[stridergt]

I'm planning to drive from Chennai to Kottayam with my infant, so looking for a safe/comfortable route. Im confused between the 2 routes suggested by Google:

1. Salem - Coimbatore - Thrissur - Muvattapuzha - Kottayam
2. Trichy - Dindigul - Theni Kumily - Kottayam

Hoping anyone well versed with these routes can provide recommendations?

[shady]

Originally Posted by Ram78

Hi All,hope everyone's doing fine wrt.Covid.
Travel rules seem to be changing very often. I plan to travel from Hyderabad to Thrissur via Bangalore by car this 19th and return after 10 days.Any advice on route,passes to be taken or anything else to be considered will be of great help.

There is no need to register on jagratha portal to travel to Kerala. Better to register for TN e pass and keep a soft copy. I travelled from Palakkad to Bangalore today. There was no checking of the TN e pass at all. No checking of any sort at attibele as on today.

[venkyhere]

Entering bangalore from hosur...
Is there covid negative certificate checking at attibele ?
Some booth or traffic constriction ?
Will be travelling in KL reg car, but journey originating from inside TN , without touching KL.
Anyone who travelled recently in this direction, please update

[binand]

I returned today from Perumbavoor (did Calicut-Perumbavoor yesterday). This update focuses on the Kochi-Bangalore sector.

Originally Posted by binand

6. Now that Fastags are common and issues less, passing through every tollbooth was a breeze. Had free lanes at each one.

...with the exception of Paliyekkara toll booth. I don't think there is a worse mismanaged toll booth anywhere else in South India. It is my misfortune that I have to traverse this one multiple times each visit to Kerala - so much so that I now often take the Triprayar-Pudukkad road to avoid it.

Apart from that - the Kuthiran plan to open one tunnel by end of this month might not work out. Hardly any work happening on a weekday, and lots seemingly left unfinished. On the plus side, the flyover at Vadakkanchery is now open to traffic (it was left unfinished for many years).

Despite me setting cruise control at 90 kmph, it still is a total pain to keep track of the speed limits on NH 544. They change very freqently and often confusingly. At one place I saw a 30 kmph board on the shoulder side of the carriageway and a 40 kmph board on the median, at exactly the same location. Elsewhere, there'd be a board announcing a 90 kmph zone and immediately beyond, you'd see a mandatory 50 kmph. I hope I have not earned any more Rs. 1500 fines.

Just so that you are aware - there are 30, 40, 50, 60, 80, 90 & 100 kmph zones in the NH 544 section between Thrissur and Palakkad (approx. 60 km).

Originally Posted by stridergt

I'm planning to drive from Chennai to Kottayam with my infant, so looking for a safe/comfortable route. Im confused between the 2 routes suggested by Google:

1. Salem - Coimbatore - Thrissur - Muvattapuzha - Kottayam
2. Trichy - Dindigul - Theni Kumily - Kottayam

Hoping anyone well versed with these routes can provide recommendations?

Take your first option.

Also take the Ulundurupet route to Salem if GST Road is accessible to you - much less traffic and a more peaceful drive.

Originally Posted by venkyhere

Entering bangalore from hosur... Is there covid negative certificate checking at attibele ?

Nothing. I thought they might be checking KL cars so followed a couple of them from Attibele toll. Nobody bothered.

[rohitoasis]

New guidelines by DHS dated 18th April 2021

All domestic travellers visiting Kerala
a. Shall register in e Jagratha portal.
b. All domestic travellers irrespective of vaccination status shall undergo SARS CoV - 2 RT PCR test either within 48 hours prior to entering the state or immediately after entering the state of Kerala.
c. Those undertaking RTPCR test on arrival shall be in room isolation at their respective places of stay till RT PCR report is available.
d. If RT PCR test is positive, patient shall seek medical attention from health
institution.
e. If RT PCR test is negative, the person shall follow strict universal masking, safe distancing and hand hygiene during their stay in Kerala . If they develop
symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, breathlessness, muscle pain, fatigability, anosmia, diarrhoea) during their stay in Kerala, they shall seek medical attention immediately.
f. Those who do not undergo RT PCR testing will have to remain in room isolation
for 14 days from date of entry to Kerala and do self-observation regarding
symptoms. If they develop any symptoms, they shall seek medical attention
immediately.

Copy of notification below.
health_covid_18.pdf

Real time update as on 7:25 AM today. Not much was happening at the border. All i could see was 2 separate camera crews. Could not find any checking. If i see something in the evening, i will update in this thread. I am not sure how i would continue the daily commute in this scenario. Till my organisation allows work from home. I will provide regular updates in this thread.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by rohitoasis

New guidelines by DHS dated 18th April 2021...

Was quite lucky to ride TN-KL-TN the weekend of 17/18 via Kaliyakavila border. Absolutely no restraint despite having an useless e-pass. Wasn't stopped anywhere, didn't spot any checking at TN-KL or KL-TN RTO checkpost except for trucks; Although on wee hours of 18th (4:15 Am), I noticed TN RTO working like firefly, but that was on trucks, the usual operations.

