Team-BHP - All Roads to Kerala

Quote:

Originally Posted by Repsol (Post 4409950)

I normally do something similar, by just showing it without rolling down the windows. stupid:

I too was doing the same. showing the receipt without lowering the glass. I do the same at NICE road exits here in Bangalore too. But still, stopping at so many points within such a short distance is a real momentum breaker.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NPV (Post 4409945)

After paying the full toll amount at the first plaza, I placed the receipt on the top edge of the driver side window glass in such a way that it stayed pressed there. I did not have to roll down the glass anywhere alomg the way, just pointed to the receipt location :)

Been doing exactly this for 5 years now. :) I have to say, the quality of tarmac on L&T bypass is getting horrible - no attempt to repair it. Also, the staff are extremely lazy compared to a few years ago - they keep only 1 booth open in either direction, even though they must open 2 each.

One more hack on the L&T bypass is this. Multiple lanes are usually open only at the extreme end booths; the middle ones normally have only one lane open. If the queue at the open lane is longer than to your liking you can go towards the blocked lane and honk; they will open it up and let you go (and all those who follow you).

I think L&T is supposed to keep all lanes open and usually they shirk it; I picked up this technique after observing many local (TN37/TN99 etc.) doing exactly this.

Hi,

Please advise the better route of the two in the attachment, travelling with family consisting of senior citizens and toddlers, from Trivandrum airport to Thiruchendur next week, should be starting at around 8 AM. Will be returning to Kollam via Thirunelveli, Schenkottai, Thenmala.
Regards
Shailesh

Quote:

Originally Posted by aspire (Post 4411312)

Hi,

Please advise the better route of the two in the attachment, travelling with family consisting of senior citizens and toddlers, from Trivandrum
Shailesh

When checking for route directions last Nov, for Kanyakumari - Thiruchendur I was told to take route via Thirunelvelli since road conditions are good.

I did Kanyakumari- Kundamkulam - Uvari - Thiruchendur route since I had to visit few places enroute. This route is slow, though road conditions are descent. You can find road pics here

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpksuhas (Post 4412223)

I had gone to Kanyakumari from Kollam, last year, Somehow ended up in a horrible road, hundreds of turns, narrow roads, pathetic in short, I think Poovar was enroute, finally reached Kanyakumari, Next day drove to Thiruchendur, Via Kundankulam, saw the plant outline from a distance, the road was decent, the return to kollam was via Thenmala, but took some other route to reach Thenmala, which was a disaster, total broken tarmac for close to an hour :(, just want to avoid that particular stretch, don't exactly recall the route or that section of the route which was bad.

(Posting it here for better visibility)

Planning for a trip to Pathanamthitta mid june. Starting 14th noon, stop over at Theni/cumbam overnight and then continue my drive next day towards Kerala.

Need to cover a temple in pathanamthitta on 15th morning as well. since I am travelling with kids, need your inputs on the plan below

Day1 - 14th noon - Start from KR puram at 1.30 PM on 14th, follow the route - https://goo.gl/maps/BKQXnSR9ZPB2 and try to reach Theni beofre 10 PM that night
Day2 - 15th Morning/8 AM - Check out and Leave to Pathanamthitta - https://goo.gl/maps/mKUZK1qzPT72, Check into wisteriakuttikkanam.com or mistyresort.com enroute and continue to Pathanamthitta and return the same day.

I see Jabbar international in Cumbam or Western gatz theni as viable options.

15th and 16th - nightstay in the resort

Day 4 - 17th Morning - Check out around 10 AM and head to Bangalore.

Anything I should be wary about ? Weather seems to be a concern since there is a Ghat section involved and Monsoon rains have arrived.
Anyone from Cumbam or around can help me get an idea how it would be ?

Appreciate your help
Kishore

Quote:

Originally Posted by kishore1984 (Post 4413873)

(Posting it here for better visibility)

Planning for a trip to Pathanamthitta mid june. Starting 14th noon, stop over at Theni/cumbam overnight and then continue my drive next day towards Kerala.

I'm not sure about the route on that part of Kerala from Tamil Nadu.
But one common thing in Kerala now is South West Monsoon, it is raining heavily throughout the state and need to be very careful with the ghat roads about landslide and tree falls.
I know you'll be on the trip already so will suggest to check with locals / resort folks about the approach road.
Have a safe trip.

Cheers!

Just an update on the KUTHIRAN stretch after Vadkancherry to Trichur NH 544. There are very bad traffic blocks due to the very bad condition of the road, an after effect of the heavy rains. It advisable to turn from Alathur and come via Chelakara to the Trichur Shornur Road.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparky@home (Post 4417931)

There were some recent landslides in and around the tunnel approach road and this is causing this traffic snarls. It was even published in recent news papers.

Cheers!

We had a relatively stress-free drive through the barricade-infested Bhavani bypass - Salem - Dharmapuri stretch on Sunday afternoon. Reason? Most of the barricades were pushed aside, facilitating smooth traffic, and significant police presence at every intersection to rein in cross traffic. Other than the odd suicidal biker who lacked skill (since I could avoid him) and a couple of bush-men demigods (trying to show their might but failed because the Fortuner in front of me honked the living daylights out of them), it was by far uneventful.

All thanks to some politicos' visit to Salem area and we passed the area just in time to avoid major snarls while taking advantage of the security arrangements :)

Crossed Walayar at 14:45. Stopped for a half an hour break at Sree Saravana Bhavan near Sankagiri at 16:15. Another 15 minutes break at Thoppur toll plaza. Finally almost an hour long dinner break at A2B Hosur at around 8 o'clock. Crossed E-City toll booth at around 21:20.

Except in the Krishnagiri toll booth, traffic in the FASTag lane was moving just as fast/slow as the other lanes. The toll booth personnel were doing a fine job at Krishnagiri - vehicles without FASTag were directed to the cash-only/hybrid lanes well ahead of the start of the lane, so that vehicles with FASTag could move at a steady pace without actually stopping to get the tag read.