[rohitoasis]

Originally Posted by rohitoasis

The stretch beyond Madukkarai till Walayar is not in the best shape. The last 4 Km before Walayar is pothole ridden like City roads these days.

Spooky thing today. Just last week i complained about the bad roads in Tamilnadu, today i see roads are patched up albeit in a slapdash manner. Now the roads look like an amateur effort at making paper pulp sculpture. Please continue being careful in this stretch. Anyway it does appear like someone reads this thread.

[ajithbr]

A quick question - on Mysore-Gundlupet-S.Bathery-Kalpetta-Kozhikode route, is there any work happening currently from Kerala Border to Kozhikode?
Last time about a month ago, got stuck around Kalpetta for about 30 minutes delay due to road works, and so checking this again now as I plan to drive this friday morning.

[binand]

Originally Posted by ajithbr

Last time about a month ago, got stuck around Kalpetta for about 30 minutes delay due to road works, and so checking this again now as I plan to drive this friday morning.

The Kalpetta bypass was in poor condition and Kerala's current hyperactive PWD minister wasn't happy about it - he even ordered the suspension of the engineers involved. I believe they are repairing the bypass on war footing as we speak.

[deathwalkr]

After many years i did a drive to Kochi and back.

18th, Left at 19.00 reached at 00.00. Took MC road upto Adoor then deviated to join NH at Kayamkulam.

World of difference between that MC road stretch and the NH stretch. So many potholes on the NH stretch.

Return was yesterday, left at 13.30 and reached at 19.00. Did a full NH stretch. While it was sad to see many majestic trees being chopped off, i was actually surprised to see the work going on for the impending NH expansion from Kollam to Kayamkulam.

Hope to see this state covered in a 4lane/6lane highway soon.

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by binand

These are all routes I used to take when I practiced Toll Avoidance Routing in the pre-Fastag days when toll-booth congestion was a major factor for planning trips. The problem with these routes are you are limited to a 30-40 kmph average speed in Kerala and 50-60 kmph in TN. Small towns like Nenmara are prone to traffic jams that take long time to resolve. So unless it is for the experience I wouldn't suggest these routes to anyone.

Plus joining back at Thoppur doesn't help much; far better to go further along and join back at Krishnagiri or Hosur (or go all the way to Bangalore). The Mecheri-Pennagaram road is a beauty to drive on.



This is fantastic timing - I have never been able to do this (1.5 hours for these ~100 km from Krishnagiri toll till home).

Yes, 1.5 hours was a surprise to me as well, from Krishnagiri toll gate to Indiranagar. But it was because the lorry traffic was unexpectedly thin and Attibelle toll gate was also not too much crowded. Today, it took 2 hours 10 minutes for me with moderate traffic and brief congestion in Madivala area.

As earlier, took an alternate route today as well to avoid taking the nasty Coimbatore bye-pass and Salem bye-pass stretches.
Timing is as below:
Thevara (next to Sacred Heart College) - Vadakkanchery Exit from NH : 2 hours
Vadakkanchery Exit - Nenmara - Kollengode - Pollachi - Palladam - Avinashi(join NH) : 2.5 hours
Avinashi(join NH) - Perundurai Bye-pass (lunch break) : 0.5 hours
Perundurai Bye-pass (lunch break) - Bhavani - Mettur - Thoppur(join NH) : 2 hours
Thoppur(join NH) - Krishnagiri Toll gate : 1 hour 15 minutes (ghat section slow traffic causing delay mainly)
Krishnagiri Toll gate - Indiranagar home : 2 hours 10 minutes

Overall, a very relaxed drive, especially off-NH part with very sparse traffic except in some towns enroute

[deathwalkr]

Did a quick drive to Thoothukudi and back from Trivandrum. I usually drive back from Tuti at 7PM to avoid the NGL-TVM traffic but this time fate played a cruel joke. Was doing decent times till Marthandam but to my horror there was a long queue on the Marthandam flyover! At 21.45. Sigh.

But funny part was my idle car was shaking from side to side almost as if some invisible giant was toying with my car. Then I remembered the old videos of the flyover inauguration where people where commenting about the flyover swaying.

Felt really really weird.

Finally reached home at 23.20.

[mail4ajo]

Folks, looking for restaurant recommendations in Kottayam, Kumarakom, Vembanad area. Must be great local food and outside city center. Ideally lakeside. Anything you can recommend?

[deathwalkr]

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

Did a quick drive to Thoothukudi and back from Trivandrum. I usually drive back from Tuti at 7PM to avoid the NGL-TVM traffic but this time fate played a cruel joke. Was doing decent times till Marthandam but to my horror there was a long queue on the Marthandam flyover! At 21.45. Sigh.

Sorry, forgot to add that the stretch between Kaliyakavalai and Marthandam is really horrendous. No exaggerations, it is really that bad.

So please be careful when you get to that stretch.

[sarathlal]

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

But funny part was my idle car was shaking from side to side almost as if some invisible giant was toying with my car.

True, one horrendously built flyover.

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

Sorry, forgot to add that the stretch between Kaliyakavalai and Marthandam is really horrendous. No exaggerations, it is really that bad.

So please be careful when you get to that stretch.

oh is it? They did a recent tarring of this stretch no?

[deathwalkr]

Originally Posted by sarathlal

True, one horrendously built flyover.



oh is it? They did a recent tarring of this stretch no?

It's all so fine till the Kerala border ends and after the Kaliakavalai bus stand, the stretch becomes absolutely horrendous. If you are not careful it can easily lead to some damages. Traffic slows down to a standstill as even trucks and buses take their time to navigate through the hellish stretch.

After the Marthandam flyover it is ok.

[sarathlal]

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

It's all so fine till the Kerala border ends and after the Kaliakavalai bus stand, the stretch becomes absolutely horrendous. If you are not careful it can easily lead to some damages. Traffic slows down to a standstill as even trucks and buses take their time to navigate through the hellish stretch.

After the Marthandam flyover it is ok.

Oh ok, thanks for the heads-up

[beejay]

Any idea on the best route to take from Thrissur towards Thiruvalla considering the present flood threats.
AC road is my normal route, however there is news that it is flooded at the moment.
Cherthala Thannermukkam Kottayam too must be the same.
Considering the rains, I think even Ambalapuzha to be the same.

Guessing Angamali to Koothatukulam is the only way now. Or are there any other options?

benny

[JohnnyBoss]

Originally Posted by beejay

Any idea on the best route to take from Thrissur towards Thiruvalla considering the present flood threats.
AC road is my normal route, however there is news that it is flooded at the moment.
Cherthala Thannermukkam Kottayam too must be the same.
Considering the rains, I think even Ambalapuzha to be the same.

Guessing Angamali to Koothatukulam is the only way now. Or are there any other options?

benny

Take the NH and turn at Ambalapuzha is the best bet as of now.

[beejay]

Thank you. I heard that some area near Edathua is flooded

[cooljai]

You can go straight up till haripad, onto Mavelikara and then to thiruvalla.