[deemash]

Originally Posted by JoeMichael

I would suggest Alathur - Chelakkara - Wadakkancherry route . It also has a couple of bad patches , but much better compared to Kuthiran

Last week (7th Oct) when I came back from Kochi even I was worried for the scratches / dents. It was dark around 8.30p and some biker hit my ORVM when squeezing thru non-existent gaps between trucks and cars. I drive Creta and the large ORVMs are prone for biker hit.

Last Saturday when I again went I avoided this route as Gmaps showed delay. I did plkd - ottapaalam - kulappully - shornur - thrissur route. Little longer but had peace of mind.

Only 'Kuthira' can 'run' over Kuthiran

[venkyhere]

Route help needed on which is best option from theni (should be starting from here at 0900) to ekm. Highest priority is for road surface, next priority is lesser duration of travel :

(1) theni-bodi-munthal-pooppara-chinnakkanal-devikulam-munnar-adimali-kothamangalam-thrippunithura-ekm

(2) theni-bodi-munthal-pooppara-rajakumari-rajakkad-vellathooval-adimali-kothamangalam-thrippunithura-ekm

(3) theni-cumbum-kumily-vandiperiyar-kuttikkanam-mundakkayam-kanjirappally-pala-ettumanoor-kaduthuruthy-thalayolapparambu-S.paravoor-thrippunithura-ekm

(4) theni-cumbum-kumily-vandiperiyar-kuttikkanam-mundakkayam-kanjirappally-kottayam-ettumanoor-kaduthuruthy-thalayolapparambu-S.paravoor-thrippunithura-ekm

On google maps, there are so many towns and roads between theni and ekm, that I am confused. 1&2 are the two northernmost options and 3&4 are the two southernmost options for covering this span. There maybe option 5,6 etc which you can suggest, that will have good road surface. I have no experience of this region, so kindly help.

[RGK]

Originally Posted by JoeMichael

Any one has taken Avinashi - Pollachi - Kollengode route recently ? Planning to travel one of the coming weekends to Kochi.

Avanashi - Palladam - Kudimangalam - Pollachi is the best alternative than NH47. Yes, the road is good till Pollachi. I drove Pollachi - Kollengode - Nemara - Vadakanchery - before April. It was good. No idea after this monsoon.
I hope you would have completed the travel, If so. please do an update.

[sparky@home]

These phone numbers have been promulgated by the highway police of Mannuthy and Vadakencherry to check for any traffic block at Kuthiran sector, as lot of false news is being spread thru media. Mannuthy Highway Police : 9946500121, Vadakencherry Highway Police : 99465 00113.

[JoeMichael]

Originally Posted by RGK

Avanashi - Palladam - Kudimangalam - Pollachi is the best alternative than NH47. Yes, the road is good till Pollachi. I drove Pollachi - Kollengode - Nemara - Vadakanchery - before April. It was good. No idea after this monsoon.
I hope you would have completed the travel, If so. please do an update.

Thanks for the update
I am planning to travel this weekend , Just want to take this route to avoid L&T stretch and of course for the scenic drive

[binand]

Originally Posted by JoeMichael

I am planning to travel this weekend , Just want to take this route to avoid L&T stretch and of course for the scenic drive

You could turn off from Perundurai itself and take Kangayam-Palladam-Pollachi. Great roads, and you'd avoid the Vijayamangalam toll also.

Palladam-Pollachi is arrow straight and butter smooth. Kudimangalam seems to involve a detour?

[deepclutch]

Originally Posted by venkyhere

Route help needed on which is best option from theni (should be starting from here at 0900) to ekm. Highest priority is for road surface, next priority is lesser duration of travel :

(1) theni-bodi-munthal-pooppara-chinnakkanal-devikulam-munnar-adimali-kothamangalam-thrippunithura-ekm

(2) theni-bodi-munthal-pooppara-rajakumari-rajakkad-vellathooval-adimali-kothamangalam-thrippunithura-ekm

(3) theni-cumbum-kumily-vandiperiyar-kuttikkanam-mundakkayam-kanjirappally-pala-ettumanoor-kaduthuruthy-thalayolapparambu-S.paravoor-thrippunithura-ekm

(4) theni-cumbum-kumily-vandiperiyar-kuttikkanam-mundakkayam-kanjirappally-kottayam-ettumanoor-kaduthuruthy-thalayolapparambu-S.paravoor-thrippunithura-ekm

On google maps, there are so many towns and roads between theni and ekm, that I am confused. 1&2 are the two northernmost options and 3&4 are the two southernmost options for covering this span. There maybe option 5,6 etc which you can suggest, that will have good road surface. I have no experience of this region, so kindly help.

Route through Rajakkad Adimaly may be the better option. Roads are narrow in this route. Pooppara-Rajakkad-Kallarkutty-Adimaly-Kothamangalam-Ernakulam. From Kothamangalam, if you are traveling to northern parts of Kochi (Kaloor/Edapally/Palarivattom etc), choose Kothamangalam-Perumbavoor-Aluva route. For Vyttila, Ravipuram, Thevara and southern areas it should be via Kothamangalam-Muvattupuzha-Kolenchery-Thrippunithura NH85.

Also, the 3rd route is Cumbum-Kumily-Pala-Monippally-Elanji-Piravom-Vyttila-Ernakulam route, which is also a good choice.

[nair]

T-Bhpians, any idea on the status of Kochi - Munnar route in light of the recent rains?

[venkyhere]

Originally Posted by deepclutch

Route through Rajakkad Adimaly may be the better option. Roads are narrow in this route. Pooppara-Rajakkad-Kallarkutty-Adimaly-Kothamangalam-Ernakulam.

heard the whole pooppara munnar area roads are devastated for sometime now (even before recent rains) - source : another forum. Do you know whether that is indeed the case ?

