[poloman]

If there is a steep gradient, truck are overloaded and the drivers are inexperienced same things will keep on happening. This is not a phenomenon limited to Thoppur only. We can see the run away trucks in below video behaving the same way as the truck which created the accident.
The first thing they should do is to construct runaway ramps like these after the slope just before/parallel to the bridge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0BxORWTD7s

[deathwalkr]

Originally Posted by poloman

If there is a steep gradient,

The first thing they should do is to construct runaway ramps like these after the slope just before/parallel to the bridge.

My cynical mind sees that area being used as overnight parking spaces by trucks

It's a great idea no doubt and wish it would be wisely implemented and used.

[sgmuser]

It's been many years but I prefer to avoid this highway. For places like Pollachi or Palakkad or even Coimbatore from Chennai, I take the nh45 up until before Perambalur and take right. This goes around the Perambalur town via bypass and reach Dharapuram all via bypasses. Yes there are many dual carriage stretches but barely any traffic. I save almost one hour and plus 700 rupees of tolls which isn't worth even paying and then risking life as well. I suggest this especially if you start around 5 in the morning from Chennai or late night like 11.30 pm.

Attaching the gmaps for all three routes. See yourself the money and time saved with the route I'm suggesting. Hope this helps until they sort out this thoppur gross mistake. It's a scary bent in a highway especially in the night conditions. Time shows is not that accurate. I save more than 45 minutes still with three stops one meal and two coffee.

[sagarpadaki]

Question to truck experts here.

With reference to the thoppur ghat runaway truck accident, don't the Trailer trucks here have jake brake/retarder? I was wondering if the accident could have been avoided if the retarders were used instead of relying only on wheel brakes to keep the speed in check

[tharian]

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

Question to truck experts here.

With reference to the thoppur ghat runaway truck accident, don't the Trailer trucks here have jake brake/retarder? I was wondering if the accident could have been avoided if the retarders were used instead of relying only on wheel brakes to keep the speed in check

Not a expert, but I know trucks have a 'engine brake' switch on the dash which can be used in combination with a low gear and reduce the use of brakes.
But, in most cases when drivers coast in neutral, this feature doesn't come into the picture at all.

[rajeevsulu]

I drove back home from Bengaluru yesterday and sawva pleasant change. The heavy vehicles are stopped at a place, not slow down, STOP, form a small convoy sort of, and, then released.
I have never seen this before. Hope this step works. All the other speed retard procedures are active as well

[RGK]

Originally Posted by rajeevsulu

slow down, STOP, form a small convoy sort of, and, then released.

Yes. The heavy vehicles are lined up and sent one after another.

Originally Posted by sgmuser

It's been many years but I prefer to avoid this highway. For places like Pollachi or Palakkad or even Coimbatore from Chennai

. Your point is 100% valid for Pollachi and Palakkad.

Following are the options to Pollachi from Chennai:

1. Chennai - Trichy - Karur - Dharapuram - Pollachi - Govindapuram - Palakkad
2. Chennai - Trichy Toll Gate - Musiri - Karur - Dharapuram - Pollachi -Govindapuram - Palakkad
3. Chennai - Perambalur - Thuraiyur - Musiri - Karur - Dharapuram - Pollachi -Govindapuram - Palakkad

Additional info:

Karur to Dharapuram can be done in two routes.

Karur - Viswanathapuri - Chinna Dharapuram - Dharapuram
Karur - Aravakurichi - Dharapuram (This is preferred now as the road travels ~20km on the NH44)

All these routes are pretty good end to end. Option 1 will have decent amount of traffic from Trichy Toll Gate to Kudamuruti Bridge. 2 & 3 have quite a number of speed breakers.

For Coimbatore, the shortest is via Ulundurpet - Salem - Avanashi - CBE (Need not touch Thoppur, unless one chooses NH 48 from CHN)

Thoppur ghat comes into picture if the destination is Dharmapuri and above from TN-West/SW/South and KL

[krrisdrive]

I traversed this section last week almost a year later.

While coming up, noticed that near to top of plateau, there was a traffic jam with considerable length on the opposite side.

While coming down, understood that it's an artificially created blockade to calm down speed. After this, there are two lanes dedicated for LMV and HMV, but not adhered by drivers of both vehicle type.

After a KM or so, everything is 'Wild Wild West', again. I could see a passenger bus speeding in my ORVM and safely gave a pass.

While passing that bridge, a chill went down my spine.

The truth is even a 5 star NCAP vehicle won't save from such infrastructure design blunders but defensive driving shall.

[gadadhar]

There was a big traffic jam in Thoppur ghats due to road work While driving back from Kerala last Sunday evening. Strangely we saw around 40 vehicles of different makes, new and old, sedans to SUVs with hood raised on the stretch till the end of the ghats. I am puzzled on what would have gone wrong with the new age vehicles, whether it is engine heating or the clutch?

