[binand]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

While returning, from kattikulam I should proceed to HD Kote. Which place should I look for directions? ( HD Kote/ Handpost) to avoid going via Naraghole? Are there clear directions?

At the far end of Kattikulam town, the straight road goes to Bavali and onwards to Mysore, left turn goes to Kutta and onwards to Hunsur. This junction is signposted; you can't go wrong (Thirunelli temple is in the Kutta direction).

Originally Posted by pramodpk

Bavali - Kattikulam-Kuruva island-Payyampalli-Koyileri-Panamaram - Is this the same Mananthavady bypass suggested by you?

No. Mananthavady bypass turns off from here: https://goo.gl/maps/F67f9

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

This is not Mananthavady bypass. This is a different route and is shorter by around 7-8 KMs.

Originally Posted by binand

No. Mananthavady bypass turns off from here: https://goo.gl/maps/F67f9

So should I take the Mananthavady bypass or the other road?
What do you suggest. I am ready for a relaxed scenic drive if the road is OK.

[venkyhere]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

That's a good sign. Used to struggle Palghat-Thrissur stretch. How is Kuthiran section? I am driving to bangalore on April 1st and planning an early morning start. So I guess it will be a good drive.

I had done the same around 2 weeks back - 2:30 dep from ekm, 5pm at palakkad.
1) kuthiran surface is very good now - watch out for maniacs in the opposite direction early morning (volvos, KeSRTC buses & toddy transporting pickups), who are not ready to spend an extra 30 seconds behind a slow truck puffing and panting its way up the ghat - they would rather make the guy in the opposite lane go offroading
2) the transition points between different layers of tarring is abrupt - the high speed jolts can deteriorate your suspension, particularly if the tyres are filled with high PSI - so dont floor it even if the surface is smooth, particularly since you will be driving in low light conditions with glaring high beams in the opp direction

[philgrac]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

That's a good sign. Used to struggle Palghat-Thrissur stretch. How is Kuthiran section? I am driving to bangalore on April 1st and planning an early morning start. So I guess it will be a good drive.

Now the struggle, of course is much lesser. Just imagine, after completion of 4 laning jobs, it will be an awesome drive! Kuthiran section is okay, means the tarmac has not deteriorated, no traffic jams and can easily maintain 50 Kph unless you get trapped behind a heavy vehicle. One more good thing which I had noticed during this trip is that the number of Thrissur~ Palakkad LS private buses and their mad race have considerably reduced. I met only 2-3 buses during the entire stretch! Further advantage of 4 lane is that now they don't come barging from the opposite direction.
An early morning start will be the Best thing to do! Wish you a safe and enjoyable drive to Bangalore.

[kala]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

So should I take the Mananthavady bypass or the other road?
What do you suggest. I am ready for a relaxed scenic drive if the road is OK.

I'd suggest the Mananthavady bypass unless someone who has been on the other road recently vouches for it. I've travelled on that road via Kuruva Island about 2-3 years back and the condition was pathetic then.

The road at the other end of the shortcut (at the point where it joins the Mananthavady-Kalpetta road near Koyileri) seemed to have fresh tarmac, so it is possible that they have resurfaced it recently. However I missed looking at the condition of the road at the turn off towards Kuruva (just before you reach Kattikkulam when travelling from Bangalore), so not sure if they've done up the entire road or only parts of it.

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by kala

The road at the other end of the shortcut (at the point where it joins the Mananthavady-Kalpetta road near Koyileri) seemed to have fresh tarmac, so it is possible that they have resurfaced it recently. However I missed looking at the condition of the road at the turn off towards Kuruva (just before you reach Kattikkulam when travelling from Bangalore), so not sure if they've done up the entire road or only parts of it.

The entire stretch is in good condition now, from Kattikulam to Kuruva and up to Koyileri. There is another road diverting from Payyampalli towards Kattikulam avoiding Kuruva. That stretch has around 1 -1.5 km of bad roads.

[VindyWheels]

Hi,

I did Kochi-Bangalore today. I have done Bangalore-Kochi (took 13 hours the first time and 11 hours the second time), but have never done Kochi-Bangalore. After reading the thread was confused whether to take the Highway or the Pollachi route. The latter would mean many turns and towns leading to stoppages for asking directions...or that's what I thought.

I am always for peaceful driving and seeing the "circus" in the Mannuthy-Vadakkenchery stretch decided to turn the google navigation on and turn right. The destination was set for Kollengode. Started at 7:00am from Kadavanthara, reached Kollengode by 9:10. After breakfast at Malabar hotel (restrooms were fine), set the destination for Avinashi and started at 9:50. Reached Avinashi without much trouble, halted at the CCD for tea break and reached Salem by 1:00pm. Had another brief halt at Thoppur A2B. Reached Electronic City signal by 3:25pm. We were surprised to reach home before dusk

Thanks to the folks here and google goddess!

Cheers

Vindy

[ampere]

Originally Posted by VindyWheels

Thanks to the folks here and google goddess!

The Pollachi-Palladam-Avinashi road is extremely easy and quite peaceful to drive especially during day time. During night its a bit heavy of traffic. Lots of trucks on the way to Pollachi.

The other thing to note: Pollachi access is broken into two parts. One is the Palladam/Palakkad side of the town. The second is the Valparai/Kollengode side of the town. Somehow I find the access between the two broken and one has to resort to workaround routes. This is somehow still not fixed. But other, its absolute bliss to drive via this route.

