[swathyd]

Hey guys,

Planning a trip to palani hills , took the help of yahoo maps . It suggested to go through kollam chenkota route. Entering it through tenmala -palode roads and into tamilnadu through pudur and panboli . It shows the route through virudunagar , sivagiri , rajapalayam , madurai , usalampetti , sevugampatti , ayyampalayam . I havent travelled in this route before , very anxious about condition of kollam chenkotta route . Dont know whether it is in good shape from tenmala side.

Please throw some light on the route and its condition .

[hvkumar]

The road via Schencottah, Rajapalayam is good. But your yahoo route is wrong - the correct route is Trivandrum-Nedumangadu-Palode-Tenmala-Schencottah-Tenkasi-Srivilliputtur-Rajapalayam-Tirumangalam-Madurai-Dindigul-Sembatti-Ottanchatram-Palani. You do not touch Kollam and Virudhunagar on this route. The route via Usilampatti is not the straightforward route, although the computer may work that out as the shortest route (just because the crow flies in a straight line does not mean we can also drive as per the shortest route in an electronic map)


But to go to Palani, the better route would be one of the following 2:

- Via Madurai, which means taking NH47 from Trivandrum-Nagercoil, then NH7 all the way to Dindigul via Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar, Madurai, and then go via Sembatti and Ottanchatram to Palani

- Via Palakkad, which would mean taking NH47 via Kollam, Alapuzha, Kochi, Trissur, Palakkad, then going via Pollachi and Udumalaipet to Palani

[deepclutch]

there used to be KSRTC buses from south kerala to Pazhani via kothamangalam-Munnar-udumalapetta.How is this route?Is it less in Kms?

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by deepclutch

there used to be KSRTC buses from south kerala to Pazhani via kothamangalam-Munnar-udumalapetta.How is this route?Is it less in Kms?

The Munnar route is difficult since it involves ghats before Munnar and also en route Udumalipet, but may be shortest especially from the Kottayam area. But the Palani buses from Trivandrum go through Nagercoil and Madurai, whereas the KSRTC's Guruvayoor-Palani bus goes via Palakkad and Pollachi.

[swathyd]

Thank you for your advice dear hvk .

We earlier had a plan to go through two other routes suggested by you. But as per some friends the condition of nagercoil -tvpm road is in bad shape and palakkad route is very distant . Almost 125 kms more than the shengota route , if i opt for palakkad route . Palakkad route will be a treat to the eye , after all pollachi is known for its scenic beauty .

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by swathyd

Thank you for your advice dear hvk .

We earlier had a plan to go through two other routes suggested by you. But as per some friends the condition of nagercoil -tvpm road is in bad shape and palakkad route is very distant . Almost 125 kms more than the shengota route , if i opt for palakkad route . Palakkad route will be a treat to the eye , after all pollachi is known for its scenic beauty .

The Schencottah route is the most scenic route, but the roads are narrow till you come down the ghats from Aryankavu just before Schencottah. But please leave early from Trivandrum since the first 50 kms till you cross Palode can be frustrating for its high day traffic intensity. Once you are in TN, there are no bypasses for any of the towns but that itself is not an issue. From Tenkasi, the road runs parallel to the hills and has the least traffic of all the routes.

In case you wish to try the Munnar route - which is longer - you can have the added opportunity of stopping over in Munnar.

Another off-beat route would be to go from Chalakudy via Athirapalli, Sholayar and Valparai to Pollachi/Udumalaipet and then proceed to Palani. The Chalakudy-Valparai route has spectacular scenery.

But despite the TVM-Nagercoil road problems, if you leave early in the morning, the NH47-NH7 route will be the fastest.

[deepclutch]

@hvkumar:there is pazhani service from kottarakkara depot of KSRTC via munnar.and it is true, not every one will love to go through high ranges.

[swathyd]

I will consider valpara and munnar routes also. Nagercoil route by that time may get back to good shape .

[deepclutch]

ofcourse ,best route for us , is via mannootthy-vadakkanchery-pollachi.

[jacs]

Originally Posted by TomRider

It is always open. No time time restrictions at all. During monsoon, there 'd be land slides in Nadugani. That time they may close it for a couple of days for clearing it off.

Thanks a lot for the clarification, sometime back I had seen in newspaper like night journey is not allowed due to threat to animals. Would you advise to take Nilambur route or Mettur route? I am planning to start 23rd Jan evening 5PM, no women passengers.

[bijayks]

I plan to make a trip to Kodungallur next weekend. My intention is to use the Bangalore - Mysore - Nanjangud - Satyamangalam - Coimbatore - Trichur route. Has anybody tried the Nanjangud - Satyamangalam route recently? I did one some time in August 08 and the karnataka part of to Dhimbam from Nanjangud was in bad shape.

I especially like the hairpin bends before sathy..

[swathyd]

Dont take trichur route t reach kodungallur . Better to take bandipur , gudallur , manjeri , malappuram , tirur , ponnani and then kodungallur . This route is better as there willl be less traffic .

[trrk]

Hi,

Originally Posted by bijayks

I did one some time in August 08 and the karnataka part of to Dhimbam from Nanjangud was in bad shape.

It was still bad on the 4th of December.

[ramkya1]

Just finished a road trip from Palakkad / Nemmarah - Ottapalam-Calicut-Trichur for a business cum personal trip. Took an Indica Cab, the logs are attached herewith.

Found the road from Alathur thro Pazyanoor to Ottapalan in very good condition, recently done up. Joined up the Road from Palakkad till Pattambi, L&T Road, in great condition, except in Ottapalam town. From Ottapalam to Perinthalmanna, surface OK from from there on till Calicit excellent.

Last time I drove down, we took the route from Calicut to Palakkad/ Nemmarah thro Mannarkad which was longer and not so good from Markad to Palakkad. This time the route I took on the cab from Nemarrah/ Pazyanoor, Ottapalam, Cherpulassary, Anamangad, Perinthalmanna is shorter and better to reach Calicut.

On the way back from Calicut till Valancherry NH17 is good, from there for 30 KM its bad with diversions and abandoned culvert works; driver told me this seciton is deteriorating by the day, has been like this for the last 3 years. From Edappal Junction to Trichur good roads.

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[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by ramkya1

Just finished a road trip from Palakkad / Nemmarah - Ottapalam-Calicut-Trichur for a business cum personal trip.

though business trip, can we expect trademark travelogue?