Team-BHP - Bangalore to Munnar : Route Queries

Greetings BHPians,

Planning a drive to Munnar from Bangalore by Tata Safari next week.
Route would be NH7 to Salem, NH47 to Perundurai - Kangayam - Dharapuram - Udumallaipettai - Munnar.

Proposed return is via Palladam - Avinashi - Annur - Mettupalayam - Ooty (one day halt). Then onwards to Masinagudi - Mysore - Bangalore.

Kindly comment on the route. Any information & guidance regarding distances, road condition or alternate routing etc. would be highly appreciated.

Thanks & regards.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOHAN_99 (Post 3119301)

When you return, you can do :

Munnar-Udumalpet-Palladam-Karumathampatti-Annur-Mettupalayam-Ooty.

There is no need to go to Avinashi. A few kms of bad roads crossing Karumathampatti. But no issues for the Safari.
Route Link

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere (Post 3119593)

Dear Amp,

Thanks a lot for your observations.

Regards,

Mohan.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere (Post 3119593)

Can anybody provide the latest condition w.r.t traffic & surface, on the Gundlupet - Chamrajanagar - Kanakapura - Bangalore option? Would this be a viable alternative to the Mysore - Bangalore SH 17 route?
The idea is to avoid the traffic snarls, approaching Bangalore on a working day during evening hours.

Thanks & regards.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOHAN_99 (Post 3119827)

Absolutely viable. I've been using this route exclusively for almost 2 years now, and is way better than the Mysore-SH17 option in terms of road surface as well as traffic.

There's a whole thread devoted to discussions on this :

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...re-sunday.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOHAN_99 (Post 3119827)

Would this be a viable alternative to the Mysore - Bangalore SH 17 route?

Quote:

Originally Posted by kala (Post 3119864)

Absolutely viable. I've been using this route exclusively for almost 2 years now, and is way better than the Mysore-SH17 option in terms of road surface as well as traffic.

Viable?

In fact as @Kala says, viable is an understatement. Kanakpura road makes a much nicer drive back home. And to quote @ranjitp1, Mysore road (SH17) is literally a food court! Traffic and humps are way too many.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere (Post 3120002)

Very useful posts - @kala and @Ampere. Thanks to both.

As an after-thought, just to line-up a plan B, if Ooty is to be skipped altogether, can anyone provide any input on the route - Annur - Sathyamangalam - Chamrajanagar?

There have been reports of severe dislocations on the Dhimbam ghat section. How frequent are these? Please advise if this route is at all worth considering.

Thanks & regards.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOHAN_99 (Post 3120623)

As an after-thought, just to line-up a plan B, if Ooty is to be skipped altogether, can anyone provide any input on the route - Annur - Sathyamangalam - Chamrajanagar?

There have been reports of severe dislocations on the Dhimbam ghat section. How frequent are these? Please advise if this route is at all worth considering.

The road condition between Annur and Chamarajanagar via Sathy is also excellent. I've also heard stories about traffic blocks on the Dimbum ghats, but haven't been unlucky enough to be caught in one even though I travel that way quite often. May be it has to do with the time of the day that I normally travel (I've always passed Dimbum during morning or early evening hours), I've always found traffic to be quite sparse on the ghat section.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOHAN_99 (Post 3120623)

Very good roads as Kala said. Its just luck, if a truck gets stuck. For a day time drive its make a perfect drive back with family. Its good even for night drives no doubt, but I would prefer the 4-lane in that case.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOHAN_99 (Post 3120623)

There have been reports of severe dislocations on the Dhimbam ghat section. How frequent are these? Please advise if this route is at all worth considering.

Thanks & regards.

Never any dislocations in Dimbam Ghats. Excellent roads.
However, Chamarajnagar-Hasanur (TN border) roads crack up after rains.
Further, expect wildlife crossings in the Chamarajnagar-Dimbam sector, especially towards dusk & early morning time

Quote:

Originally Posted by kala (Post 3120735)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere (Post 3120806)

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvkumar (Post 3120810)

Many thanks for the inputs from kala, ampere and hvkumar. Previlege to hear from H V Kumar. Have also heard about your expeditions from a mutual friend - U Mohandas.

Regards.

Hi All,

Just returned back from Munnar last Sunday and here are the route details.

Hosur - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Omalur - Sankagiri - Erode - Kangayam - Dharapuram - Udumalaipettai - Munnar.

Return also on the same route. Total 410kms for one way. All the way roads were excellent.

Hosur - Omalur was on usual NH
Omalur - Sankagiri - 40kms - SH - expect huge truck traffic.
Sankagiri - Erode - SH - Excellent roads
Erode - Dharapuram - SH - Again excellent roads.
Dharapuram - Udumalaipettai - SH and surprisingly the roads are far better.
Udumalaipettai - Chinnar - Narrow usual SH.
Chinnar - Munnar - Narrow ghat section.

Started from hosur by 9PM on 17/05 and reached Munnar by 4AM.
Started from Munnar by 1PM on 19/05 and reached Hosur by 9PM.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOHAN_99 (Post 3128927)

This refers to @Ramp. Is there a bypass for Dharapuram ? If so, will appreciate directions for the same.

Thanks & regards.

No need to enter the town, needs to cross the bus stand and take right on the next circle.

Ram.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOHAN_99 (Post 3128927)

This refers to @Ramp. Is there a bypass for Dharapuram ? If so, will appreciate directions for the same.

Thanks & regards.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramp (Post 3132815)

No need to enter the town, needs to cross the bus stand and take right on the next circle.

Ram.

Hope this is the road in question/discussion :

Dharapuram bypass