[Rajesh Rawal]

Pune-Bhandardara-Igatpuri-Mumbai-Pune

Drove from pune to bhandardara -approx 181km.

Route to take pune-nashik highway till a place called Bhote -NH50(4 lane till chakan post that single lane highway )

Once you reach bhote get onto the SH 21 and go all the way to paldane (the whole route is very scenic ,the state highway goes through few small villages)

Once one crosses paldane follow the route leading to rajur and then to bhandardara.(total heaven in the rains ,its been a while i saw so much greenery)

Way Back:-

Drove back taking the long route -NH3 till mumbai(4 laned) ,stopped at manas resort for snacks (fog all around)

Connected to the the mumbai-pune expressway post thane.

[siddheshb]

Pune-Mulshi-Mangaon-Mhasla-Diveagar-Shriwardhan-Harihareshwar-Mhasla-Mahad-Varandha-Bhor-Pune

Key Recommendations:

Mulshi-Tamhini is by far the best option for Puneites getting down into Konkan (unless you prefer expressway-Panvel). The road has a few very bad patches, where my recommendation is go take it really slow unless you want your suspension to take some real bad thuds. But for most part, the road is well maintained, considering all the rain it has taken.

Avoid Varandha at any cost. The surface is broken, the edges are jagged, shoulders are full of 6-12 inches soft mud/sludge, and the heavy fog and rain at night made it a nightmare - especially with the bad diesel I filled up in Mahad, and a blown fuse.

Mangaon-Mhasla-Diveagar-Shriwardhan-Harihareshwar and most of the area is a pleasure to drive - good surface, winding roads, great people. However, the Shriwardhan-Mhasla-Mahad road is a disaster - narrow, bad surface. Also a word of caution - most of these roads do not show up, or show up wrong, on Map My India navigators. My advice - take some Google Map printouts as backup.

[gadadhar]

Thought of starting this thread to keep the updates focused to condition of Coimbatore – Walayar - Kuthiran – Thrissur road. Since it is Onam and holiday season there will be lot of BHPians doing this road, it will be big help if we can have a periodic update of the work happening here. Undoubtedly this is the fastest option and hence will be preferred by most if it is in decent drivable shape.
Hope to see post from BHPians soon

[siddheshb]

For folks driving down to Goa from Pune, the Kolhapur-Nipani-Ajara-Amboli route is still the best. Once you cross Nipani and hit the ghat, take right to Uttur and Azara. The road had a lot of potholes a few weeks back, but those have been filled with rubble and dirt, making it much better (and for SUVs, no problem at all). Most of the road is in very good state. A small patch just before Amboli is bad, but extends for just a few meters.

After Amboli ghat, sedans should continue to Sawantwadi and then on to Goa. SUVs can take the left immediately after Daneli and exit at Banda. This internal road is in bad shape, and not recommended for sedans, although it's passable and actually saves 10-15 km in distance and a lot of time.


For folks from Mumbai, my advice is to take the Expressway to Pune and then continue to Goa. NH17 is not that great an idea any more - road passing through heavily populated markets (the bypass idea yet to take off), and for most part, incoming traffic with undivided lanes make it slow and dangerous.

[Tempelhof]

Can someone let me know the current route condition between Salem and Neyveli Township?

When I search for ways to go to Neyveli from Bangalore, one of the routes suggested by Google Maps is the Bangalore - Salem - Neyveli.

Thanks in advance.

[aargee]

Salem - Vazhapadi has ongoing road construction (including Vazhapadi byepass) for 15 Km which is still manageable;

Vazhapadi - Attur - Chinna Salem stretch is bliss; one cannot ask more than 4 lane for such empty stretches.

I'm not quite familiar anything between Chinna Salem onwards towards Vridhachalam towards Neyveli; I hope it's good too

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by aargee

I'm not quite familiar anything between Chinna Salem onwards towards Vridhachalam towards Neyveli; I hope it's good too

The better option would be to get to Ulundurpet and then go via Vriddachalam. This costs 20 km extra, but has good roads till Vriddachalam. Am not aware of Vriddachalam-Neyveli.

