[Praveen1]

Thanks @luvurride

Its Mixed both Veg and Non-veg......

Yes i think Theni would be better.......

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by Praveen1

Thanks @luvurride

Its Mixed both Veg and Non-veg......

Yes i think Theni would be better.......

Anytime!

Do post a detailed travelogue on your return as I've never been to Kumarakom in my lifetime and is in my soon-to-do wishlist!

[litesaber]

Can somebody update the latest road conditions of NH220? I plan to do Blr-Kumarakom and back on Dec28-31. From this thread I understand its better to do Blr-Dindigul-Theni-Kumarakom over the Coimbatore route.

How bad is the ghat sections on this route? Can somebody compare them to say Amboli ghat in Maharashtra?

If I start at 4am is a 12pm desitnation time reasonable?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by litesaber

Can somebody update the latest road conditions of NH220? I plan to do Blr-Kumarakom and back on Dec28-31. From this thread I understand its better to do Blr-Dindigul-Theni-Kumarakom over the Coimbatore route.

How bad is the ghat sections on this route? Can somebody compare them to say Amboli ghat in Maharashtra?

If I start at 4am is a 12pm desitnation time reasonable?

8 hours is very aggressive. Till Dindigul it is a distance of ~380 Km. That should be the best easier part.

BLR-Salem 3 hours
Salem-Dindigul : 2 hours
5-6 hours seems decent.

Beyond Dindigul you hit 2L and also some ghats. So the rest of the 200Km should take up minimum 4 hours. Add breaks, you are looking at a minimum of 10 hours.

[litesaber]

Thanks Ampere! That helps. I will plan accordingly.

Originally Posted by ampere

8 hours is very aggressive. Till Dindigul it is a distance of ~380 Km. That should be the best easier part.

BLR-Salem 3 hours
Salem-Dindigul : 2 hours
5-6 hours seems decent.

Beyond Dindigul you hit 2L and also some ghats. So the rest of the 200Km should take up minimum 4 hours. Add breaks, you are looking at a minimum of 10 hours.

[litesaber]

Amphere, You recommend this route over Blr-Coimbatore-Pallakad-Tirrusur-Kumarakom?

Also can you comment on the ghat section? How are the roads there?

thanks again for all the help!

Originally Posted by ampere

8 hours is very aggressive. Till Dindigul it is a distance of ~380 Km. That should be the best easier part.

BLR-Salem 3 hours
Salem-Dindigul : 2 hours
5-6 hours seems decent.

Beyond Dindigul you hit 2L and also some ghats. So the rest of the 200Km should take up minimum 4 hours. Add breaks, you are looking at a minimum of 10 hours.

[ampere]

I think folks have done the regular route also. Except for bad roads around Pallakkad, that should be fine. For that problem also there go arounds.
Check in the Kerala thread (I think you go via Shorur).

[deepclutch]

Originally Posted by litesaber

Amphere, You recommend this route over Blr-Coimbatore-Pallakad-Tirrusur-Kumarakom?

Also can you comment on the ghat section? How are the roads there?

thanks again for all the help!

Regarding Thrissur to Kumarakom:
MC Road from Muvattupuzha to Ettumanoor is in bad condition albeit Works are going to fix the potholes akin to Sabarimala Season.
I will Recommend Angamaly-Seaport-Airport Road-Vaikom-Kumarakom Route.

[pramodpk]

Vaikom Kumarakom is in very bad shape. Better to avoid this stretch. The road was dug up (very long back) for Japan Drinking water scheme and never repaired. I think Kottayam - Kumarakom is also bad. They were planning to widen the road and the work is in progress.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

Vaikom Kumarakom is in very bad shape. Better to avoid this stretch. The road was dug up (very long back) for Japan Drinking water scheme and never repaired. I think Kottayam - Kumarakom is also bad. They were planning to widen the road and the work is in progress.

I did Vaikom-Kumarakom in Dec 2009 (thats when I started the thread!).
Since I was doing Munnar first, I came via NH49 and then to Vaikom from Tripunithura. The route was pretty decent then apart from the bad 2Km section around where they were asking for a 2 rupee toll.

In fact that is why I was looking for options for the best way to get back to Bangalore (Hence the title Kumarakom-BLR and not vice versa!)

Did this digging start in 2010?

[pramodpk]

In Dec 2009, the road was very much motorable. Don't remember when the digging started. One side of the road was dug up and was never repaired. This resulted in the deterioration of the other side as well. This is for around 8 KMs. Meanwhile the Vaikom Thalayolaparambu stretch that was dug up is being repaired. Now it is motorable.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

In Dec 2009, the road was very much motorable. Don't remember when the digging started. One side of the road was dug up and was never repaired. This resulted in the deterioration of the other side as well. This is for around 8 KMs. Meanwhile the Vaikom Thalayolaparambu stretch that was dug up is being repaired. Now it is motorable.

I remember hitting the circle before Vaikom temple, taking a left and going through town before hitting the Kumarakom road, which was OK.

[amitwadhwa]

Am currently in Kumarakom, drove down from bangalore yesterday, tooka painful 12 hours on NH 7/NH 47. (7-7), stopped for about 3 X 15 min. breaks.
I do not recommend taking NH7/47 route. NH 47 - is broken, bruised, tattered, name it what you like.
NH 7 is in a very nice condition though all the way till past Salem...
Your car would really hate you if you do this route.. BLR - Salem - Erode - Pallakad - Thrissur - Komarakom...
The roads are bad and narrow, and the amount of slow moving truck traffic is a pain on these narrow roads.. you just have to take your chances while overtaking, else stay behind super slow moving/heavy trucks (you get 1 of these every 0.5 kms. if not more often).. and when you do overtake, you get stares from the peaceful junta chugging along slowly along this road
I will be trying the Theni route when I drive back tomorrow! Will keep everyone posted when I return..

Just returned from a speed-boat ride on the lake.. its fun!! Time for Drinks and Dinner..
This trip was to put to the test my new Alloys + Michelins (195/16/60), the car runs on the road now..instead of 1 mm above! - replacement @ 44k.. stocks were bald !
Cheers!

[ampere]

That was my opinion too. If one needs to go to Kumarakom, its worth taking the Theni route (NH7/NH220).

[amitwadhwa]

Originally Posted by amitwadhwa

I will be trying the Theni route when I drive back tomorrow! Will keep everyone posted when I return..
.... put to the test my new Alloys + Michelins (195/16/60), the car runs on the road now..instead of 1 mm above! - replacement @ 44k.. stocks were bald !
Cheers!

ok, so an edit to the last post - the tyres are 195/15/60, not 195/16/60.

Came back to Bangalore yesterday via the Theni route.
Much better than cochin, but takes as long!
I covered the first 120 kms in 4 hours - thanks to the ghat section and narrow roads.. slow route, but very picturesque!
After that I continued on to Theni - road is very dusty till here, couldn't do more than 80kph, and then Dindigul, where I finally started catching up speed - NH7 all the way after that.
The tolls are pretty expensive - I spent close to 250 bucks on this road, but worth every penny.
I suggest take the Theni route hands down..
Took me 12 hours again. Stopped at Salem for lunch, new place called GRT international, they serve up a very good dinner buffet.

Cheers!