[narayans80]

Originally Posted by ampere

Ha! You mean its the original HSB. Did not expect that! Also can you mark it in Google? I still cant find it.

Yes its the original HSB, the location is here. The Vanatirupathi Perumal temple (thats what the main road signboard says) as the link says is also built and maintained by the group, the restaurant is right oppposite the temple.

Once you take the correct turn off the Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur main road, you can't miss it. It'll lead you straight here. Roads are initially bad and improve a bit for the final mile, you'll cross the railway track within a minute from the main road as its shown in the map.

[polopm]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Yes its the original HSB, the location is here. The Vanatirupathi Perumal temple (thats what the main road signboard says) as the link says is also built and maintained by the group, the restaurant is right oppposite the temple.

Once you take the correct turn off the Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur main road, you can't miss it. It'll lead you straight here. Roads are initially bad and improve a bit for the final mile, you'll cross the railway track within a minute from the main road as its shown in the map.

The logo was actually SB here and not the HSB. There was a rumour that the chain was sold to a big business group in the south and possibly this is still part of the old owners. Not sure, but the rates were the same (very high, especially in a place not anywhere close to a city).

[nitrous]

Hi fellas,
Doing this drive today. Google recommends the Chennai-Dindivanam-Pondy-ECR-Velankanni route as the best option.
The other option that is just 9 minutes slower is Dindivanam-Panruti-~Sethiyathope~-Bhuvanagiri-Chidambaram-ECR-Velankanni.

Which one should I choose when I start at noon?
How are the roads on either routes?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by nitrous

Which one should I choose when I start at noon?
How are the roads on either routes?

If you are starting at noon, then I wont suggest Pondicherry. Crossing that town itself would be a pain. Add to it Cuddalore. I am surprised Google estimates the the same time for both.

I would say take Panruti option. But dont know how are the roads via Vikravandi-Panruti. Can others update the road condition?

[nitrous]

I chose Pondicherry and Cuddalore as I'm essentially nursing a vehicle that isn't in the pink of health and wanted to go via a route with big towns.
Chennai to Tindivanam to Pondy is super fast 4 lane.
Pondy-cuddalore-chidambaram is smooth but traffic slows down average speeds. Past Chidambaram, smooth single roads but too narrow for State Highways.
Wonder why Panruti route had a 5 minute slower ETA according to GMaps which is quite accurate and not to be doubted.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by nitrous

Wonder why Panruti route had a 5 minute slower ETA according to GMaps which is quite accurate and not to be doubted.

Vikravandi-Panruti-Neyveli-Sethiathope-Kumbakonam is one of the ill maintained roads in TN. For that reason, it would have much lesser average speeds.

Another option you could try is Chidambaram-Bhuvanagiri-Sethiathope-Vriddachalam-Ulundurpet-Madras. But this won't satisfy the requirement of going through towns.

[pacman2881]

I am planning to travel to Karaikal from Chennai (Tambaram) in a week's time. I intend to take Pondichery- Cuddalore-Chidambaram-Sirkazhi route. Any idea how are the roads at present? Is there a better alternative to this considering the oncoming rainy season?

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by pacman2881

I am planning to travel to Karaikal from Chennai (Tambaram) in a week's time. I intend to take Pondichery- Cuddalore-Chidambaram-Sirkazhi route. Any idea how are the roads at present? Is there a better alternative to this considering the oncoming rainy season?

Similar destination was asked in the other thread. You can do the same, Tambaram-NH45-Veppur-Vriddachalam-Jayamkondam-T. Palur-Kumbakonam-Karaikal.

Rainy season is not oncoming. Its almost over in the next 15-20 days

[ampere]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Rainy season is not oncoming. Its almost over in the next 15-20 days

The overall roads are very good.

- Up to V-Koot Road : Awesome 4-lane + 2-lane
- V Koot Road - Veppur - Vridhachalam Bypass : Very nice as per what you mentioned
- Vridhachalam Bypass - Jayamkondam - T Palur - KMU : Awesome roads again. Fantastic 2-lane. But after you cross T-Palur, truck traffic is up leaps and bounds.

