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Anyone did the Bangalore-Gundlepet-Bathery-Kozhikode stretch recently? How is the road condition from BAthery to Calicut?

I last used that route around the Onam time and the condition was pretty bad with lot of huge pot holes? Have those been patched or is it the same/worse than before.

I need to drive down in the next couple of days and was wondering whether to use the Bathery route or the Nilambur route. Any feedback from recent travellers would be welcome

Kozhikode to Kalpetta is fairly decent - there are some XL sized craters around Kalpetta town - but that was about a month ago. The Ghats have been patched in most places, and work was in progress when I did that section last month.

Although the roads wouldn't be in great shape, they would be decent enough.

Guys, planning to do a Kottayam Bangalore trip in couple of days. I usually take two routes. Thru Coimbatore or thru Kumily - Cumbum.

From the previous posts, I see that if we take the Coimbatore route the roads are bad and the Wadakkenchery - Pollachi _ Palladam _ Perundurai route is preferred.

Now how is the road condition between Bhavani - Mettur - Thoppur? Or is it better to go to Salem & then to Thoppur?

2. Any updates on the Kumily - Cumbum - Theni - Dindigul route? I travelled in this route almost an year back & the stretch was beginning to get damaged.

Better to avoid Chengapalli-Coimbatore-L&T Bypass-Walayar due to the ongoing road widening work. In peak traffic this will test your patience with constant diversions, trucks, private bus, 2 wheeler traffic and lots of dust all the way. Also the potholes near Walayar check post !
Perundurai - Palladam - Pollachi is a good option to avoid the above bad stretches.
Bhavani - Mettur - Thoppur -> Few months ago a friend took this and returned after 5-6Km from the NH7 turn off since he found it very gravely and did not want to take a chance with his Honda City's low GC.
NH7 to Thoppur-Salem is good. From my last experience on this route in first week of November - Thoppur is good now, no undulations, odd sized speed-breakers, etc :thumbs up
Also NH7 upto Dindigul and then the road towards Bathlakundu-Periakulam-Theni is also good. Don't know conditions beyond that.
Hope this helps.

Bhavani-Mettur-Thoppur is no good.There is no time saving as well.Do not take it.Go via Salem.Just be careful to look for the Bangalore exit to your left once you climb onto the interchange at Salem.It can be easily missed

Trouble already! Some political parties organised a demonstration at the toll plaza minutes after the toll collection commenced (at 00:01 hrs of December 05, 2011). They also damaged toll booths. The District Collector has ordered to suspend toll collection with immediate effect. It seems they would now "discuss matters" and then take a decision.

Off Topic:

Its such a joke and irony!The same people drive all around the country on the various GQs and come back to Kerala and comment-what fantastic roads!and without a murmur they would pay all those tolls.But the moment they have the same implemented within Kerala they all take a 360degree turn!What a pity!Tigers at home!

Since you are starting from Kottayam, better stick to Kumily route itself. Yesterday, traffic on NH47 between Mannuthy - Walayar was heavy.

+1

Swiftnfurious, My friend had driven this route last month to Thiruvalla and the feedback was that barring a couple of stretches the roads are in great shape.

I too had done this route till Cumbum in October and the roads were excellent.

Is the toll for the entire stretch from Mannuthy to Edappally or from Mannuthy to Angamaly?

At Rs.55 per car, it works out to about Re.1/km for Mannuthy-Edappally stretch. Is that comparable to the toll rates in other parts of the country?

I think the problem is that they don't have toll-booths at for eg: Chalakkudy, Angamaly or Aluva. So a person travelling from Thrissur to Chalakkudy is forced to pay the same toll as a guy travelling from Thrissur to Cochin - whereas a guy travelling from Chalakkudy to Cochin pays nothing. So NHAI is forcing those who pass the toll-booth to pay for those who are able to use the highway without paying the toll.

But seeing how much trouble NHAI is having with two toll-booths, I guess they won't be keen to open any more, anytime soon :D

Team-Bhpians,

Pls be aware that the opportunist Vaiko led MDMK have announced a road blockade on all routes to Kerala on 21st December to warn the Kerala Govt on the Mullaperiyar issue. When the last time something similar happened there was a lot of arson near Coimbatore so please reschedule the planned drives to be on the safer side. Read more here Vaiko warns of blocking supplies | | | The New Indian Express Vaiko warns of blocking supplies - southindia - Tamil Nadu - ibnlive

Swiftnfurious, Considering the volatile conditions at the Kumily border it would not be wise to take that route in the coming few days. I would suggest you to go via Cumbummettu, Kattapana which was in pretty reasonable shape in October. From Kattapana - Kottayam take a route which will have less traffic keeping in mind the Sabarimala rush.

Thanks for the concern & heads up. :) I was in fact thinking of this and even my dad was against me travelling thru Kumily. Even if I have to take it, I will be driving there early morning or late night [1AM - 4AM]. I have not really scheduled my drive yet, but I kind of prefer the Wadakkenchery - Pollachi - Perundurai route which is fairly peaceful.

PS:: There were violent reactions in Cumbummettu today as well - and police have declared 144(?) and no groups / crowd is allowed. [I am not sure of the technical term for this - so if someone could use the right words on behalf of me...]

OK. So be on the safer side and stick to the NH-47 route.

I guess you are referring to Section 144 which prohibits unlawful assembly with deadly weapons.

Mannuthy to Edappally. Edappally to Aroor is covered at the toll gate near Aroor bridge.

Mannuthy to Edappally is about 67 kms. The rate comes to about Rs. 0.82/km. The base fare set in 2008-09 was Rs. 0.69/km, subject to revision every year. So, i guess the rates are in line with the rates prevailing across the country.

May be NHAI should've added one more toll gate so that the rates do not feel "high".

That is the case at all toll gates on NHs now. You pay toll only at one end - either while entering the tollway, or while exiting it. People traveling short of the gates are exempt from toll.

I doubt. The troubles are usually short-lasting. Malayalees have this tendency to oppose anything when it is introduced - we'll protest, damage things - but in later stages, we'd embrace them with pride. See the toll gate at Aroor - there were troubles in the initial days, but now its silent. Except for the highhanded goons manning the counters at Aroor, its more or less decent.