[ravib]

Originally Posted by ampere

If you have work in Coimbattore and then want to carry forward, Dharapuram/Dindigul does not make sense. In that case stick to Palladam-Karur-Trichy. But yes, NH67 will see quite some traffic.

Yes indeed. Take the Palladam-Karur route. Also, they were constructing a toll booth last February in that sector. Please let us know if that is operational.

-Ravi

[Mohan Mathew A]

HI All

i am travelling to velankanni this friday (27/5). I am travelling from pala in kerala and plan to take the kanjirapally, kumily, cumbum, theni, dindigul, trichy, tanjavur velankanni route. i plan to reach velankanni by evening starting at around 5.30 a.m. from pala.

This is the same route i took 3 years back. is this still the best option? how are the roads?

On the way back i plan to go to Kodaikanal. Any suggestions for reasonably priced but neat, clean and safe accommodation in kodaikanal (it can be a little away from the lake-i don't mind)

[ampere]

With regards to Tanjore - Velanjanni : Both options one via Thiruvarur while the other via Thiruthuraipoondi have their share of bad section. I guess still Thiruthuraipoondi option makes more sense.

[nfsfreak]

Originally Posted by Mohan Mathew A

i am travelling to velankanni this friday (27/5). I am travelling from pala in kerala and plan to take the kanjirapally, kumily, cumbum, theni, dindigul, trichy, tanjavur velankanni route.

Originally Posted by ampere

With regards to Tanjore - Velanjanni : Both options one via Thiruvarur while the other via Thiruthuraipoondi have their share of bad section. I guess still Thiruthuraipoondi option makes more sense.

I recently did Tanjore-Thiruvarur-Nagapattinam. It's in very bad shape.
It got everything - moon sized potholes, rough roads, removed speed breakers (like a cut in road. It is very hard to spot from distance and literally spine breaking if taken at speed!!!). I had elders with me travelling on that day and I had to take it real slow. Took me around 2.5 hours to cover 90 kms.

I heard from locals that Tanjore-Mannargudi-Thiruthuraipoondi-Velankanni route is in much better shape than thiruvarur option.

[Mohan Mathew A]

Originally Posted by ampere

With regards to Tanjore - Velanjanni : Both options one via Thiruvarur while the other via Thiruthuraipoondi have their share of bad section. I guess still Thiruthuraipoondi option makes more sense.

Originally Posted by nfsfreak

I recently did Tanjore-Thiruvarur-Nagapattinam. It's in very bad shape.
It got everything - moon sized potholes, rough roads, removed speed breakers (like a cut in road. It is very hard to spot from distance and literally spine breaking if taken at speed!!!). I had elders with me travelling on that day and I had to take it real slow. Took me around 2.5 hours to cover 90 kms.

I heard from locals that Tanjore-Mannargudi-Thiruthuraipoondi-Velankanni route is in much better shape than thiruvarur option.

What about the Theni-madurai-Sivaganga-nagapattanam road. This will completely bypass the tanjavur-velankanni stretch

How is this road? Is it good and a better option? Is this 4 lanes with divider or only 2 lanes? I will be driving in a vento, so negotiating big craters will be a pain and progress will be slow.

[nfsfreak]

Originally Posted by Mohan Mathew A

What about the Theni-madurai-Sivaganga-nagapattanam road. This will completely bypass the tanjavur-velankanni stretch

I have not taken that route yet.

You could also check via Karaikudi. I had taken Madurai-Karaikudi road almost 6-7 months back and it was in good shape back then. But no idea about Karaikudi-Nagapattinam stretch. https://goo.gl/maps/5aRE9sXFRq12

[airguitar]

Karaikudi - Aranthangi - Kattumavadi - Muthupet - Vedaranyam ( we had to go to the temple ) - Velankanni was OK when we did in Feb. Karaikudi - Aranthangi is good ( the odd pothole / eroded surface ) for most parts. Aranthangi - Kattumavadi : same. Very good road from Kattumavadi to Muthupet: was a breeze. Muthupet to Vedaranyam was OK/good. Vedaranyam to Velankanni a lot of the road was being relaid : so it was a bit of a trouble.

But you dont' have to go to Vedaranayam. From Muthupet -> Thiruthuraipoondi -> Velankanni. Unsure of the state of this stretch though.

I can vouch that Karaikudi - Muthupet is no problem though.

Trichy - Thanjavur - Needamangalam - Thiruvarur - Nagai will see heavy traffic and bad roads ( somewhat eases out late in night when only trucks ply, but bad roads still ) : so that route may not be my choice. But the positive is that it will get you 4 lanes till almost Thanjavur from Madurai though.

[Mohan Mathew A]

Originally Posted by nfsfreak

I have not taken that route yet.

You could also check via Karaikudi. I had taken Madurai-Karaikudi road almost 6-7 months back and it was in good shape back then. But no idea about Karaikudi-Nagapattinam stretch. https://goo.gl/maps/5aRE9sXFRq12

Originally Posted by airguitar

Karaikudi - Aranthangi - Kattumavadi - Muthupet - Vedaranyam ( we had to go to the temple ) - Velankanni was OK when we did in Feb. Karaikudi - Aranthangi is good ( the odd pothole / eroded surface ) for most parts. Aranthangi - Kattumavadi : same. Very good road from Kattumavadi to Muthupet: was a breeze. Muthupet to Vedaranyam was OK/good. Vedaranyam to Velankanni a lot of the road was being relaid : so it was a bit of a trouble.

But you dont' have to go to Vedaranayam. From Muthupet -> Thiruthuraipoondi -> Velankanni. Unsure of the state of this stretch though.