Later I got to know through a relative who attempted to cross border around 10:00 Am yesterday (as if between N & S Korea ) he was stopped & asked to join a queue of covid test. He didn't want to stand in the (un)social distancing queue & thought to take train from Thuckalay where he was gladly invited for even longer (un)social distancing queue & finally distanced the idea of getting into KL altogether

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by venkyhere

Entering bangalore from hosur...
Is there covid negative certificate checking at attibele ?
Some booth or traffic constriction ?
Will be travelling in KL reg car, but journey originating from inside TN , without touching KL.
Anyone who travelled recently in this direction, please update

My friend crossed TN-KA border @ attibele yesterday, even though he had negative certificate, they didn't check. They were stopping only KL registered vehicles itseems. He was driving from Trivandrum to Bangalore in a KA registered car.

[rohitoasis]

Update from Walayar border as of evening. Vehicles towards Tamilnadu are already being stopped to show the e-pass. From today, All vehicles towards Kerala are being stopped as well at the border be it two or four wheeler. For all including the daily commuters, it is required that a e-pass be available at the time of crossing. I inquired if there is some instructions about RT-PCR and if there would be arrangements of the same at the border in case a report is not available. Was told that they are awaiting instructions and we might have to wait for updates in news. I am in two minds if I should commute to office tomorrow.

[rohitoasis]

Mods: Sorry for the back to back posts. I thought it would be beneficial to the members of the forum who travel to Kerala to have this update and i would like to post this before i get caught up in the work for today. If required. Do merge with the earlier post.

Walayar: Update as on 7:30 AM today.
Road towards Kerala: There was a build up of cops today and at least three cars stopped at the border. Please be prepared for E-Pass as per instruction from the policeman from yesterday. I failed to notice any news from today. So am not sure if something has changed. Will provide the update as of today evening as well. Also please note the stretch from the first signal after the Walayar toll and the second signal is being re-layered. It would be wise to take the service road in this stretch till it is done. Today it looked like an ambulance broke down in that stretch.

Road Towards Tamilnadu: E-Pass check was there even at this time of the day which was surprising to me. There was a buildup of half a dozen vehicles even at this early time. So expect delays at a normal time of the day.

[ak916]

Are they checking for RT PCR at the border itself? As per the Govt order you only need to register in the covid jagratha website to enter kerala. We can do PCR once we reach kerala. Please clarify if anyone is travelling currently.

[rakesh_r]

Originally Posted by ak916

Are they checking for RT PCR at the border itself? As per the Govt order you only need to register in the covid jagratha website to enter kerala. We can do PCR once we reach kerala. Please clarify if anyone is travelling currently.

One of my friend is travelling from Pune to Kerala. As per him, the RTPCR report must be uploaded to register.

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

One of my friend is travelling from Pune to Kerala. As per him, the RTPCR report must be uploaded to register.

I checked the Jagratha Portal after logging in, it only says "Applicants should upload RTPCR certificate (if done within 48 hours)", it is not a mandatory requirement. Not sure if the portal creates problems while submitting the application, as I didn't do it.

Those who have the certificate can submit it, those who don't have it, will be tested on their return to Kerala or subjected to 14 days home quarantine. This is what Manorama Newspaper mentioned a few days back.

Spike

[benmat]

This may or may not helpI live in Hosur (TN side) and have been traveling across Attibele checkpost to Bommasandra (KA side) and back home for the past few days for medical reasons. I have a KL registration car. The checks have not been consistent. Sometime I get to pass by without any checks on the KA side but checked coming back on the TN side and vice versa. A few times there were no checks on either side at all. The times I was checked, I had to step out of the car and talk to the police folks manning the tents (which are there on both sides). They let us go when use words like "hospital" or on the TN side when we tell them we are locals, but with a KL registration car. All my to and fro travel have been between 8 am and 5 pm though.

[ak916]

I left bangalore for Kochi this morning around 530 am in a KA registered car. Nobody stopped me in Tamil Nadu, though I had the TN pass. There were counters for this purpose at few places but nobody bothered.

Inside walayar, we were flagged down but there isn't any blockade. We din't have to get down. They just asked us to show the pass and move on. We haven't taken PCR yet. We will once we reach home in Kochi but nobody asked about this report as well.

The passes for both TN and karnataka are automatically approved once you apply for them. Hope that's helpful to anyone travelling this way

[m8002?]

Originally Posted by ak916

I left bangalore for Kochi this morning around 530 am in a KA registered car. Nobody stopped me in Tamil Nadu, though I had the TN pass. There were counters for this purpose at few places but nobody bothered.

Inside walayar, we were flagged down but there isn't any blockade. We din't have to get down. They just asked us to show the pass and move on. We haven't taken PCR yet. We will once we reach home in Kochi but nobody asked about this report as well.

The passes for both TN and karnataka are automatically approved once you apply for them. Hope that's helpful to anyone travelling this way

What about travel to Kerala for 3-4 days? Is RTPCR report needed or have to be done in Kerala?