[luvurride]

Originally Posted by ampere

I have driven through Perundarai town 2 years back, on my way to Munnar. But the railway crossing and getting the right exit from NH47 was a real pain.
Have they completed railway over bridge at Perundurai ?

@luvurride

The issue the exit to Perundurai was not marked last time. Hence it was quite difficult, where to take an exit.
Do you have pointers to the exit?

If one is coming via Kangeyam, then why Palladam and why not Dharapuram?
Is the Palladam stretch better?

I'm sure it should be marked now. The last exit is the exit for SIPCOT, Perundurai and this is where a hotel(Hotel Chenthur) is also located(I remember mentioning about this somewhere in the forum). Atleast one of these should have clear markers. And this exit will come under the bridge that curves to right. So even if you skip it, you can identify it and come back.

Dharapuram will be atleast about 15kms more. And yeah, Kangeyam-Palladam is a better road. Let me mention one more thing here - After about 10-15kms from Kangeyam, you'll hit a T-junction. You have to make a left here and then make a immediate right to Palladam. The straight one will take you to Dharapuram.

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by kala

NH209 is in pretty good shape upto Chamarajnagar. Odd pothole here and there, and a few narrow stretches between Kollegal and C'nagar when the highway passes some villages. But very sparse traffic, and one should be able to do the 170 odd kms between NICE road-Kanakapura Rd junction to Chamarajanagar in less than 2.5 hours.

Quite a while since I travelled the Chamarajnagar-Sathyamangalam sector. Roads close to Chamarajnagar were pretty bad when passed through there a couple of years ago, not sure about the current condition.

ok 170 in 2.5 is good news! I thought Chamarajnagar-Sathy was in good shape. But what you say might be a point of concern. We'll see if we can get a latest update from fellow bhpians.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by luvurride

I'm sure it should be marked now. The last exit is the exit for SIPCOT, Perundurai and this is where a hotel(Hotel Chenthur) is also located(I remember mentioning about this somewhere in the forum). Atleast one of these should have clear markers. And this exit will come under the bridge that curves to right. So even if you skip it, you can identify it and come back.

Dharapuram will be atleast about 15kms more. And yeah, Kangeyam-Palladam is a better road. Let me mention one more thing here - After about 10-15kms from Kangeyam, you'll hit a T-junction. You have to make a left here and then make a immediate right to Palladam. The straight one will take you to Dharapuram.

Thanks for that input. Last time it was difficult to get into and out of Perundarai. Hopefully it would be easier now. Also I forgot about the T junction. Dont remember much about it.

Does the Perundarai exit that you spoke about go near to PMC hospital?
Here is the snapshot pf Perundarai Town in Wikimapia:

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by ampere

Thanks for that input. Last time it was difficult to get into and out of Perundarai. Hopefully it would be easier now. Also I forgot about the T junction. Dont remember much about it.

Does the Perundarai exit that you spoke about go near to PMC hospital?
Here is the snapshot pf Perundarai Town in Wikimapia:
Attachment 505825

No I was actually mentioning the one next to it(near to where it reads PONMUDI in the picture). The PMC turn-off will also lead you into the congested space of the village. But the last exit is the original NH47 coming out of Perundurai. So you will actually drive past Perundurai in the 4 Lane and then get back to it. It is decently broad and you encounter the village only for about half a km before getting to the 4 road junction.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by luvurride

No I was actually mentioning the one next to it(near to where it reads PONMUDI in the picture). The PMC turn-off will also lead you into the congested space of the village. But the last exit is the original NH47 coming out of Perundurai. So you will actually drive past Perundurai in the 4 Lane and then get back to it. It is decently broad and you encounter the village only for about half a km before getting to the 4 road junction.

Thanks. That explains it. Thanks again. How about the railway overbridge at Ingur? Any updates?

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by ampere

Thanks. That explains it. Thanks again. How about the railway overbridge at Ingur? Any updates?

Sorry Amp I do not have any info on that as I have never taken that road in recent times as I always take the Erode-Kangeyam stretch, Erode being my hometown.

[ramanan.skr]

Originally Posted by ramanan.skr

Any idea, when this stretch will be completely 4 laned & what is the status of NH47 beyond Coimbatore?

