Team-BHP - All Roads to Kerala

Quote:

Originally Posted by prsnck (Post 3148506)

All,

What's the current condition of Gundulpet- Calicut road via Sulthan bathery. How good are Tamarasherry Ghats. Hope they are holding well since the interlocks are laid at hairpins. How bad is traffic these days at Bandipur entrance and sales tax check post towards Kozhikode, while it opens at 6am.

My last trip was in early May. The entire NH212 stretch between Gundlupet and Calicut is now one beautiful highway.

As far as the checkpost go - I time to arrive there between 7 and 10 AM and it is practically empty then.

The only thing to keep in mind is the traffic buildup in Sulthan Bathery and Kalpetta towns during daytime.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pramodpk (Post 3148469)

Ok. Is the work done or is it halted due to rains?

Might be stopped due to the rains. But from the look of it, feels like it is stopped for good - the finishing point is a precise one unlike when work is stopped temporarily

There are a 4 or 5 craters on the road beyond that till Pattikkad and one need to negotiate around that

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Quote:

Originally Posted by NPV (Post 3148683)

I had travelled this route in Mid April and I don't expect the conditions to have worsened since then as the monsoons have just begun.
Gundlupet to Bathery - the Karnataka side was newly laid and excellent, with lane markings in progress at that time.
Few patches once you get to the Kerala side of the forest and continued till outskirts of Bathery from where it was excellent all the way to calicut, Thamarassery ghats were pristine too.
And there was road work in progress near outskirts of Bathery so they may have progressed to cover the road till the forest checkpost.
Not sure about the traffic near the checkpost at 6am, at other times it's generally not an issue.

Thanks NPV. My previous journey was way back dec '12 and I knew the roads were getting re-laid. So got it confirmed from you folks and with heavy rains now and more anticipated just being cautious.

rgrds
prsn

Quote:

Originally Posted by binand (Post 3148694)

Good to hear that ! Rains may play spoilsport, but it's another thing to drive in rains too.

Yeah Binand that should be perfect time once the 6am chaos are over. Nowadays with the density of vehicles on road, anytime after 8am is build up of traffic. Be it anywhere.

rgrds
prsn

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazydave (Post 3150001)

Hi everyone, looking for route recommendations for Kochi-Delhi. My only criteria is time (as little as possible) and safety (as am planning to do the route in the middle of monsoon). Thanks!

Standard 4-lane: Kochi-CBE-Salem-BLR-Pune-Mumbai bypass-Ahmedabad-Jaipur-Delhi

Approx halts
D1 : BLR
D2 : Pune
D3 : AMD
D4 : Delhi

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazydave (Post 3150013)

Doable in 3? Also, whats the status of Thrissur-Palakkad stretch? Am assuming that there is no new 4-lane alternative to that on Kochi-CBE route?

Should be possible.

Push further to Hubli on Day 1. (900km)
Day 2 : AMD
Day 3 Delhi.

Though its 4-lane driving. You do 1000km every day. Bypass Trichur-Palakkad via Shoranur-Ottapalam.

Kochi-Trichur-Ottapalam-Palakkda. Kochi-Trichur is 4-lane.

Guys, I am planning to drive from Thrissur to Erode coming Saturday to attend a family function. Will start from 9 AM at thrissur and will return on Sunday afternoon.
Google maps is giving couple of routes:

Thrissur-Palakkad-Walayar-Avinashi-Perundurai-Erode
Thrissur-Wadakkencery-Nemmara-Kolengode-Pollachi-Palladam-Kangayam-Erode

I am travelling with parents and would prefer the quickest route as they are not fans of swift's ride quality :(

Please suggest the best route with couple of good Veg. restaurants with decent rest rooms.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselLover (Post 3151100)

My suggestion - Take the Coimbatore route. With narrow roads, the Nemmara route can take more time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselLover (Post 3151100)

Quote:

Originally Posted by arjithin (Post 3151120)

My suggestion - Take the Coimbatore route. With narrow roads, the Nemmara route can take more time.

4-lane is the best option. But I dont know the current condition on delays.
The best of 4-lane option is:

Trichur-Shoranur-Ottapalam-Pallakad-Walayar-CBE-Perundurai-Erode

If not then the next best option is :

Trichur-Wadakkancherry (This is the other one and not the one on GQ)-Pazhyannur-Alathur-Kollengode-Pollachi-Palladam-Kangeyam-Erode

I think roads are very good. No need to go via Nemmara. As Arijit said, roads may be narrow. But Alathur-Kollengode-Pollachi is good as far as I know.

Food joints
At Pollachi :
Nivethas Inn
Sri Shakti

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere (Post 3151326)

4-lane is the best option. But I dont know the current condition on delays.
The best of 4-lane option is:

Trichur-Shoranur-Ottapalam-Pallakad-Walayar-CBE-Perundurai-Erode

If the starting point is east or north of TCR, Shoranur route can help; otherwise, it adds more travel time considering that his start time is Saturday 9 AM. According to my father who travelled to PLKD few days back via NH47, the road is not that bad now compared to 2 months back. ('not bad' is subjective and take with a pinch of salt)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mallumowgli (Post 3152197)

Madukkarai-Walayar stretch is horrible now - it can put the earlier Kuthiran condition to shame!! It wont be possible to cross this stretch without scraping your vehicle's underbody

Is it due to the monsoon getting underway ? :Frustrati
So now it seems like going via Pollachi to reach Palakkad and beyond is a much better option.

Hi guys,

Require your urgent help. My friend is planning to drive in his ford fiesta to Thrissur.

The route will be B'lore-Salem-Coimbatore-Palakkad-Thrissur.

I know the roads upto Salem is superb. I want the info from Salem to Thrissur.

His plan is to start early morning and then reach by afternoon to Thrissur.

Any info on the road condition atleast from Palakkad to Thrissur would help