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Hi, did you do the Bangalore Kochi leg already? If so please post the updates. I will be doing the same legs next week. Hence I would also like updates on both the legs.

Also has any one done the Idukki - Munnar stretch via Karimban, Vellathooval recently? Any updates on road conditions?

Avoid Kottayam route as work is going on in many stretches of MC Road. If you start early, you can cover Vytilla-Tvm in 5 hours non stop, if you drive in relaxed manner. The traffic builds up from Karunagapally on wards. Tvm- Nagarkovil should take an hour.

I would budget half an hour to an hour more for the Trivandrum - Nagercoil stretch. Very early morning may take an hour and 15 minutes. But easily an hour and a half during other times and two hours and more during peak evening traffic.

Consider 5 hr for normal drive. In Kerala always try to drive during late night or early morning to reduce driving time and fatigue.

Which route depends on your starting location. For early morning start both routes will be good, I will probably choose the 4 lane alappuzha road than MC road.

Nothing new to update. Last few pages has got recent information in detail. I will be driving next weekend to chalakudi.

I am driving on Friday (8/4) to Perumbavur. Travelling with wife and three kids, so no adventurous routes. Only worrisome zones seem to be Coimbatore bypass-KL border and The Kuthiran ghat stretch? Since Friday is not a holiday in KL I suppose taking the Palakkad-Shoranur-Thrissur route is probably a self-goal.

If I manage to start between 3 and 4 AM, I don't think I need to avoid Salem?

Going via Salem is recommended and with that early a start,you would cross Salem in a jiffy.The only problem section with taking the NH47 stretch is the Vadakkencheri-Mannuthy section where the road shoulders are suspect especially between Vadakencheri and Vaniyampara. Chandranagar-Vadakencheri is easily done in around 30mins now a days and the remaining stretch can be done in about 45mins.Time wise shoranur and this is going to take more or less the same time now a days.

Shornur route or Pollachi route is not needed anymore. A 4 Am start from Bangalore means you should reach KL border around 10 AM. You may find a bit of traffic around Palakad, and that's all.

By the way 8th April is Ugadi, I am assuming no issues for you as you are starting early.

Didn't understand. What issues? It is a holiday for me at day job, so I'm taking the kids to their annual "spend time with grandparents in Kerala" vacation.

I meant no processions or celebrations on the road to slow you down

Well, our (KL's) Vishu and TN's Puthandu are on 14/4. Even in KA, is it celebrated in a public fashion like say, Vinayaka Chaturthi? I thought Ugadi is a very private and family-only affair.

Not yet, planning for the coming weekend.

Sure, I will take the alappuzha route. Is it a complete 4L till Trivandrum? If not, how many KMs are in 4L?

We are planning for a similar timing too, latest by 4:00 AM. Salem will be breeze if we cross before 7:00 AM.

Only the initial 30 kms or so is four lane. Rest is a two lane road ( reasonably wide but heavily trafficked). A 3 AM start would allow it to be covered in about 3.5 to 4 hrs. After 6 AM, I would estimate around 5.5 hrs. In evening traffic, you are looking at 6.5 hrs or more.

I did Thrissur ~ Shoranur stretch to and fro twice in last week and both the times Wadakkanchery ~ Thrissur was more crowded than usual and this will slow you down badly. In addition to this you will loose more time crossing Palakkad town instead if you stick to NH 47 Kuthiraan is the only bottle neck.

On another relief in Madukarai ~ Walayar stretch you can now start using K.G. Chavadi bye pass road, it had a smooth tarmac.

Cheers!

This is good news, hope you meant the flyover that forks to the left at KG Chavadi and then forks back to the main path of the NH after KG Chavadi bypassing the entire village. This was a work in progress zone during my drive to Palakkad in Dec 2015.

Yes! I meant the same bye pass. While driving from Madukarai it forks to the left near Amrita Engineering college road and forks back in near Sree Narayana Guru College. The main carriage way is still work in progress but then the temporary service road running parallel to the highway is having a good tarmac.

KG Chavadi Bye Pass