[motorsan]

Originally Posted by mithun

How is the road condition from Pala to Thekkady?

I traveled through this route in the beginning of April. Road conditions were very good. Route followed: Kumily-Vandipperiyar-Kanjirappalli-Pala.

[sachinpk]

Gents - may have to make a Sunday afternoon rush towards Kozhikode from Bangalore. Can only leave Bangalore city after 2PM. My understanding is that the Muthanga forest check post gets only closed after 9PM (where as Bavali check post gets closed at 6PM).

With a 2PM start from the city, I feel I should be able to cross Muthanga before the barriers fall down. Will the Kanakpura-Malavalli-Bannur-Nanjangud-Gundlupet route be a better option that the usual route to Mysore, or the alternate route via Chamraj Nagar to Gundlupet?

[SAPVEN]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

With a 2PM start from the city, I feel I should be able to cross Muthanga before the barriers fall down. Will the Kanakpura-Malavalli-Bannur-Nanjangud-Gundlupet route be a better option that the usual route to Mysore, or the alternate route via Chamraj Nagar to Gundlupet?

Yes, Muthanga check post closes by 9.00 pm, but its always better to reach the checkpost at Gundulpet end, by around 8.40 ( to avoid being turned back!) . For a 2pm start, it is better to use the right royal expressway via Ramanagaram, Maddur, Mandya .You can easily reach Gundlupet by around 6.30 - 7.00 pm, even at a a decent pace.
Have done this so many times from Bangalore, normally starting by around
3.00pm.
Good luck !!

[sajidclt]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

Will the Kanakpura-Malavalli-Bannur-Nanjangud-Gundlupet route be a better option that the usual route to Mysore, or the alternate route via Chamraj Nagar to Gundlupet?

For my last few trips, I have been taking the Bannur route as I have found it to be faster than the Chamrajnagar route. Also, considering you are starting around 2 PM, even the regular Bangalore-Mysore highway should be fine.

[rajesh1868]

Traveling to Kochi tomorrow and will be taking Salem- Comimbatore-Palakkad- Thrissur route.
A question on Fastag. Across tolls, are there still dedicated Fastag lanes or is it common lanes for all?

[binand]

Originally Posted by rajesh1868

A question on Fastag. Across tolls, are there still dedicated Fastag lanes or is it common lanes for all?

I think except at Attibele toll (where all lanes are Fastag enabled) and the L&T bypass at Coimbatore, the dedicated lane is functional just fine on all booths till Thrissur.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by rajesh1868

A question on Fastag. Across tolls, are there still dedicated Fastag lanes or is it common lanes for all?

Most/probably all tolls have dedicated lanes on this route (don't know beyond Walayar). However, during long weekends, as a traffic control measure, they sometimes open them up for cash payment as well (so that any vehicle can use the lane).

[knightrider_7]

Did a 3 day trip to Coorg from 24-26 April.

For the onward journey, took Thamarassery- Kutta- Nagarhole- Kushalnagar route. The roads were good throughout, except for some bad stretches near the Hunsur side checkpost. Since I was driving the S-Cross, those roads were not an issue.

Return was through Madikeri- Tala Kavery- Bekal fort- Payyambalam beach- Thalassery- Calicut. Here, the bad stretches were near the Kerala- Karnataka border for a few kms. Apart from that, the only issue was the maddening traffic in NH 66 between Kannur and Mahe.

[cooljai]

Just back from a trip to Chengannur from Bangalore, the roads are good throughout, can see that the approach road towards the kuthiran tunnel on the Trichur side has now been tarred and have markings and signboards.
The other point that we noticed were that there are speed camera sensors being setup on the Palakkad to Vadakkencherry stretch, too many of them at very close intervals. Some on the exit side of the approach roads of flyovers, making it difficult to notice from far. FastTag worked on all the tolls except for the Coimbatore bypass.

[Flyer]

Hi Guys, Does anyone know which are the COCO pumps (IOC, HP, BP) along NH47 between Kochi and Trivandrum? TIA

[4Runner]

Hello all, apologies on the last minute query but extreme boredom on a Saturday has forced us to plan to depart from Bangalore to Kochi tomorrow morning by 3 or 4 am. Was hoping for any tips for the Salem Coimbatore Thrissur Kochi route. How are the roads? Is there crazy construction work that can be avoided? Any specific bypasses I need to watch out for to avoid going in and out of town enroute? And lastly, how is the route via BR Hills? Is it worth the extra time? Really really bored of travelling till Salem on the usual highway. Thanks!

[NPV]

Originally Posted by vasant.guru@gma

Was hoping for any tips for the Salem Coimbatore Thrissur Kochi route. How are the roads? Is there crazy construction work that can be avoided? Any specific bypasses I need to watch out for to avoid going in and out of town enroute? And lastly, how is the route via BR Hills? Is it worth the extra time? Really really bored of travelling till Salem on the usual highway. Thanks!

Regular route via NH (Salem-Coimbatore-Palakkad-Thrissur) is fine and will be fast with a 3-4am start. This route may slow you down probably beyond Thrissur but that should be manageable. You also have the advantage of lesser traffic since you're starting on Sunday (most of the holiday weekend traffic would have traveled today).
Why would you want to go via BR Hills ? Did you mean to take the Chamarajanagar-Dhimbam-Sathy route ? No great advantage really , just stick to NH route.
No alarming construction activity as well - a partially complete flyover in Salem and even the kuthiran ghat and Coimbatore bypass should not bother you with such an early start.
Drive safe and have a great trip!

[4Runner]

Originally Posted by NPV

Regular route via NH (Salem-Coimbatore-Palakkad-Thrissur) is fine and will be fast with a 3-4am start. This route may slow you down probably beyond Thrissur but that should be manageable. You also have the advantage of lesser traffic since you're starting on Sunday (most of the holiday weekend traffic would have traveled today).
Why would you want to go via BR Hills ? Did you mean to take the Chamarajanagar-Dhimbam-Sathy route ? No great advantage really , just stick to NH route.
No alarming construction activity as well - a partially complete flyover in Salem and even the kuthiran ghat and Coimbatore bypass should not bother you with such an early start.
Drive safe and have a great trip!

Thank you so much Sir! Will stick to the normal route

[binand]

Drove back from Kochi to Bangalore yesterday (10 AM - 7 PM).

1. A second flyover in Salem bypass is now opened for traffic. When coming towards Bangalore this one starts immediately after the currently completed one ends. About a hundred metres at the ramps at both ends are yet to be surfaced properly, but traffic - local and intercity - is using it quite happily.

2. The traffic calming system on wheels that TN cops use have now spread northwards from Krishnagiri. Noticed them at a couple of locations even on the upslope/ghat section before Hosur. Be aware.

Tollbooths: Paliyekkara had unilaterally closed the fastag lane and the guard was trying to divert traffic to adjacent ones, but then some local drivers created a ruckus so they had to reopen it. Lost a few minutes here. Attibele is always bad ever since they installed sensors on all lanes. All other tollbooths were a breeze.

Kuthiran: first time in years since I took the Kuthiran route in full daytime. Looked like if they work peacefully and wholeheartedly they can get at least one tunnel going in another month. My son took some pics on his phone, let me see if there are any good ones.

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by binand

2. The traffic calming system on wheels that TN cops use have now spread northwards from Krishnagiri. Noticed them at a couple of locations even on the upslope/ghat section before Hosur. Be aware.

You mean the interceptor? That was one thing missing along this route and which made the drives so effortless.