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-   -   Chennai to Velankanni : Route Queries (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/29647-chennai-velankanni-route-queries-6.html)

In my opinion I think the easiest option though longer by 60km is :

Chennai-Ulundurpet-Veppur-Vridhachalam bypass - Sethiyarthope - Chidambaram bypass - Sirkazi bypass - Tharangambadi-Karaikal-Nagapatnam-Velankanni.

- Chennai-Veppur is 4-lane
- Veppur-Vridhachalam bypass : Awesome 2-lane (Advantage is you direct hit the Chidambarm road without touching Vridhachalam).
- Vridhachalam-Sethiyarthope-Chidambaram : NH532 was getting re-done here. Dont know how it is today.
- Chidamabram-Sirkazhi-Tharagambadi-Karaikal-Nagapatnam-Velankanni : Good to average roads. (I Drove on this section till Karaiakal and found them to be good.)

The only unknown for me is the Vridhachalam-Chidambaram section.

thanks,
Will try this route the next time. Wasted a lot of time with traffic and bad roads in pondy both ways. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the roads - the last time i had driven to velankanni was in 2009 or so, and the roads were much worse. Guess the Tsunami wasnt that bad!

but karaikal was also a bit of a hurdle- how is going via kumbakonam/thanjavur?

(Sorry my post came out late for you.)

To answer the point on Kumbakonam/Tanjore, You dont gain much for the detour you take. Instead I reckon, its far better to take the Chidambaram-Sirkazi section.

I had driven to Kumbakonam/Mayavaram more than once last year. Was very impressed with Veppur-Vridhachalam-Jayamkondan-TPalur-Kumbakonam.

I had also visited the temples of Chidambaram/Sirkazhi via Mayavaram and hence was aware of the roads around these locations.

But yes on second thoughts:

Veppur-Vridhachalam-Jayamkondan-TPalur-Kumbakonam bypass- Kollumangudi-Karaikal : Roads are very good. But expect a lot of truck traffic on the Jaymakondan-Kumbakonam section.

Kumbakonam-Karaikal road is very good till Kollumangudi as per my data point from last year. Also the Kumbakonam bypass is fully functional.

The Route I refer to : Route Link

Reviving an old thread as I am planning a pilgrimage to Velankanni.

Request members of the forum to provide latest update on the best route to take and it's condition. Thanking you all in advance.

Note: I will be travelling from Hyderabad and I would like to know only the route details from Red Hills, Chennai to Velankanni.

Take the the bypass. Its a bit under construction around red-hills. Once passed that its a clean bypass for Chennai.

I dont know how the Vikravandi-Panruti section is holding up these days.

The best route is to take Chennai Bypass - Tindivanam - Pondicherry - Sirkazhi Bypass - Karaikal - Velankanni. You will certainly face traffic crossing Pondy, Pondy - Cuddalore section beyond which road opens up. You have options to bypass Pondy and join Pondy - Cuddalore midway through some state highways, details of these roads are available in Chennai - Kumbakonam road update by Narayanan. It will take approximately 6-7 hours to reach Velankanni through this route during day time.

Are you really stopping over in Madras? :) If not consider taking Hyd-Kurnool-Nandyal-Kadapa-Rajampeta-Renigunta, Venki's already written about it here.

Beyond Renigunta, there are 2 options to get to NH45 not touch Madras anywhere remotely:

1. Renigunta-Sholinghur-Arcot-Cheyyar-Vandavasi-Tindivanam bypass.
2. Renigunta-Tiruttani-Arakkonam-Kanchipuram-Vandavasi-Tindivanam bypass.

From here, there are 3 options:

1. Tindivanam-Pondy-Cuddalore-ECR-Velankanni - Straightforward. Unless off peak Pondy-Cuddalore is always a pain in the rear.
2. Tindivanam-Madapattu-Panruti-MDR 199-Kullanchavadi-MDR 200-Thiyagavalli-Chidambaram-ECR-Velankanni - I described here. Depending on the time of day there's still traffic on Chidambaram-Sirkazhi-Vaitheeswaran Koil section, but nowhere as bad as Pondy-Cuddalore.
3. Tindivanam-Veppur-Vriddachalam bypass-Jayamkondam-Kumbakonam bypass-Kollumangudi-Tirunallar-Karaikal-Velankanni - This avoid ECR almost entirely. Vriddachalam-Kumbakonam bypass has 52 speed breakers, mostly between Jayamkondam and KMU.

Take your pick lol:

Planning a drive from Potheri (SRM University) to Pondicherry and wish to try ECR by taking left at Chengalpattu to Vengappakkam and then to Pondicherry through ECR.

I haven't drove this route earlier, so request suggestions and latest road condition updates.

Is the ECR 4 laned and tolled? Is the road between Chengalpattu and Vengappakkam good?

Thanks in advance.

Request anyone from the Team BHP family to assist on the road condition from Chennai International Airport to Velankanni. I have a trip planned for next month. Flight bookings are already done and I would be renting a self drive car for 2 days. I will be travelling with my wife and son, so, looking for good recommendations for food (Breakfast and Lunch) as well.

I guess the same three options exist as explained by Narayan. I was hoping Vikravandi will improve but looks like its taking its own sweet time. (See post by member yieldway here)

Thank you for your response. I have already made up my mind to take route no 2 as suggested by Narayan in the above posts. :thumbs up

Request the group to suggest good recommendations for food (Breakfast and Lunch) on the way from Chennai to Pondicherry?

I had travelled on this route this month (12 Mar). Thanks to BHPian Narayans80 for suggesting me multiple routes. However, I stuck to his suggested route 1. Tindivanam-Pondy-Cuddalore-ECR-Velankanni. Started from Chennai Domestic Airport at 11:30 a.m. and reached Velankanni at 7.00 p.m.
Road was awesome till Pondy. From there on, a lot of traffic till Cuddalore. Once you cross Cuddalore, roads get narrow with little or no shoulder on either side. But there is a good news: this stretch of road is being converted into 4 lanes till Nagapattinam. Road works just started and the work might commence anytime soon.
For the return journey on 13 Mar, I stuck to the same route. Started from Velankanni at 11:30 a.m. and reached Chennai Airport at 7.45 p.m. Overall road condition from Pondicherry to Velankanni was average.

Requesting the group to give suggestions on the best route to travel from Chennai to Nagapattinam.

Last time when I went by ECR, there was some 4 lane construction going on. Any improvements on that? or is there any alternative better route?
Any thoughts on that, please advice.