[HappyWheels]

Yes, there is a road from Avinashi, thru Palladam to Pollachi. We (when we did the Athirapally trip) took this route.

The road is a 2 way state highway, passing thru some arid places and with quite a few wind mills for company.

[lancer_rit]

Originally Posted by ampere

Then what I am referring to is NOT to go to CBE. At Pollachi you take a diversion to Palladam which joins Avinashi directly. As I read, here in this forum, this is a beautiful 2L road with hardly any traffic. This way you bypass CBE.

Maybe I didn't explain well. I don't recommend going to CBE either. I had made a halt @ CBE and drove onwards next afternoon.
My recommendation is to go straight from Udumalpet to Dharapuram which is shorter and does not pass through congestion of Avinashi and the 2-lane stretch of NH47 after going through it.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by lancer_rit

Maybe I didn't explain well. I don't recommend going to CBE either. I had made a halt @ CBE and drove onwards next afternoon.
My recommendation is to go straight from Udumalpet to Dharapuram which is shorter and does not pass through congestion of Avinashi and the 2-lane stretch of NH47 after going through it.

Even I took the same route through Dharapuram which you mention for Munnar. But thats when I realized there is an equally good road via Palladam.

By the way to branch at Perindurai, you will have to break from NH47 and go through Perindurai town.

Is it so much of a pain to hit the Palladam road from Avinashi? Do you need to do the 2L NH47 stretch to hit this road?

[lancer_rit]

Originally Posted by ampere

Even I took the same route through Dharapuram which you mention for Munnar. But thats when I realized there is an equally good road via Palladam.

By the way to branch at Perindurai, you will have to break from NH47 and go through Perindurai town.

Is it so much of a pain to hit the Palladam road from Avinashi? Do you need to do the 2L NH47 stretch to hit this road?

You're right about Perindurai. However, Avinashi is way worse (I remember reading posts by hvkumar to avoid Avinashi). Once I get my GPS tracks from the phone, I'll post more details.
Also, Pollachi-Palladam is 37km longer than Dharapuram route as per Google. There seems to be a Udumalpet -> Palladam direct road which is much shorter though i don't have a clue as to how the road condition is.

[pypkmsrikanth]

I personally would prefer doing Udumalaipettai - Dharapuram - Perundurai. Except for the level crossing for which the over bridge was almost ready when I last visited it has good roads all the way. And crossing through any of the town is not so difficult including Perundurai.

[ampere]

Refer to post #75 and #79 of this thread and comments by Xotiq. This is what I was talking about.

[Rajachu]

Originally Posted by ampere

From Udumalpet there is another option.

Udumalpet-Pollachi-Palladam-Avinashi-Salem-BLR

I am told Pollachi-Palladam-Avinashi is a belter and then its 4L.

Ampere,from udumelpett-palladam-Avinashi.No need of going to pollachi as palladam is in udumelpet -pollachi road only

Raj

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Rajachu

Ampere,from udumelpett-palladam-Avinashi.No need of going to pollachi as palladam is in udumelpet -pollachi road only

Raj

Thanks. Even I thought the same, but was not sure. How are Avinashi and Palladam as a place for small break?
Do you get small hotels around? Clean toilets?

[lancer_rit]

Originally Posted by Rajachu

Ampere,from udumelpett-palladam-Avinashi.No need of going to pollachi as palladam is in udumelpet -pollachi road only

Raj

Raj, you miswrote palladum on udumelpet-pollachi when you meant udumelpat-palladum road ? I did Udumalaipet - Pollachi on the way to Comibatore last Sunday, and Palladam is definitely not on that route. There is another separate route from Udumalpet to Palladum which is the straight road. Else one needs to take NH209 to Pollachi, and then take SH19 to Palladum. Please see the google map below.

[pypkmsrikanth]

Originally Posted by lancer_rit

Raj, you miswrote palladum on udumelpet-pollachi when you meant udumelpat-palladum road ? I did Udumalaipet - Pollachi on the way to Comibatore last Sunday, and Palladam is definitely not on that route. There is another separate route from Udumalpet to Palladum which is the straight road. Else one needs to take NH209 to Pollachi, and then take SH19 to Palladum. Please see the google map below.

He must have actually meant Udumalaipettai - Avinashi. Palladam certainly does not come between Udumalaipettai & Pollachi.

Edit: Has anyone tried Vijayamangalam - Uthukuli - Tiruppur - Palladam, would it be a viable alternative though if my memory serves correct there is one level crossing which you might get stuck at times.

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by lancer_rit

Avinashi and some stretch beyond is a pain since there is a lot of traffic on 2-lane undivided highway, and some of it is slow moving.
On my return, I had halted at Coimbatore for some work. Coimbatore-Avinashi was really slow and frustrating.
Definitely, best to do Udumalpet -> Dharapuram -> NH47 -> Salem -> BLR !

@luvurride, there are rough surfaces and some potholes on Mettur -> Bhavani -> NH47 route. Depending on when you are on the stretch, there is a good bit of traffic. Also, I don't think its easy to do this stretch in 70 mins (~77kmph) if one is on it the first time. My GPS tracks indicates an avg speed of ~55kmph.

@lancer_rit - You are right. That is why I said I take this only at nights past 9pm when there is less 2 wheeler traffic and no people to roam on the roads, plus I travel Erode-Blore atleast once or twice in a month, so I'm used to that route, hence the 70mins. btw the 70mins is between Thoppur and Bhavani only.

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by ampere

Thanks. Even I thought the same, but was not sure. How are Avinashi and Palladam as a place for small break?
Do you get small hotels around? Clean toilets?

@ampere - There is a BP Company owned outlet on your right just after the 4 lane ends when you drive from Perundurai towards Avinashi. They have clean toilets and good fuel.
Not much of any good hotels in Avinashi and Palladam AFAIK to have clean toilets.
They both are good for tea breaks and small bites, though.

[luvurride]

Guys, IMO, it is better off to stick to the Udumalpet-Dharapuram-Kangeyam-Perundurai-NH47 route.

The reasons:
1.Dharapuram- you just take the by-pass and skip town traffic.
2.Kangeyam and Perundurai never pose any serious traffic block issues.

Whereas it is most likely you may get into such problems in Palladam and Avinashi.

[ampere]

If there are traffic and road blocks at Avinashi and Palladam, then nothing like Dharapuram. Its a clean road.
Except for that railway over-bridge work at Perindurai, every thing else is fine.

[lancer_rit]

Finally, had a look at the GPS tracks. It seems I was driving @ less than 75kmph for a good ~15km past Avinashi.
So, my guess is that the 4-lane NH47 is atleast 15km past Avinashi out of the 37km to Perundarai.

So, I can recommend the Dharapuram route again :-)