Can any Team-bhpian update me on this as my friend is travelling on Mar 4th to Guruvayoor from Chennai? If the road condition is not conducive, he is planning to go by train.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ramanan.skr

Can any Team-bhpian update me on this as my friend is travelling on Mar 4th to Guruvayoor from Chennai? If the road condition is not conducive, he is planning to go by train.

If he can book a train ticket, I would say that would be ideal.
But by drive he at least would need to endure Avinash-CBE 4L diversions.

Other part beyond Palakkad can be averted by Ottapalayam-Shornur-Wadakacherry-Kunnankulam-GVR.

[ramanan.skr]

Originally Posted by ampere

If he can book a train ticket, I would say that would be ideal.
But by drive he at least would need to endure Avinash-CBE 4L diversions.

Other part beyond Palakkad can be averted by Ottapalayam-Shornur-Wadakacherry-Kunnankulam-GVR.

Thanks Ampere for the quick response.

[narayans80]

Can any Team-bhpian update me on this as my friend is travelling on Mar 4th to Guruvayoor from Chennai? If the road condition is not conducive, he is planning to go by train.

If he just has Guruvayur in mind, and doesnt have ppl who have trouble getting down and boarding trains/buses then he could as well go in train. I did Madras-Guruvayur on 29, 30 Jan. It took me about 5 hrs from Avinashi to Guruvayur through the regular NH47 route. Here's what happened to me:

Leave Madras Home : Friday 545 pm
Pick a friend at Ekkaduthangal and crossing Sriperumbudur: 830pm
Entering Salem: 1245 am

Stayed overnight at Salem

Left Salem: Saturday 715am
Avinashi: 845am
Stopped at 945am just before L&T bypass for breakfast. Left at 1030am.
15 min tender coconut break, 10 mins getting lost in Trichur.
Reached Guruvayur at 145pm
Darshan took 2.5 hrs (430 to 7pm)

Left Guruvayur at 915am
Took about 5 breaks including lunch near Perumanallur.
Left Perumanallur after lunch 245pm
Bargur: 545pm
Vellore 710pm
An irritating search for decent restaurants, missing the Vellore exit and finally finding on in Waljah lost us sometime
Reached home at 1045pm

Sunday drive was much peaceful than the Saturday one. Travelling with 2 ladies and an year old kid and the amount of luggage that come along, i found it comfortable from the convenience standpoint. But it was tiring to do 1400 odd kms in 2 days on a puny hatchback. But then am drive crazed Given a chance i would do it again (probably with a lot more to do at the destination)

NOTE: Am a pretty novice driver (8K kms) and hardly crossed 110 the entire journey. 80-100 is what i was driving around.

[ramanan.skr]

Originally Posted by narayans80

If he just has Guruvayur in mind, and doesnt have ppl who have trouble getting down and boarding trains/buses then he could as well go in train.

Actually, he is thinking of going to Trissur, Kalady & Chotanikara, if he takes his vehicle. If the road condition is so bad, he will resort to train travel only to GVR & Trissur.

[narayans80]

Roads are in good condition (cant go bad in a month since it is winter), i barely encountered 2-3 kms worth bad roads in Palakkad-Thrissur section. The diversions on the Avinashi-L&T bypass section are broken at places.

Thats about it, its the Saturday traffic that sucked not the roads.

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Roads are in good condition (cant go bad in a month since it is winter), i barely encountered 2-3 kms worth bad roads in Palakkad-Thrissur section. The diversions on the Avinashi-L&T bypass section are broken at places.

Thats about it, its the Saturday traffic that sucked not the roads.

It is just chaotic traffic and generally, the roads are quite narrow in Kerala, even if it is a NH. Hence overtaking is painful and if you are struck behind a slow moving truck, well, you can imagine. It is just that you need to adjust your mindset for a lot of patience after having a breeze on the 4 lane.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by ramanan.skr

Actually, he is thinking of going to Trissur, Kalady & Chotanikara, if he takes his vehicle. If the road condition is so bad, he will resort to train travel only to GVR & Trissur.

No need to worry on road condition to Trichur, Kalady and Chottanikkara. Also Trichur-Palghat is in good condition though the surface is not smooth at some places.

[jeevmenon]

I read about the unseasonal rains in CBE over the past couple of days this morning and the NH 4-laning around CBE affected. Any news or experience?