National Highway 47 (India)

National Highway 47, commonly referred to as NH 47, is a busy highway that runs through some parts of Tamil Nadu and the south-west coast of Kerala state in India. The highway touches the cities of Salem, Avinashi, Coimbatore, Palakkad, Trichur, Cochin, Kollam all the way to the southern tip of India around Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum). It is easily accessible to most residents of Western Kerala, and runs within a few kilometers of Cochin International Airport, located in Nedumbassery, and another international airport, Trivandrum International Airport in the city of Thiruvananthapuram and Coimbatore airport. The road is the part of National Highway network of India, and it is officially listed as running over 650 km (390 miles) from Salem to Kanyakumari (both in Tamil Nadu).

Traffic

NH 47 is subject to high volumes of traffic like NH45, often bumper-to-bumper. The highway has many stores and restaurants bordering it including some of the best dosai stands in all of India. Traffic is especially gridlocked as the road runs through the city of Coimbatore.

Towns connected

Kanyakumari, Padmanabhapuram, Nagercoil, Thukalay, Kaliyikkavilai, Parassala, Neyyattinkara, Thiruvananthapuram city, Kazhakkuttam, Attingal, Chathannur, Kottayam, Kollam, Karunagappally, Kayamkulam, Haripad, Ambalappuzha, Alappuzha, Cherthala (bypass), Aroor, Ernakulam (bypass), Kalamassery, Aluva, Angamali, Chalakkudy, Thrissur (bypass), Mannuthi, Vadakkanchery, Alathur, Palakkad (bypass), Walayar(Coimbatore District Border), Madukkarai, Kuniyamuthur, Coimbatore (bypass), Neelambur, Kaniyur, Karumathampatti, Avinashi, Perumanallur(Coimbatore District), Bhavani, Perunthurai, Sankari, and Salem.

Status

Though the Government of India is investing in widening the National Highways, NH47 is predominantly a two-lane highway for most parts. The stretch from Angamaly (in Ernakulam District) to Cherthala (in Alappuzha District) is almost completely four-laned along the Bypass to Ernakulam City. However, the junction at Edappally with NH-17(which runs to Mumbai via Kozhikkode, Mangalore and Goa) is a very congested junction. The road Widening has started at the Salem End of the Highway and the 4 laning work is 70% finished in the Salem-Sankari stretch and there is a new bridge is being built on the Cauvery river at Bhavani Kooduthurai. and many fly overs are comming up in many places. Widening is in progress from Walayar (Kerala- Tamil Nadu Border, Palakkad District, Kerala) to Angamaly via Mannuthy and Thrissur City Bypass. Major flyovers are planned along the way, at Chalakkudy in Thrissur district and Edappally in Ernakulam. The NHAI has also announced that widening of roads from Cherthala to Kanyakumari will also be undertaken shortly. The Trivandrum Bypass is also almost complete. Bypasses for Alappuzha and Kollam are under construction and a bypass for Attingal is also under consideration.