[rameshnanda]

I have got some update on this route.

I did this route yesterday (Salem-Ulundurpet) in a public transport and not in car. Here's the status.

Salem-Attur - The progress is still slow and there are lot of diversions. I can put the completion percentage at around 60%. Attur bypass is also not yet ready.

Attur-Kallakurichi - Drastic improvement over my previous encounter in this route. Its almost done and I can put the completion at around 95%. Kallakurichi bypass is yet to opened but seems like its done.

Kallakurichi-Ulundurpet - No issues at all. Its near completion at 100%.
To sum it all, Ulundurpet-Attur will be a smooth drive except of the fact that kallakurichi bypass is not yet open.

Regarding the Toll Plazas, I saw 3 toll's which are coming up. One between Ulundurpet and Kallakurichi. One between Kallakurichi and Attur near Thalaivasal. And another in Vazhapadi.

Now, the biggest puzzle for me is that I saw the signboards throughout the journey which tells that it is NH 79 (???) and not NH 68. Any members have any knowledge on this front?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

Now, the biggest puzzle for me is that I saw the signboards throughout the journey which tells that it is NH 79 (???) and not NH 68. Any members have any knowledge on this front?

Not possible. NH79 is the one in Raj/MP. Ajmer to Dhar (via Ratlam). Maybe something to do with Asian Highway numbers?
Great to hear this update though. Hopefully in another year, this should be an end to end 4L!

[rameshnanda]

Originally Posted by ampere

Not possible. NH79 is the one in Raj/MP. Ajmer to Dhar (via Ratlam). Maybe something to do with Asian Highway numbers?
Great to hear this update though. Hopefully in another year, this should be an end to end 4L!

True amp. I also found that NH79 is in Raj/MP. But, what I saw yesterday is also true. I did not see one board which said NH 79 but multiple signboards which read it. That was a yellow board with NH 79 written in Black. I should have taken a picture of it. I am puzzled over this since I saw this.

Is this something to do with the renumbering?
http://articles.timesofindia.indiati...corridor-nh-48

[narayans80]

Great update Ramesh! Looks like it is worth a try then ? I was planning to take it on the way to Yercaud, i guess there is one route that branches off after Attur.

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

Is this something to do with the renumbering?

Yes my friend, NH-68 is NH-79 by the new numbering scheme.

[rameshnanda]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Great update Ramesh! Looks like it is worth a try then ? I was planning to take it on the way to Yercaud, i guess there is one route that branches off after Attur.

Yes. It will be worth a try. But, still Attur - Salem will be real painful with diversions and hell lot of traffic. For the Yercaud route, you have to reach Ayodhyapattinam and take right for the Harur road. You will get the Ghat road from Kuppanur.

Originally Posted by narayans80

Yes my friend, NH-68 is NH-79 by the new numbering scheme.

Great. This solves the puzzle. Popular NH 7 is going to be NH 44. It will take some time to get used to it.

[navan49]

I do want to travel to salem through Ulundurpet Kallkurichi. Seems Ulundurpet to Athur is a smooth drive. What is the distance between Athur and Salem? The Vellore Krishnagiri Dharmapuri Road from Chennai is too expensive due to toll.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by navan49

I do want to travel to salem through Ulundurpet Kallkurichi. Seems Ulundurpet to Athur is a smooth drive. What is the distance between Athur and Salem? The Vellore Krishnagiri Dharmapuri Road from Chennai is too expensive due to toll.

Road from Ulundurpet to Kallakurichi is OK, although Kallakurichi town bypass is not ready.
But after that, road is incomplete and not good till Salem.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by navan49

I do want to travel to salem through Ulundurpet Kallkurichi. Seems Ulundurpet to Athur is a smooth drive. What is the distance between Athur and Salem? The Vellore Krishnagiri Dharmapuri Road from Chennai is too expensive due to toll.

navan, whatever rameshnanda says is the latest update. my colleague who is a weekend bus commuter to Salem confirms the same, he says there are many diversions between Attur and Ayodhyapattinam. A xylo owner friend did Madras-Salem in 5.15 hrs about 4-5 months back when it was much more incomplete. Dont venture this route at night.

[navan49]

I am a regular traveler to salem through Kancipuram,Vellore,Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri. Just thought of the good old route to save the toll. It seems that it is not advisable. Thought that if the road is fine up to Athur then I can take some trouble if it is about 20kms distance between salem and Athur.

[rameshnanda]

Originally Posted by navan49

I am a regular traveler to salem through Kancipuram,Vellore,Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri. Just thought of the good old route to save the toll. It seems that it is not advisable. Thought that if the road is fine up to Athur then I can take some trouble if it is about 20kms distance between salem and Athur.

If you are going to travel in day time then it should be fine. The distance between Attur and Salem is 50 Kms and it may take about 1 to 1.5 hrs to cover this distance. What I can assure is that you will have smooth drive from Ulundurpet to Attur.

[navan49]

If Athur to Ulundurpet is 50Kms, then it can be tolerable. Once I tried Vaniambadi,Tirupathur road that was also horrible near and after Tirupattur. I start at 4 or 5 am and reaches Ulundurpet around 6.40 or 7.00 am for break fast. So my travel is day travel only.Thank you ramesh.

[rameshnanda]

Originally Posted by navan49

If Athur to Ulundurpet is 50Kms, then it can be tolerable. Once I tried Vaniambadi,Tirupathur road that was also horrible near and after Tirupattur. I start at 4 or 5 am and reaches Ulundurpet around 6.40 or 7.00 am for break fast. So my travel is day travel only.Thank you ramesh.

If you are leaving from Chennai at around 4 or 5 AM, this route should be fine. But, watch out for the heavy traffic flow between Salem and Attur after 8 AM.
BTW, Salem to Attur is 50 Kms. and Attur to Ulundurpet is 84 Kms.

[navan49]

The Chennai Vellore Vaniambadi Tirupattur road was horrible. Is there any improvements these days. Is there any other route to Salem apart from Krishnagiri- Dharmapuri, Or Vaniambadi - Tirupattur or Ulundurpet - Athur route. Please update.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by navan49

The Chennai Vellore Vaniambadi Tirupattur road was horrible. Is there any improvements these days. Is there any other route to Salem apart from Krishnagiri- Dharmapuri, Or Vaniambadi - Tirupattur or Ulundurpet - Athur route. Please update.

Possibly take Athur-Rasipuram and drive up to Salem on NH7. But that is 30-40 km extra.

Apart from these, there are no other routes.

[navan49]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Possibly take Athur-Rasipuram and drive up to Salem on NH7. But that is 30-40 km extra.
Apart from these, there are no other routes.

Thank you Narayan. It is a good idea and also it may be a new exploration. Is it (NH45) the road comes through Karur Namakkal Salem. If so once or twice I travelled from Madurai Dindigul Karur Salem.