[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by arjithin

I was around 1 hr hour behind you. Spent 20 mts at Thoppur toll and 50 mts at Krishnagiri toll (Back up was 1.8 km long !!) . Every toll booth in Coimbatore bypass had 15-20 cars in front of me, still only one booth was functioning in 5 of them.

I too reached Bangalore around 8.15 on Sunday night. I had joined Avinashi while returning from Munnar. We started from Munnar around 10.30 am and could reach home at 8.15 pm with 1.15 mts break for lunch and tea.

Thoppur plaza had long queue, but there were many toll plaza folks moving around selling the tickets to the waiting vehicles. This was a big help and could get out within 10 mts.

Krishnagiri toll plaza was horrible with queue stretching all way till middle of the Chennai road flyover. I took the service road and got lucky to be merged near the tollgate without trouble, could not have spent more than 15 mts where as it could have been around 1 hour in the long queue.

Thoppur and Krishnagiri tolls were allowing all vehicles in the Fasttag lane, all other place had exclusive lane only for Fasttag.

[treadmark]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

Just back after a quick Ernakulam & back trip over the long week end.

Since this is an immediate long weekend after Independence day the crowd would have been less. More to it Onam falls next weekend and that's when more vehicle flow is anticipated. 3 AM start next weekend might be a respite.
Return after Onam is going to be terrible.

1. Towards Kerala
I pulled into a small town before Ottapalam to drop a few co passengers. It was 1100Hrs. Had to proceed to Thrissur from there and on, and that journey was irritating. The roads from Kulappully Jn to Thrissur town is not in a good shape now.

This road is in a bad shape for almost a year now and the recent monsoon had made things worse. On top of this slow moving traffic accompanied with bullying private buses will annoy us more.
Cheers!

[vjjustin]

Originally Posted by treadmark

...Onam falls next weekend and that's when more vehicle flow is anticipated. 3 AM start next weekend might be a respite.
Return after Onam is going to be terrible.

Will there be heavy traffic on 31st? I am yet to decide whether to go on 30 (wed) or 31 (thu). Will there be any significant difference between these two days? And while returning, I assume heavy traffic on 5th (since no one will probably start on 4th)? Will there be any difference between 6th and 7th?


How is the condition of, and traffic on, MC road? Google maps still shows work in progress. I am doing an Angamaly-Ettumanoor trip next weekend or so. Is MC road the best option or are there any alternative routes?

[arjithin]

Originally Posted by vjjustin

Will there be heavy traffic on 31st? I am yet to decide whether to go on 30 (wed) or 31 (thu). Will there be any significant difference between these two days? And while returning, I assume heavy traffic on 5th (since no one will probably start on 4th)? Will there be any difference between 6th and 7th?


How is the condition of, and traffic on, MC road? Google maps still shows work in progress. I am doing an Angamaly-Ettumanoor trip next weekend or so. Is MC road the best option or are there any alternative routes?

You didnt say early morning start or evening start.

My calculation :-
31st morning will be empty, 31st evening will be medium traffic , 1st morning will be medium and 1st evening will be heavy traffic

On return, 4th evening, 5th morning and evening will be medium traffic, and 6th morning will be empty.

[treadmark]

Originally Posted by vjjustin

Will there be heavy traffic on 31st? I am yet to decide whether to go on 30 (wed) or 31 (thu).
How is the condition of, and traffic on, MC road? Google maps still shows work in progress. I am doing an Angamaly-Ettumanoor trip next weekend or so. Is MC road the best option or are there any alternative routes?

Originally Posted by arjithin

My calculation :-
31st morning will be empty, 31st evening will be medium traffic , 1st morning will be medium and 1st evening will be heavy traffic

Agree with arjithin on his assumptions, 31st early morning start will not be a problem at all, evening should be relatively more crowded especially the road will be filled with many private buses.

On return traffic will be on higher side from Sep 4th evening to Sep 5th evening but I believe this will be equally distributed.

Originally Posted by vjjustin

How is the condition of, and traffic on, MC road?

Its been almost two years since I've used MC Road, suggest to wait to hear from some one else who frequent in this route. If roads are in pretty shape then you can go for it blindly.

Cheers!

[vjjustin]

Originally Posted by arjithin

You didnt say early morning start or evening start.

Originally Posted by treadmark

Agree with arjithin on his assumptions, 31st early morning start will not be a problem at all

Thanks arjithin and treadmark. Sorry for not mentioning the start time; I always do day trip, starting around 6/7 am (That is the earliest morning for me ). I am now thinking 31st and 6th; hope will not have much traffic.

Originally Posted by treadmark

Its been almost two years since I've used MC Road, suggest to wait to hear from some one else who frequent in this route.

Hope someone will comment on this.