Be aware of the road work in this stretch creating traffic block daily, we were stuck here the previous week as well.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

There was a big traffic jam in Thoppur ghats due to road work While driving back from Kerala last Sunday evening. Strangely we saw around 40 vehicles of different makes, new and old, sedans to SUVs with hood raised on the stretch till the end of the ghats. I am puzzled on what would have gone wrong with the new age vehicles, whether it is engine heating or the clutch?

Be aware of the road work in this stretch creating traffic block daily, we were stuck here the previous week as well.

Same experience I had when returning from Velankanni on 8/6 afternoon. Lost 45 minutes there and annoying part was when traffic behind me was let through the opposite lane from a break in the divider which I had crossed.
Trucks kept to the right lane and rest of the vehicles were on the left and one lane was created on the shoulder and all these merged to one lane because of road works. All the broken down vehicles were moved to inside the barricaded stretch to avoid further jams.I suspect burnt clutches. The incline is steep at one point and with stop and go traffic with loaded cars, it is bound to happen.

I did notice the red on Google before crossing Salem and suspected an accident and was planning on alternate routes, but with a kid in the car, decided to stick to this route itself.

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by tharian

Same experience I had when returning from Velankanni on 8/6 afternoon. Lost 45 minutes there and annoying part was when traffic behind me was let through the opposite lane from a break in the divider which I had crossed.
Trucks kept to the right lane and rest of the vehicles were on the left and one lane was created on the shoulder and all these merged to one lane because of road works.

I haven't been on this road since over a decade. So, the only idea I get about this road is through social media.

I have a suggestion though. Why don't they allow traffic in a single direction for say 2 or 3 hours or even half a day?

Then the uphill vehicles will use the road for 2 hours /3 hours / half day (say, 6 AM to 12 PM) and after a gap of an hour to make sure all vehicles have passed, commence the downhill vehicles that will run for the next 2 hours/ 3 hours or other half of the day (say, 1 PM to 6 PM)

Provide some roadside assistance on the road at critical phases for vehicle breakdown assistance, spares if necessary, towing service, also provide an advisory at the base of the ghat as how not to burn the clutch, check if brake pads are good etc.

Once the road repairs are over, perhaps they could do a pilot programme to check if letting vehicles move in both directions concurrently is viable, safe & practical or not and act accordingly.

The respective departments should think with a cool mind and arrive at a solution for this ghat section.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by ashkamath

I haven't been on this road since over a decade. So, the only idea I get about this road is through social media.

I have a suggestion though. Why don't they allow traffic in a single direction for say 2 or 3 hours or even half a day?

The traffic density is quite high on this highway to do this. Also there are no short alternate routes to avoid the ghats. I was thinking that they should do this in the night, which probably they are., but there are quite a lot of long distance buses during the night.

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by ashkamath

I haven't been on this road since over a decade. So, the only idea I get about this road is through social media.

I have a suggestion though. Why don't they allow traffic in a single direction for say 2 or 3 hours or even half a day?

Originally Posted by tharian

I did notice the red on Google before crossing Salem and suspected an accident and was planning on alternate routes, but with a kid in the car, decided to stick to this route itself.

Originally Posted by tharian

The traffic density is quite high on this highway to do this. Also there are no short alternate routes to avoid the ghats.

I am unable to think of an alternate route, people coming from Coimbatore can consider the Sathyamangalam route and take either via Kanakpura and join the expressway Madhur.

Yes, you cannot imagine closing the traffic on this busy stretch even in the night with the volume of interstate trucks and buses

[Nalin1]

I travelled to Coimbatore on the 31st of May and came to a halt right at the beginning of Thoppur ghat. Had no idea about the reason, switched off the car and got off for a few minutes as it was a total halt with a complete red on GMAPS.

My cousin in another car behind me said GMAPS had suggested a right turn just before to avoid this RED and I had not noticed. He noticed but just followed me.

When I turned to my right, all I can see is a jungle, had no idea if there is road there and where it leads to and where it ends!

Another BHPIAN had posted that this road leads via Mettur, so that avoids the Thoppur Jam?

Anyway since we were already in the middle of the jam, there was no way of turning back anywhere. After about 5 minutes, started moving and it was an unbelievable drive for about half an hour in the middle of a million trucks!.

Once we crossed, it was a breeze all the way to Coimbatore.

[krrisdrive]

Originally Posted by Nalin1

When I turned to my right, all I can see is a jungle, had no idea if there is road there and where it leads to and where it ends!

Another BHPIAN had posted that this road leads via Mettur, so that avoids the Thoppur Jam?

That road do lead to Mettur but the diversion is at bottom of Ghats. One has to endure Thoppur saga to take diversion. It may help to bypass Salem if one is crossing the city at peak hours.

Nowadays, Gmap always suggest me to take Sathymangalam route to reach Coimbatore and nearby areas, when I am coming down from Mumbai.