[arjithin]

I always find it tough to complete the last 50 km of my 500+ km of TCR - Whitefield route.
I normally take right at hosur towards Bagalur and then to sarjapur - varthur - Whitefield. Now the right turn below hosur flyover is closed and one need to go 100 meter ahead and then come back. Also crossing Hosur town is equally painful as crowded ORR road. Sarjapur town is another mess with a narrow road to cross.

So, is there a better alternative for people who are traveling to Bangalore east ?
Any one knows how is the shoolagiri - Berigai - Bagalur road??
What is the best way to bypass Sarjapur town??

Thanks in advance..

[venkyhere]

Originally Posted by arjithin

I always find it tough to complete the last 50 km of my 500+ km of TCR - Whitefield route.
I normally take right at hosur towards Bagalur and then to sarjapur - varthur - Whitefield. Now the right turn below hosur flyover is closed and one need to go 100 meter ahead and then come back. Also crossing Hosur town is equally painful as crowded ORR road. Sarjapur town is another mess with a narrow road to cross.

So, is there a better alternative for people who are traveling to Bangalore east ?
Any one knows how is the shoolagiri - Berigai - Bagalur road??
What is the best way to bypass Sarjapur town??

Thanks in advance..

instead of going underneath the hosur flyover, you can keep riding on NH until you hit the attibele toll booth (may lose some time here for paying 25/- toll as the queues tend to be long). Just after the toll booth, do not climb, but go underneath the flyover - take right - now you are on attibele -> sarjapur road. On hitting the sarjapur road circle/flag pole (T-juntion when you approach it) take left and you will be in dommasandra. From dommasandra, take right for whitefield. This will avoid the narrow lanes within sarjapur town (which is a ticking time bomb for a proper, proper logjam)

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by arjithin

Any one knows how is the shoolagiri - Berigai - Bagalur road??

As per comments in this thread few months back it is broken at many places but doable. Not sure of the current situation though.

However, I don't think it would be much useful since apart from the last 200 meters or so in Hosur remaining section of Bagalur - Hosur road is stress free. Also, once you reach NH 7, most of road work towards Krishnagiri side is done.

What is the best way to bypass Sarjapur town??

I have seen heavy vehicles taking the left soon after Sarjapur bus stand. I checked the same on Google maps and it joins NH 207 after a long circular detour. To check the road condition I once drove down this road few months back, however I was not able to direction. Since it was dark was not able to find anyone to ask direction too.

I guess this is the only probable option to bye-pass Sarjapur till the road work is completed.

[binand]

Originally Posted by arjithin

I normally take right at hosur towards Bagalur and then to sarjapur - varthur - Whitefield. [...]
So, is there a better alternative for people who are traveling to Bangalore east? What is the best way to bypass Sarjapur town??

I take the right turn at Attibele instead of Hosur. That avoids most of the Sarjapur mess.

The other alternative is to proceed further beyond Bagalur, connect to NH 207 again at Chikka Tirupati and to Whitefield via Chansandra. I had taken this route once but generally prefer the Attibele-Sarjapur-Marathahalli route.

[arjithin]

Originally Posted by binand

I take the right turn at Attibele instead of Hosur. That avoids most of the Sarjapur mess.

The other alternative is to proceed further beyond Bagalur, connect to NH 207 again at Chikka Tirupati and to Whitefield via Chansandra. I had taken this route once but generally prefer the Attibele-Sarjapur-Marathahalli route.

Thanks. I got royally stuck in Attebele toll twice, after which i shifted to the Hosur Bagalur road.

I will try an alternative route when I return from TCR on 29th March if i didnt get delayed anywhere else.

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

As per comments in this thread few months back it is broken at many places but doable. Not sure of the current situation though.

I have seen heavy vehicles taking the left soon after Sarjapur bus stand. I checked the same on Google maps and it joins NH 207 after a long circular detour. To check the road condition I once drove down this road few months back, however I was not able to direction. Since it was dark was not able to find anyone to ask direction too.

I guess this is the only probable option to bye-pass Sarjapur till the road work is completed.

You meant vehicles coming from Bangalore side turning left after Sarjapura bus stand right? I thought that road is blocked due to some road construction?

Originally Posted by venkyhere

instead of going underneath the hosur flyover, you can keep riding on NH until you hit the attibele toll booth (may lose some time here for paying 25/- toll as the queues tend to be long). Just after the toll booth, do not climb, but go underneath the flyover - take right - now you are on attibele -> sarjapur road. On hitting the sarjapur road circle/flag pole (T-juntion when you approach it) take left and you will be in dommasandra. From dommasandra, take right for whitefield. This will avoid the narrow lanes within sarjapur town (which is a ticking time bomb for a proper, proper logjam)

As mentioned earlier, the problem with this route is the long queue at Attibele on long weekends.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by arjithin

I thought that road is blocked due to some road construction?

The left which is blocked for road construction is bit ahead. The road I am saying of is immediately next to bus stand and before this blocked left road.

[binand]

Originally Posted by arjithin

Thanks. I got royally stuck in Attebele toll twice, after which i shifted to the Hosur Bagalur road.

Oh OK. That was the route I used to take when coming from Chennai. Couple of years back I switched to the NH 4 route so don't come via NH 7 anymore.

On the other hand, when coming from Kochi I quit NH 7 at Dharmapuri and take the Rayakottai-Hosur-Attibele route, so I skip two (often crowded) tolls. This route conveniently ends at the junction in Attibele from where one turns towards Sarjapur.