[kuriancjohn]

All,

I did a trip with my cousin and his family on August 28th from Kottayam to Bangalore via the Kumily route. Small, dodgeable potholes have started developing on the Kottayam to Kumily stretch. Due to the persistent rains I am expecting them to get worse. After entering Tamil Nadu, the roads were good, but there were many barricades on the stretch till Karur. Fastag worked at all the toll booths.
We had started at 8.00 am and reached Bangalore by 10.00 pm.
Since my cousin has a baby girl, our pit stops were slightly longer.
Main pit stops:

• Breakfast @ Rani Family Restaurant at Mundakayam. Food was tasty and service was quick.
• Lunch @ Thalappakatti Biriyani (Batlagundu branch). Food was ok.
• Coffee @ Sri Saravana Bhavan (AVR circle).
• Dinner @ Sri Adhith Bhavan located a little after Krishnagiri toll. It seems like a new place.

[sachinpk]

Before, I forget. On the usual Attibele-Krishnagiri-Hosur-Selam-Bhavani stretch, the irritating road blockers have been placed on the road. By road blockers, I mean the metal barricades, placed in such a manner that the vehicles have to weave through these barricades slowly.

These are only seen after Thoppur & ends before Cauvery river @ Bhavani (when coming from Bangalore), so looks like this is a move exclusively done by the Salem Maavatta Kaaval, with their top brass giving the necessary orders.

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

Before, I forget. On the usual Attibele-Krishnagiri-Hosur-Selam-Bhavani stretch, the irritating road blockers have been placed on the road. By road blockers, I mean the metal barricades, placed in such a manner that the vehicles have to weave through these barricades slowly.
.

I had seen this only between Salem and Hosur. Now have they extended them till Bhavani? Is there any way to complain against this to NHAI?

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

These are only seen after Thoppur & ends before Cauvery river @ Bhavani (when coming from Bangalore), so looks like this is a move exclusively done by the Salem Maavatta Kaaval, with their top brass giving the necessary orders.

Its there beyond Salem as well, towards Kanyakumari/Trivandrum. But around Salem, its little irritating due to the amount of truck traffic. Last week one truck got stuck between these barriers as they were placed very closely.

[treadmark]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

By road blockers, I mean the metal barricades, placed in such a manner that the vehicles have to weave through these.

Found these on Krishnagiri ~ Vellore ~ Chennai stretch as well

Originally Posted by pramodpk

Is there any way to complain against this to NHAI?

Even I was looking for a way to report this to National Highway Authority. How on earth they can place such barricades on a toll road.

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Its there beyond Salem as well, towards Kanyakumari/Trivandrum.

That sums it up, so if it is on Chennai ~ Trichy / Salem stretch then entire Tamil Nadu is covered.

Cheers!

[NPV]

These unscientific barricades are downright dangerous and can prove deadly if drivers do not spot them on time and end up in a crash.

Originally Posted by sachinpk

On the usual Attibele-Krishnagiri-Hosur-Selam-Bhavani stretch, the irritating road blockers have been placed on the road.

"Salem police" was painted on all of them and the colleges like Vinayaka missions, etc using them as advertisement space!
Had posted here, see #4

Originally Posted by pramodpk

I had seen this only between Salem and Hosur.

Don't remember encountering these barricades on this stretch.

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Its there beyond Salem as well, towards Kanyakumari/Trivandrum.

Oh, no!

Originally Posted by treadmark

Found these on Krishnagiri ~ Vellore ~ Chennai stretch as well

Yes, had seen them during our drive in June and posted on the Chennai thread. Here, all these were used mostly by the saree and hotel establishments as ad space.

[vjjustin]

Are there any good/trusted pumps near E city (or towards hosur)? Company owned or otherwise.

I believe in TN/Kerala, diesel cost 3-5 more?

[gadadhar]

These barriers are totally unscientific and can result in more accidents like the humps we had in Mysore Bangalore stretch. This was creating big queues and vehicles were trying to cut across or use the service lanes and merge after the junction which is again dangerous. On top of this, more time added to the trip in addition to what is lost at the toll plazas.

[treadmark]

Originally Posted by vjjustin

Are there any good/trusted pumps near E city (or towards hosur)? Company owned or otherwise.

I believe in TN/Kerala, diesel cost 3-5 more?

I dont think you have any COCO outlets near E-City, BP have near Banneghatta road, MG Road, Peenya and Yeshwantpura. IOC have in BTM, KR Puram and Koramangala. HP have one in KR Puram not sure about other locations. But then I wont advise on filling it on your day of travel. Consider even spending 10 minutes at-least in City for fueling will have a cascading delay on your traveling time.

So better tank it up somewhere near from your home or office; morning on the day of travel, if not COCO finding a Shell will be relatively easy.

Cheers!