[ph03n!x]

Update from this morning's drive - started from CBE at 7.30, reached Madurai at 11.30 - incl. a one hour breakfast halt - I drove a Thar, didn't cross 100 KMPH the whole journey.

This is the route I took.


Coimbatore to Avinashipalayam (orange section) is mostly two-laned. Surface is fair to very good. Nothing to worry about. Takes less than an hour's travel.

Avinashipalayam to Oddanchatram (green section) is 4 laned, beautiful SH37. Except for the barricades that you need to watchout for, and a couple of signals, this road is bliss - took me 45 minutes.

The red stretch from Oddanchatram to Dindugul - I should have avoided. It took about 25 minutes to cross this stretch and get on to NH44. The surf5 seems to have been battered in the last monsoons, and there is road amid patchworks (I think).

Overall, nothing terrible to worry about - Octavias and 3s were flying low past me in the good stretches, and let me pass on that red part but were not struggling/ scraping or anything.

I should try what @narayans80 has suggested in this, taken Kannivadi stretch (black circle) instead of NH83 -

Originally Posted by narayans80

...
CBE-Palladam-Dharapuram-Kannivadi-Aravakurichi.

Roads were in great shape. Minimal traffic. Just watch out for speed breakers.
...

Originally Posted by ampere

...
Very nice to hear this! So one can enjoy nice interior 2-lanes and join at Dindigul.

Almost!

Originally Posted by venkyhere

Thank you @narayans80 @ravib
When I look closer, a few more possibilities open up - 1.6, 1.7, 1.8.
Currently sticking to 1.6 as you recommended, but are 1.7 and 1.8 also equally good (asking because 1.7, 1.8 allow for a longer share of the distance on the NH81) ?

If you're doing your drive before Sunday, see my update and take the Kannivadi stretch as suggested by @narayans80. If it's after Sunday, I'll post my update when I return to CBE!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ph03n!x

Avinashipalayam to Oddanchatram (green section) is 4 laned, beautiful SH37. Except for the barricades that you need to watchout for, and a couple of signals, this road is bliss - took me 45 minutes.

Wow! Did not realise this section is 4-lane! Beautiful to note !

[smnrock]

Originally Posted by ph03n!x

should try what @narayans80 has suggested in this, taken Kannivadi stretch (black circle) instead of NH83

Not sure what i'm missing here. Is there any connection between @narayans80 suggestion of aravakurichi route and kannivadi route you marked in black. I'm not sure whether there is another kannivadi between dharapuram and aravakurichi route. May be he meant mulanur?

Secondly, I doubt the kannivadi route you marked better than dindigul route, as the former will have too many speed breakers and traffic. At best it should be at least same experience as dindigul route. Based on my personal experience, madurai to palani is always preferred via dindigul.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by ph03n!x

The red stretch from Oddanchatram to Dindugul - I should have avoided. It took about 25 minutes to cross this stretch and get on to NH44. The surf5 seems to have been battered in the last monsoons, and there is road amid patchworks (I think).

Dindigul - Agaram - Navamarathu - Oddanchataram is a good alternate route. Some stretches are narrow but very less traffic and roads are in good condition.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by smnrock

Not sure what i'm missing here. Is there any connection between @narayans80 suggestion of aravakurichi route and kannivadi route you marked in black.

Yes both are different. The route am mentioning is this. Yes it passes via Mulanur. I thought the place where the road separates to Aravakurichi was Kannivadi. It is marked as Kannaivadi.

There are speed breakers, but the road is near empty from the point you turn from Dharapuram-Karur road all the way till you enter Aravakurichi.

BTW the Vadipatti-Sempatty-Oddanchatram route was being 4-laned about a year back. Am not sure on current status though.

[venkyhere]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Yes both are different. The route am mentioning is this. Yes it passes via Mulanur. I thought the place where the road separates to Aravakurichi was Kannivadi. It is marked as Kannaivadi.

There are two kannivadi's as per Gmaps -> the one you mention, and the other one located south-south-east of oddachantram. What's the probablity of two similarly named places located in the same vicinity (there are many places sharing names but they are very far apart) ? Hence all the confusion.

[venkyhere]

Friends,
Kindly help me with one more query.
Road from Tirunelveli to Sankarankovil (SH 41 marked in gmaps) and road from Sankarankovil to NH7 (SH 76 marked in gmaps).
How is the surface ? is it advisable in a low GC sedan with full passengers and luggage ?

[venkyhere]

Route Update :

onward
---------
A) coimbatore-palladam-avinashipalayam
B) avinashipalayam-dharapuram-oddanchantram(bypass)
C) oddanchantram(bypass)-drive east-take-right-at-next-roundana-agaram-thadikombu
D) thadikombu-join northbound Nh44-take U turn-be on southbound NH44-tirunelveli
E) tirunelveli - Sh40 (ambai road, through cheranmahadevi) - ambasamudram

A = fine, nothing to comment
B = 4-lane, with rumblers and trapezoid humps near towns
C = okaish smooth enough roads, not very wide, but major advantage is very less traffic, completely avoids oddanchantram to dindigul horrible road
D = nothing to comment, regular 4lane NH
E = terrible, never take this. some pipe laying work happening, and high traffic density. Road varies between -- completely dug up with just mud , dug up and covered with crushed stones , old spotty tarmac as it was before this work started, new fresh laid tarmac without any markings. Everything repeats periodically, without any pattern order. Impossible to go to 5th gear, 4th itself a big deal. Every transition is with a suspension killer step-function.

return
-------
F) use to ambasamudram-alangulam road (dont think it's even a state highway, but well marked with reflector catseyes and proper white lines) and travel north, to hit the eastbound SH41A (that runs on the other bank of the river towards tirunelveli) - take right at the crossroads (some statue or something in the middle) and go all the way to tirunelveli. This road is so so much better than the SH40 of (E) on the other bank of the river.
Rest of the return was mirror image of D,C,B,A

[Red Liner]

How’s the NH44-Odanchattram-to Palani road?