Trichy or Madurai depending on what time I reach there. Planned route is this https://goo.gl/maps/TJdMBtcQ9yK2. Have following queries and really appreciate your comments

1. Is this the best route available and any comments on current road conditions?
2. Any suggestion for overnight stay @ Trichy or Madurai?
3. How much time it takes from Poovar to Trivandrum city? Are the roads in good condition?


Thank you very much for your valuable responses