The next section is where I was surprised!
- KMU bypass towards south east is also done. Google has it, many maps dont have it I think. (Might have been updated by now)
- Take the full bypass and get on to the Karaikal road (via Kollumangudi)
- Even this section is awesome (at least till Kollumangudi and Peralam which I can confirm).

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by ampere

V Koot Road - Veppur - Vridhachalam Bypass

He is going from Madras. So no V-Koot Road involved Its a NH45 all the way to Veppur and go below the bridge at Veppur. Take a left.

Originally Posted by ampere

The next section is where I was surprised!

This is good news. Had an impression it was a road of perennial repair. Have horrific memories of that road, It took us some 3 hrs to do that 58 km stretch back in '89 Was not bad in 2010, took me 1:20 to do the same. Was partially resurfaced and partially rough to bad then.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by narayans80

He is going from Madras. So no V-Koot Road involved Its a NH45 all the way to Veppur and go below the bridge at Veppur. Take a left.

Oops! My Mistake. The default mind works with Bangalore as source !

I was there on Karakal road in August and went all around Kumbakonam. Very good roads. But the SH22 (Kallanai) was getting relaid. In case one wants to visit temples on this road (Suryanar, Kanjanoor, Thirukodikaval etc) its better to take the Mayavaram-KMU road rather than SH22. Lets hope it gets done fast.

I was also very impressed by roads further up from Mayavaram towards Chidambaram/Cuddalore.

[pradeepnair]

I had travelled from Chennai to Kumbakonam via the following route in July 2016 and found the roads to be extremely good.

Chennai -- Thindivanam -- Panruti --- Sethiathope -- Kumbakonam. It was a family trip and we started around 6 pm from Chennai and by the time we crossed the 1st toll gate it was 9:30 pm. We could cover the rest of the distance in 3 1/2 hours. I expected the road travelling through Panruti upto Chidambaram to be rough. But even at night I could travel at around 75km/hr. No potholes at all. Only in Panruti where the bridge work was happening struggled bit to cross it. From then till Kumbakonam the road was really smooth. Comfortable drive.
So while coming back from Kumbakonam, we took the same route.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by pradeepnair

Chennai -- Thindivanam -- Panruti --- Sethiathope -- Kumbakonam. It was a family trip and we started around 6 pm from Chennai and by the time we crossed the 1st toll gate it was 9:30 pm. We could cover the rest of the distance in 3 1/2 hours.

Did you go via Sethiyarthope-Kumbakonam or you went towards Chidambaram?

Vridhachalam-Sethiyarthope-Chidambaram I hear is still patchy (a part of NH532). I hope it gets fixed soon.

I expected the road travelling through Panruti upto Chidambaram to be rough. But even at night I could travel at around 75km/hr. No potholes at all. Only in Panruti where the bridge work was happening struggled bit to cross it. From then till Kumbakonam the road was really smooth. Comfortable drive. So while coming back from Kumbakonam, we took the same route.

Chidambaram-Karaikal was good as per my last visit which was quite some time back.

[pradeepnair]

Originally Posted by ampere

Did you go via Sethiyarthope-Kumbakonam or you went towards Chidambaram?

Vridhachalam-Sethiyarthope-Chidambaram I hear is still patchy (a part of NH532). I hope it gets fixed soon.

Chidambaram-Karaikal was good as per my last visit which was quite some time back.

We went via Panruti-Sethiathope to Kumbakonam.

I am not sure about Sethiathope-Chidambaram road - not travelled this road for a long time.

Chidambaram-Karaikal road ------ This is good news as we are planning a Chennai to Velankanni trip soon.

[greenhorn]

gentlemen,
Any update on the road conditions?
What's a nice place to halt midway? Pondy?
I'm familiar with the route upto pondy, and generally prefer the tindivanam route (would like to avoid playing chicken with SETC buses on the wrong side and idiots on pulsars on the ECR)
But not sure about the route south of pondy - is the google maps route ok?