Originally Posted by deepclutch

Also, the 3rd route is Cumbum-Kumily-Pala-Monippally-Elanji-Piravom-Vyttila-Ernakulam route, which is also a good choice.

Yes, this is longer, but smoother surface (relatively) is what I heard

[pramodpk]

Drove to Kerala via Kuthiran on October 25th. Reached Kuthiran around 12:00 noon and there was a huge line of trucks. Was stuck at the same place for 20 mins just before Kuthiran. After that, traffic started moving. Had to crawl through the entire stretch in 1st gear (more due to slow moving truck than the road condition) and finally crossed Kuthiran at 12:40 PM. After Kuthiran, the road till Mannuthy has many craters near the diversions. I had drive through Kuthiran last on October 12th and the road condition has deteriorated further. Hence, decided not to take the Kuthiran route for my Bangalore drive yesterday.

Deviated from Mannuthy and came via Wadakkancherry -Chelakkara -Pazahyannur and rejoined the highway at Alathur. Deviated from Mannuthy around 6:30 AM and reached Alathur around 7:50 AM. Distance is 27 KMs more compared to Kuthiran and took around 35 mins more(if Kuthiran was in OK condition). This route also has broken sections in towns and could easily take more than 2 hours to cover during day time.

[deemash]

Drove to KL on Oct 25th. Reached Vadakkancherry (NH 544) at 9pm. Stopped to have a tea break at the end of the Walayar - Vadakkancherry 4 lane road. Saw google map and it was showing +45 minutes delay at Kuthiran. I actually forgot to check the traffic problem at Kuthiran when I reached Palakkad. So I asked the tea shop guy at Vadakkancherry on how to avoid Kuthiran as I have come this far. There is a right turn as soon as the Vadakkancherry bridge starts when you go towards Thrissur (work in progress for this bridge). He said it will join Pazhayannur. So took right turn and it took me to Padur and then joined Kavassery (alathur - pazhannur route). This route is bit narrow with minimal night vision. But there was no much traffic on this route and has little bad patches, but not a big issue. From Kavassery took left to join the main route which took me to Pazhayannur - Chelakara - Vadakkaancherry - Thrissur (NH544) - Edappally - Kundanur - Aroor - Cherthala. Road is not good as soon as you get down the Vadakkaancherry ROB for about 500 to 600 meters.
At Kundanur we had traffic snarl even at midnight for about 15 minutes due to rain and only one lane was opened for people going in both directions. There is a big pothole before we approach Kundanur.

Return we came on 28th October, started from Cherthala at 6.45 pm. Took the Aroor - Thoppumpady - venduruthi bridge - mg road - Maharajas - High court - container road and joined kalamassery. This route was taken to avoid traffic problems at Kundanur - Vytilla - Edappaly stretch. The Edappally - Thoppumpady recently tarred (may be 1 layer tar) due to some King. He was supposed to use this route to go somewhere. . But he eventually took some other route. However, it benefited locals. Kuthiran showed no traffic snarls in Gmaps. So went thru Kuthiran. Still tarring is not done . Big potholes everywhere and literally no roads. But escaped without block. Took 4.5 hours including tea break to do Cherthala - CBE.

PS: There was toll at Container road. As usual I showed him my FasTag and told no cash. They don't have FasTag implemented yet and they allow if you don't have cash.

[shashant]

What is the current road condition leading to Munnar from Bangalore (Via dharmapuri->Erode route).

I will be travelling from Pune with a stopover at Bangalore.

[JoeMichael]

Originally Posted by RGK

Avanashi - Palladam - Kudimangalam - Pollachi is the best alternative than NH47. Yes, the road is good till Pollachi. I drove Pollachi - Kollengode - Nemara - Vadakanchery - before April. It was good. No idea after this monsoon.
I hope you would have completed the travel, If so. please do an update.

Travelled to Kottayam on Oct 25th and took the Pollachi route. Drive was pretty smooth till we entered Kerala , though with higher than normal traffic. Roads are decent to ok on the Kerala side with a couple of good stretches. But
too much time lost due to traffic .

Returned to Bangalore on Nov 1st and took Chelakkara - Alathur option. Could see quite a few interstate buses and trucks taking this route. My friend took the Kuthiran route yesterday. Apparently there was no traffic block but there were craters on the road all along.

[RGK]

Originally Posted by shashant

What is the current road condition leading to Munnar from Bangalore (Via dharmapuri->Erode route).

I will be traveling from Pune with a stopover at Bangalore.

1. This is a shorter one - Dharmapuri - Salem - Sangakiri - Bhavani - Perundurai - Chennaimalai - Kangeyam - Dharapuram - Udumalapet - Munnar.

2. Dharmapuri - Salem - Namakkal - Karur - Dharapuram - Udumalpet - Munnar. This may be a bit longer, but need not cross towns like Perundurai - Chennaimalai - Kangeyam. You can drive in NH till Karur and take the Coimbatore Exit (right turn under the ROB at Karur) and drive 3 km and take left to Dharapuram (The signboard on the left will have "Palani" only and not Dharapuram). Joining Udumalpet road from Karur in Dharapuram is also simpler with less amount of traffic.

If you prefer option 1, then do note that crossing Dharapuram from Kangeyam will consume more time due to bridge and road widening works.

No need to touch Erode and the roads are good in both the options, I recommend the second option.

[shashant]

Originally Posted by RGK

If you prefer option 1, then do note that crossing Dharapuram from Kangeyam will consume more time due to bridge and road widening works.

No need to touch Erode and the roads are good in both the options, I recommend the second option.

Much thanks. I will take second option as suggested