I can vouch that Karaikudi - Muthupet is no problem though.

Trichy - Thanjavur - Needamangalam - Thiruvarur - Nagai will see heavy traffic and bad roads ( somewhat eases out late in night when only trucks ply, but bad roads still ) : so that route may not be my choice. But the positive is that it will get you 4 lanes till almost Thanjavur from Madurai though.

So either i go to Tanjavur and take the Thiruthuraipoondi to Velankanni or
from Theni go to Madurai and from their either go Via Sivaganga or Via Karaikudi.

Is the Madurai-Karaikudi-Kattumavadi stretch single lane road or 4 lane with dividers.

Also any idea about the Madurai-sivaganga-thondi road. that is one of the options that google is showing?

[nfsfreak]

Originally Posted by airguitar

From Muthupet -> Thiruthuraipoondi -> Velankanni. Unsure of the state of this stretch though.

Heard Thiruthuraipoondi-Velankanni is in good condition (wide 2 lane roads).

Originally Posted by Mohan Mathew A

So either i go to Tanjavur and take the Thiruthuraipoondi to Velankanni or
from Theni go to Madurai and from their either go Via Sivaganga or Via Karaikudi.

Yes, pretty much.

Originally Posted by Mohan Mathew A

Is the Madurai-Karaikudi-Kattumavadi stretch single lane road or 4 lane with dividers.

Madurai-Karaikudi is 2 lane. Not sure about Karaikudi-Kattumavadi, but I think it should be 2 lane as it's a state highway and very much an extension of Madurai-Karaikudi road.

[Mohan Mathew A]

I went to Velankanni on Friday and returned the next day. I took the Tanjavur-Thiruthuraipoondi road-both ways. The road is pretty ok except for the stretch from Mannargudi to Thirurhuraipoondi, which is broken and there are many potholes. Overall i took around 2 hours to cover the stretch from Tanjavur to Velankanni.

Thanks nfsfreak,airguitar and ampere for all the inputs

[TPaulV]

Hi,

Planning to leave tomorrow to Velankanni from Palakkad.

From the suggestions given in the earlier posts, is this my fastest route?

Palakkad - Pollachi - Dharapuram - Oddanchatram - Dindigul Bypass - Tiruchirapally - Thanjavur - Mannargudi - Thiruthaipoondi - Velankanni.

Since we are travelling with kids and parents, request suggestions for a good veg restaurant for breakfast at Dindigul, preferably near the Bypass.

For the return journey, which would be a a good non-veg restaurant for lunch in Tiruchirapally? How is Hotel Kannappa, in Grand Gardenia, Mannarpuram? I hope its better to plan for lunch at Tiruchirapally than Thanjavur.

Thanks!

[TPaulV]

Hi,

Planning to leave tomorrow to Velankanni from Palakkad. From the suggestions in the earlier posts, planning to take the following route:

Palakkad - Pollachi - Dharapuram - Oddanchatram - Dindigul Bypass - Tiruchirapalli - Thanjavur - Mannargudi - Thiruthuraipoondi - Velankanni

Is this the fastest and most comfortable route?

Since we are travelling with kids and parents, please suggest a good veg restaurant for breakfast near Dindigul Bypass.

For our return journey, is it better to plan for lunch halt at Tiruchirapalli rather than Thanjavur? Which would be a good non-veg restaurant for lunch at Tiruchirapalli? How is Hotel Kannappa in Grand Gardenia, Mannarpuram?

Thanks!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by TPaulV

Palakkad - Pollachi - Dharapuram - Oddanchatram - Dindigul Bypass - Tiruchirapalli - Thanjavur - Mannargudi - Thiruthuraipoondi - Velankanni

Is this the fastest and most comfortable route?

This is a good option.

Since we are travelling with kids and parents, please suggest a good veg restaurant for breakfast near Dindigul Bypass.

I think there is Ponram around NH7 bypass.

For our return journey, is it better to plan for lunch halt at Tiruchirapalli rather than Thanjavur? Which would be a good non-veg restaurant for lunch at Tiruchirapalli? How is Hotel Kannappa in Grand Gardenia, Mannarpuram?

Yes Grand Gardenia is a good and also right on the highway. You may have to go round the signal to reach there.

[TPaulV]

Originally Posted by ampere

This is a good option.

Thanks.

Another recent post has suggested Thanjavur - Mannargudi - Thiruvarur - Velankanni.

Will this be better than Thanjavur - Mannargudi - Thiruthuraipoondi - Velankanni?

Asking this because Thanjavur - Velankanni sector is supposed to slow us down considerably!



One more query:

On our return trip, we intend to visit St Lourdes Church in Tiruchirapalli also. From there, google shows this route as faster: NH 67 - Sukkaliyur - NH7 - Aravankurichi - Dharapuram - Pollachi - Palakkad. How is this route?

Or is it better to stick on to the Tiruchirapalli - Dindigul Bypass - Oddanchatram - Dharapuram - Pollachi - Palakkad route itself?

Thanks

[ampere]

Originally Posted by TPaulV

Another recent post has suggested Thanjavur - Mannargudi - Thiruvarur - Velankanni.

Will this be better than Thanjavur - Mannargudi - Thiruthuraipoondi - Velankanni?

No Thirvarur. Thiruthuraipoondi is a better option.

On our return trip, we intend to visit St Lourdes Church in Tiruchirapalli also. From there, google shows this route as faster: NH 67 - Sukkaliyur - NH7 - Aravankurichi - Dharapuram - Pollachi - Palakkad. How is this route?

Trichy-Karur-Aravakurichi-Dharapuram is good option. Wide 2-lane for NH67 and then 4-lane from Karur to Arvakurichi.