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This is the place. You would have to take a detour from the highway to reach the petrol pump.

Wikimapia - KPN Petrol Bunk

-- Wind

Looks like we both are speaking of different places - it seems KPN has two fuel stations in Salem. The one I am speaking off is easily accessible from the current alignment of the highway. The one your link shows is on the old highway - not a major detour anyways.

Thanks for the link - now I know there are two KPN fuel pumps in Salem.

Quite a few times, travelling on the Bangalore-Coimbatore route, I have refuelled at a place called "Sankari". The Indian Oil petrol station is operated by the Sankari Lorry Owner's Association and provides a small discount on fuel purchased. Nowhere else have I seen a discount!

I know for sure that it is a 24 hour fuel station as a couple of these trips have been with a departure late evening from Bangalore.

If I recollect correctly, the location is not very far after crossing Salem!

That place is on the left side, IIRC, a few kms after Salem, while traveling towards Coimbatore. Am I right?

I think I have been to this place once - during my first drive to Bangalore. At that time, this particular section was not four-laned (in April 2010). There is a similar pump in Perundurai - run by the local Lorry Owner's association.

One can byepass Paliyekkara Tollgate following the red line in the image. The small road from the northside of Paliyekkara towards the highway is not yet closed due to objection from locals.

If you travel from Mannuthy to Chalakudy, take the service road before the Thalore flyover. Take U turn before toll gate into the small road, if you travel from Chalakudy to Mannuthy.

But is this bylane open now? I remember reading somewhere that the toll collection agency has shut most of the bylanes that would help people avoid the toll.

When I travelled to Thrissur last weekend, I saw police presence near the bylanes on either side of the toll gate to stop people from doing this. A mini-lorry was trying to take a U-turn just before the tollgate (coming from Chalakkudy side). The police stopped him and sent him towards the tollgate.

That bylane is still open. Earlier the NHAI & private builder closed it using a concrete pillar. But during the anti toll agitation, people opened it. But they may close it at any time as its huge revenue loss for the agencies involved in highway construction.

Even if it is closed, people travelling from Thrissur town to EKM cas use Thrissur-Koorkanchery-Urakam-Vallachira-Palazhi-Puthukad road to byepass toll gate at the cost of additional 5Kms, additional 15 mnts and a railway gate.

Thanks for the info. Is there any other way I can bye-pass the Toll with minimal detour if I'm going towards Mannuthy from Ernakulam?

Agreed that the 4 lane road is much better than the 2 lane that was there earlier but with multiple signals, crossings & speed limits in place I don't find it worthwhile to pay the Toll.

Thats difficult - because, they have closed access to most bylanes around the area. A slightly better way out is to take a right at Thalore (end of Thrissur bypass). Head towards Thrissur. Take the first left (its a typical kerala road). You would cross a level cross - keep going. Continue on the same route. You would enter the road to Kodungallur - continue till you reach Urakam. At Urakam, take a left to Pudukkad. Continue on the same road, and you would reach the highway back (there would be one more level cross).

This road is surely open - and this one would never be closed. Check this link for placement of the route on GM.

I would not suggest taking a detour if you are going all the way to Ernakulam - taking these detours would only add to the running time. Instead, pay Rs. 55 and keep going.

For me, the problem is that I would take a right soon after Pudukkad - I would use the road for hardly 5-7kms.

Planning to undertake a journey from Palladam to Trivandrum

Till now I was either following the Madurai –Thirunelveli –Nagercoil route or the usual Palakkad-Ernakulam –Kollam route.

Now for a change I want to travel by this route.

Palladam-->Dharapuram -->Oddanchathram -->Sembatti--> Thirumangalam--> Rajapalayam-->Thenkashi-->Chengottai Route.

Please advise me the route I should follow from Chengottai, and about the road condition.

I will be travelling with my 18 months old baby and I am planning for a 5 AM departure.

If it is not worth taking the alternate route it is better for me to pay up. Anyways while on a drive to Cochin this 4 lane comes as a breath of fresh air after the rough Cbe-Pgt & Pgt-Tcr stretch :)

If you are travelling highway,ie, Ekm - Mannuthy, its always better to pay the toll and use the 4 lane road. The alternate route suggested by binaiks will add a minimum 30 minutes extra without considering any delay if the Puthukad railway gate closes for any trains in the busy Shornur-Ekm railway line. Also you have to drive a minimum extra distance of 9km approx. Dont worth it, I think.

Planning to undertake a journey from Palladam to Trivandrum
Till now I was either following the Madurai –Thirunelveli –Nagercoil route or the usual Palakkad-Ernakulam –Kollam route.

Now for a change I want to travel by this route.

Palladam-Dharapuram - Oddanchathram-Sembatti-Thirumangalam-Rajapalayam-Thenkashi-Chengottai Route.

Please advise me the route I should follow from Chengottai, and about the road condition.

I will be travelling with my 18 months old baby and I am planning for a 5 AM departure.

Please check with Pramod. He had used the Palode option once.
His feedback was that roads were good, but they are narrow.

Here is the route link


Pramod's Post:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post2554991