Vikravandi-Panruti-Neyveli is a disaster, and is a strict no-no.

[ilangop]

Originally Posted by Tempelhof

Can someone let me know the current route condition between Salem and Neyveli Township?

When I search for ways to go to Neyveli from Bangalore, one of the routes suggested by Google Maps is the Bangalore - Salem - Neyveli.

Thanks in advance.

Hello Tempelhof,
I am from Neyveli township, but currently in Pune since 2007.
There is also a possibility to travel via tiruvannamalai for which you will have to go to Panruti - Arasur - Villupuram - Tiruvannamalai - B'lore.
Panruti - Arasur route is not a disaster as compared to Panruti - Vikravandi road.
If you want to go via Salem, Neyveli - Virudachalam road is also good. No damage to vehicles. But the Virudachalam - Aatur road is a single road and some pacthes of this road were usually notoriously poor. Since this stretch will be small, you can negotiate it with the least difficulty. Happy journey.
-Ilango

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by ilangop

There is also a possibility to travel via tiruvannamalai for which you will have to go to Panruti - Arasur - Villupuram - Tiruvannamalai - B'lore.

Krishnagiri-Tiruvannamalai is a disaster and is avoided like plague So option is to either come up-north via Arcot-Vandavasi-Tindivanam or south via Salem. The latter amounts to a lesser distance and tolls than the former.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Tempelhof

Can someone let me know the current route condition between Salem and Neyveli Township?
When I search for ways to go to Neyveli from Bangalore, one of the routes suggested by Google Maps is the Bangalore - Salem - Neyveli.

Salem-Ulundurpet-Virudhachalam-Neyveli is the best option.

Originally Posted by ilangop

Hello Tempelhof,
I am from Neyveli township, but currently in Pune since 2007.
There is also a possibility to travel via tiruvannamalai for which you will have to go to Panruti - Arasur - Villupuram - Tiruvannamalai - B'lore.
Panruti - Arasur route is not a disaster as compared to Panruti - Vikravandi road.
If you want to go via Salem, Neyveli - Virudachalam road is also good. No damage to vehicles. But the Virudachalam - Aatur road is a single road and some pacthes of this road were usually notoriously poor. Since this stretch will be small, you can negotiate it with the least difficulty. Happy journey.
-Ilango

If one wants to take the route Tiruvannamalai, the best option would be :

Krishnagiri-Karimangalam-Morappur-Harur-Thirukkoilur-Ulundurpet-Virudhachalam-Neyveli.

I think Harur-Thirukkoilur can be used to bypass Tiruvannamalai totally. But I dont know the road condition. Earlier there was a discussion to try that route once !

[Tempelhof]

Originally Posted by ilangop

Hello Tempelhof,
There is also a possibility to travel via tiruvannamalai for which you will have to go to Panruti - Arasur - Villupuram - Tiruvannamalai - B'lore.Happy journey.
-Ilango

I'd like to avoid Thiruvannamalai as the Krishnagiri - Thiruvannamalai road is too bad.

[Tempelhof]

Originally Posted by ampere

Salem-Ulundurpet-Virudhachalam-Neyveli is the best option.

Even if I have to take another 75 kms more, I'd prefer a route that's clean and good. With a Civic, I don't want to try the Thiruvannamalai route.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Tempelhof

Even if I have to take another 75 kms more, I'd prefer a route that's clean and good. With a Civic, I don't want to try the Thiruvannamalai route.

Venki I think had mentioned some time back that one should not take the road to Virudhachalam which emanates out of Ulundurpet. You should take the next exit.

Here is the route which you should take:

Bypass to Virudhachalam

Elavarasan seems to have an direct route to this SH. But I dont know whats is its status.

I meant this : route.

[Tempelhof]

So, is this the final recommendation:

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=I...,3,4,5&t=m&z=9

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Tempelhof

So, is this the final recommendation:

Made a small change. Look at point B. You dont need to get into Ulundurpet.

Route Link