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If all you need is good roads and no traffic at the cost of distance then do:

Mysore-Nanjangud-Chamarajanagar-Sathyamangalam-Annur-Avinahsi-Palladam-Pollachi-Vaddakkencherry-Trichur bypass - Angamaly - Ernakulam.

Thanks NPV and ampere.
I would take that route then.
But, why not Annur- Coimbatore- Palakkad- Kochi?
I thought that stretch was repaired.

On Coimbatore-Walayar stretch, the L&T bypass is not great, bumpy due to multiple patch works (and narrow for the kind of traffic there). Walayar work is not complete so not great. Plus there is widening work in progress between Palakkad-Alathur and even beyond I think, so if you're doing day time drives this entire stretch is best avoided.
Look up some earlier posts (recent ones) on this thread, like this.
Palladam-Pollachi-Vadakkencherry is excellent and from there you can continue on NH47 to Kochi.

It will be mess I think with the rains. Anyway you know better on those stretches. Another reason Annur-Avinashi, was you avoid all portions of CBE also.

Chamarajnagar to Coimbatore (Annur) is excellent and scenic. Mysore-Chamarajnagar also should be fine. It took 4 hours and 30 mins from Kanakpura road/NICE road section (Bangalore) to NH47 (Karumathampatti) without exceeding 100.

Since you are traveling during day time, I suggest Chamarajnagar-Annur-Karumathampatti-Pollachi-Vadakkancherry-Ernakulam as the day traffic on all other routes will be higher.

I think we can directly go to Pollachi without touching Avinashi and Palladam via Karumathampatti. Have seen Pollachi board throughout Satyamangalam-Annur-Karumathampatti stretch.

No way. With sedate driving under 100-120 kmph the time required to reach Coimbatore on the NH209 route (Between 4.5 to 5 hrs to Karumathampatti) is almost comparable to going via the 4 lane / 6 lane highway. If you're deviating through Rayacottai-Palacode etc, I'm sure it will take much longer.

You see boards for Pollachi all over NH209 is because NH209 does pass through Pollachi (The Coimbatore-Pollachi-Dindigul Road is the continuation of the NH). But for sure one wouldn't want to go through Coimbatore city because it can easily eat up 1 hour extra.

The deviation from Annur to Karumathampatti is a State Highway (SH165), and while excellent till Karumathampatti it is a little bit messy around Somanur (about 4-5 kms further south) where a railway overbridge was under construction. If that construction isn't complete yet, it can take about 10-15 minutes to clear that small town. From there till Karanampatti (where it hits the Coimbaore-Palladam highway) is fine. The SH continues further to KamanaikenPalyam where it joins to the Palladam-Pollachi road, but I've never driven that stretch, so no idea about the conditions. (But looking at the general condition of the road from Annur till Karanampatti, it should hopefully be good).

Another option is the one that deviates from NH209 at Puliampatti and goes to Avinashi via Sevur. It is 3 or 4 kms longer than the SH165 option, but may perhaps be faster because Avinashi -Palladam-Pollachi is known to be in good shape all through with the ROB at Velampalayam open now.

Thanks for the clarification. I had a small mental block there as well :). Because I take the Chamarajnagar to goto Calicut which is a shorter journey, and assumed that if I take this route to any where else (to mid-Kerala) it would be really a long and stressful drive. I have kept the Rayacottai-Palacode as a Plan B, because it helps me to have breakfast at the Saravana Bhavan in Vaigundam, Salem.

Is this route reasonably good? I had asked the same question some time back. Because I don't want to get any where near the Karumathampatti, Coimbatore.

So will plot both the routes (Chamrajnagar) and Rayacottai->Palacode on my GPS and keep it handy.

Not sure about the road conditions between Puliampatty and Avinashi via Sevur since I've never travelled that way. But considering the general state of interior roads in TN, the odds of it being good is pretty high. (And it isn't that long a stretch anyway - around 30 kms I think). May be someone who has taken that road in the recent past can clarify ?

And as for Karumathampatti - don't think there's too much to worry about that since you don't need to get on to NH47 or go towards Coimbatore. SH165 is a very good road surface and the traffic is quite sparse as well - The traffic density is much less than the Sathy-Annur section of NH209. The only issue with that route is the ROB at Somanur - hence my suggestion of going via Sevur .

Was'nt there a small Underpass in Somanur? I seem to remember using this underpass 6 years back?

Yes - the narrow underpass on the western side of the railway station was the one which most people used to use while the ROB construction was in progress. The roads leading to it from the SH and back to were also narrow and full of potholes then (A year or so back was when I passed that way last).

The overbridge has been under construction for quite some time, and under normal circumstances it should have been completed by now. But haven't been able to get any feedback from anyone here whether it is open or not.

Hi Friends,

Am planning a trip From Bangalore to Waynad, Calicut and back during first week of October. Hope someone with recent knowledge of the route can guide me.

Onward Route :

(Since I need to go directly to a resort near Banasura Dam)

Bangalore - Mysore-Handpost-Bavalli-Kattilkulam-Mananthavady- Peechamkode- Thiruvana-Padinjhara Thara.

Queries:
1. Is the SH33 in good condition ?
2. The deviation from Mananthavady -Kalpetta road, to Thiruvana(to save distance and time)- is it a good idea ?

Return Route

Calicut-Sultan Battery-Gundulpet-Chamarajnagar-Kollegal-Kanakpura-Blr

Queries:
1. Haven't gone thro Sultan Battery recently. Heard that the Kalpetta-S Battery road is bad in patches. Please update.
2. The last time the road around S Battery and upto Muthanga was patchy and there was a huge block at the Muthanga check post. Any updates on current situation please.

Thanks .

You can find the update in last two pages of this thread.

About SH33:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3519987

The Naalaam Mile-Tharuvana-Padinjarethara stretch may not be all that smooth, but that would still be the best option. Even if go via Kalpetta, the Kalpetta-Padinjarethara road also has its own share of rough patches (and you'd be travelling at least 15-20 kms extra)

Kalpetta-Bathery-Muthanga is in excellent condition. Just be careful when passing villages between the forest exit and Gundlupet - there are several trenches across the road that are invisible from a distance and uncomfortable to traverse if you're going fast.

Other than that the only rough edges you'll find are the few below average patches between Gundlupet and Chamarajnagar, the rest is a breeze.

Thanks Kala.I had followed the NH 33 thread earlier , but wanted to get a fresh opinion and current update.

Rgds,

The best option from Mysore to CBE is via Dhimbham ghats (27 hair pin bends). It is a bliss to drive on this stretch. I cannot think of a better option than this.