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Road condition is good in general. Most of the flyovers between Hosur and Shoolagiri are open. Truck traffic is painfully heavy near the Zuzuvadi checkpost in the evenings. On an unlucky day, the Krishnagiri toll-booth sees very long queues. Beyond that, it's good, until Avinashi bypass. Madukkarai-Walayar is a mess, as it's been like for years. Walayar-Vadakkenchery has a lot many diversions AND short excellent stretches of 4-lanes. Vadakkenchery-Kuthiran-Mannuthy is good 2-laned road.

Your ideal overnight break point would be Salem. Heard good about the Sree Saravana Bhavan attached to the NHAI amenity complex at Vaikundom. There might be others too, most of them a bit more expensive, such as the Park Plaza in Salem.

I'm headed to Palakkad at around the same time (ETD is 1630hrs from E-City toll) for an ETA of 2300hrs with one or two breaks.

I rode in the night, as planned, and it was a ride of my life, which I will never forget. It rained so heavily throughout and it was a nightmare with very less visibility, especially in the diversions after crossing Walayar. :Frustrati From the next day, it stopped raining and it was so hot in Kerala.

I went to Munnar on Monday and it rained there too, which is not common as per the locals. It seems I bring rain wherever I go.

The road from Aluva to Munnar to Bangalore (thru Udumalpet) is good throughout. I really enjoyed riding in the winding roads. The roads in Munnar are also in very good condition.

Did Kochi - Bangalore today.

NH47 - Sankari - Omallur -Palacode - Hosur - Bangalore.

The flyover in front of Saravana Bhavan, Karumathampatti is one side open now and vehicles allowed two way.

So, no more diversions on Avinashi - L&T stretch.

Here is a snap of those terrible humps on this stretch:

Do you really save anything from Palacode route? Because based on what I have seen there are hardly any deviations on the way back i.e. Krishnagiri -> Bangalore. Its very smooth, but for crossing Hosur.

For a relaxed drive and to save toll amount at Krishnagiri, Omalur and Sankagiri, this route is to be followed. Distance wise, we are saving 15 kms by going via rayakottai route and about 20 kms by going via Omalur and Tharamangalam. Not a great saving though but in case of traffic jam at toll plazas, then this route is highly beneficial

I'm headed to Bangalore tomorrow. Any alternative to trivandrum-neyyattinkara-marthandam-thuckalay-47B through aralvaimozhi to NH7 ? Preference is for good road surface even if slightly longer as I have sensitive passengers. I took this route while coming and found it really bad with heavy traffic. I'll leave early morning to beat traffic, but bad roads are a problem to me.

How's the bypass route through poovar ? At what stage of completion is this road ?

We took Bus instead. from Muvattupuzha reached Coimbatore. from Ootty road new bus stand(Mettupalyam road), Karnataka KSRTC operates a good number of services to Mysore, Hassan, Mangalore etc using Saarige buses as well as Volvo Airavat's.

I've already booked seats through KSRTC website for 10PM KSRTC Airavat Volvo to Mysore costing Rs400 per person. the journey was fine. departure from Coimbatore Gandhipuram SETC Bus stand was at 10.45PM and reached Mysore Bus stand at 3.30AM. from there, got the bus towards Hassan and alighted at KR Nagar at 4.55AM.

Driving through Dimbam ghats by the KSRTC driver reversing(due to extra length) at the turns looked scary:Shockked: although he seems to be a expert driver. Here is a similar video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MpXEX_Qlwo

While returning took KSRTC Saarige Bus to Thrissur departure from Mysore Bus stand at 10.20AM reached Thrissur at 6.45PM and the return journey was horrible through Nilambur-Guddalore route.

It is unfortunate that we have no rail connection between Mysore and Nilambur or Kojhikode. else, it will be the best option to travel.

Since I was not sure of the night journey I did not take the car. now that, the truck traffic and horrible facilities in the Dimbam route seems not worth while travelling with family.
Thanks for the replies

Actually for a long time there is a plan for one !

Mysore-Chamarajanagar-Nilambur-Shornur.

The environment ministry is not allowing for one, as it has the potential to disturb the Nilgiri biosphere. There is a line till Nilambur. In fact its a beautiful railway station. Similarly the line also exists till Chamarajanagar.

Coming to the roads, Gudalur route is quite fatigue inducing thanks to constant twists and turns. As against that I think CBE-Palakkad is a much easier and smoother drive, once you past Dimbham hair pins.

Minor nitpick - the proposal is to connect Nilambur with Nanjangud (the latter is an intermediate station in the Mysore-Ch. Nagar railway line). There is another to connect Mysore with Thalassery.

Thanks. Yes it is the Nanjangud-Nilambur line. There was quite some noise last year on this.

When driving via Nilambur to Shornur, most take the Wandoor/Pandikkaad road to Perinthalmanna. There is one more which goes via Kalikavu/Melatoor from Nilambur. This road goes along the Shornur-Nilambur line. One of the most beautiful sections. I was unlucky not to be able to snap when driving on this stretch as I was against time to to reach Mysore. The road was beautiful then with fresh tar (some 4-5 years back). Not sure how is it now. Not sure if many take that route too, as compared to Wandoor.

There is also a proposal to connect chamarajanagar to palani via Sathy by rail. This has been in discussion for quite some time.

Anyone has an idea on the existing Total Toll amount that prevail between Coimbatore - Bangalore for a LMV?

Please refer this link. The only change is in the Krishnagiri toll fare. The enclosed image shows Rs 55 and Rs 85 for single and return fare while the updated fares are Rs 60 and Rs 90 respectively.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...batore-45.html

Thanks Suresh :thumbs up
Much appreciated ! :)

Presumably there is not much awareness of this route here. I took the Poovar route yesterday. NH47 bypass through Kovalam-Vizhinjam-Poovar-Kaliakkavilai. Road surface is very good except sections of kovalam-poovar stretch. Again just unevenness, no potholes or broken surface. So unless you are especially sensitive as I had to be on this trip, consider it good. Poovar-Kaliakkavilai stretch is very good, seems newly laid. I travelled early morning, so can't comment on traffic. After Kaliakkavilai, I had to take the usual bad stretch till kavalkinar.