[ravib]

Originally Posted by JacksonStorm

Return Journey : Route No : 4
While return Route No : 4 via Thathaiyangarpettai and Kannanur to reach Namakkal/Bangalore from Trichy.

Trichy- Manachanallur bypass - Kannanur - Thathaiyangarpettai - Erumapatti - Namakkal - Salem -Dharmapuri - Krishnagiri - Bangalore

This is a fantastic/scenic route and zero traffic (having lots of speed breakers while crossing the village.You have to slow down) Especially inside Thathaiyangarpettai town roads are very small.

I would suggest until road expansion work completed from Namakkal to Musiri/Kulithalai. Please continue on Route No:4 to reach Trichy via Erumapatti - Thathaiyangarpettai - Kannanur - Manachanallur bypass - Trichy from Namakkal.

I always take this route both ways and is very peaceful. 90 minutes to cover 90 kms from Namakkal to No: 1 Tollgate. Steady speed , no traffic, and just watch out/slow down for speed breakers before & after villages.

-Ravi

[JacksonStorm]

Originally Posted by ravib

I always take this route both ways and is very peaceful. 90 minutes to cover 90 kms from Namakkal to No: 1 Tollgate. Steady speed , no traffic, and just watch out/slow down for speed breakers before & after villages.

-Ravi

Exactly Ravi! Even My family liked this route so much! rather than Musiri/Kulithalai route. This route:4 has zero traffic and is much more peaceful and enjoying nature, especially in the drizzling outside.
In Musiri/Kulithalai you face lots of truck/bus traffic and it was boring.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by KPR

Why not take Manachanallur to Samayapuram and then towards NH45?

I have this historical image of Trunk Road-Samayapuram junction being always busy, and roads not being maintained properly. It wasn't a problem till recently when the NH45 Tollgate junction to Nochiyam junction became 1st gear territory.

[mrugu]

Hi all

Planning to drive from Trichy to Bangalore on Dec 29. Will likely start around 8AM from Trichy. Any suggestions on route since I have driven this route before.

My ride is a sedan with low GC.

[nssrini]

You can refer to the 4 route options in the post by @JacksonStorm.

If you are new to the area/route - maybe stick to Regular/Route#1.

Did the stretch on Dec25. Patchy stretches in the Musiri-Thottiam Stretch and road expansion works thereafter towards Namakkal. However, quite manageable. Had the same 8am start and reached Kanakapura Road in 5.45hrs. However, traffic was less on that Day. Expect more wait times in toll plaza on a work day.

Originally Posted by mrugu

Hi all

Planning to drive from Trichy to Bangalore on Dec 29. Will likely start around 8AM from Trichy. Any suggestions on route since I have driven this route before.

My ride is a sedan with low GC.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by nssrini

You can refer to the 4 route options in the post by @JacksonStorm.

If you are new to the area/route - maybe stick to Regular/Route#1.

Did the stretch on Dec25. Patchy stretches in the Musiri-Thottiam Stretch and road expansion works thereafter towards Namakkal. However, quite manageable.

Originally Posted by mrugu

Hi all

Planning to drive from Trichy to Bangalore on Dec 29. Will likely start around 8AM from Trichy. Any suggestions on route since I have driven this route before.

My ride is a sedan with low GC.

I drove from Bangalore C.V.Raman Nagar to Trichy Mela chintamani at Chatram bus stand on 23rd Dec 2022.
Started at 2 am and it took 4.5 hours to cross Salem with terrible traffic to reach Namakkal/Madurai road.

From Namakkal, usually i take Thuraiyur route, however, since it was dark and per previous posts, to reach Chatram bus stand/Karur Bypass road, it may not be great option to go via No. 1 Toll gate in current situation due to cauvery bridge maintenance work. So for a change i took Thottiyam/Musiri route as it was quite long, but it was a mistake . With narrow roads due to road work expansion and with traffic and driving in dark is not good experience.
I thought i will exit at Periyar Bridge and take Kulithalai road and continue in Karur road, but google maps messed up and confused me, because it showed another exit via a bridge to cross cauvery after Gunaseelam. I had doubts in it, but wanted to take a chance. Cars cannot go in that small bridge


So ended up to continue straight towards No. 1 toll gate and since the main cauvery bridge is closed for maintenance, had to take NH45 detour to reach Chatram bus stand.


Only relief is Musiri and beyond, the roads are very good with no potholes and as usual, but with good traffic as usual.


-Ravi

[sbkumar]

BLR-Trichy-BLR Route Update

Took route no 4 (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post5408653 (Bangalore to Trichy : Route Queries)) last weekend. I feel bad that I didn't know about this route earlier. Such a peaceful drive after really bad experiences with Namakkal-Musiri/Kulithalai routes earlier. It took about 1 hr 45 mins for me I think, but the landscape was quite nice and engaging. Good roads and very less traffic especially during my onward journey on Friday afternoon. Return trip wasn't too bad either on Sunday afternoon. Very less buses/lorries. Road surface is smooth except for a couple of places. Speed breakers are the only things to watch out for. I think this is going to be my standard option unless the Musiri route becomes really good.

[nfsfreak]

Originally Posted by ravib

With narrow roads due to road work expansion and with traffic and driving in dark is not good experience.

Avoid namakkal - musiri stretch for next few months till the works are completed. The roads are horrible due to road expansion work and in general the surface has deteroriated and ridden with potholes (some are deep enough to cause punctures).

The detour on NH45 to Cauvery bridge in Trichy is not that bad of an option to avoid completely and take Kulithalai road. The traffic on the U-Turn to connect Chathiram bus stand on NH45 is now controlled well and there's a deviation to service road if you'd like to proceed straight to Tanjore/Madurai. So its usually quick to take the detour and reach Chathiram if you are coming from Samayapuram Tollgate.

Originally Posted by ravib

Cars cannot go in that small bridge

Possibly it suggested via Mukkombu (that connects Trichy-Kulithalai and Trichy-Musiri stretches) but small cars can pass through, i think? but still it will be closed in the nights mostly.

[narayans80]

Exactly how bad is Number 1 Tollgate to Musiri? We usually only do upto Gunaseelam. There is no real choice.

Originally Posted by nfsfreak

via Mukkombu (that connects Trichy-Kulithalai and Trichy-Musiri stretches) but small cars can pass through

Are you both talking about Vathalai-Mukkombu? I've not seen anything beyond 2-wheelers venture. I doubt it is even small car worthy.

[nfsfreak]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Exactly how bad is Number 1 Tollgate to Musiri? We usually only do upto Gunaseelam. There is no real choice.

Tollgate to Musiri is good, it is only beyond Musiri towards Namakkal the road condition is worse. You can also reach Musiri bypassing Namakkal via Thuraiyur route and proceed to Gunaseelam. It would be a bit longer drive but peaceful and the stretch is mostly smooth except at few places.

Originally Posted by narayans80

Are you both talking about Vathalai-Mukkombu? I've not seen anything beyond 2-wheelers venture. I doubt it is even small car worthy.

Yes, I have seen Omnis/small cars in the bridge few years back, but I haven't crossed it personally though.

[vigsom]

Originally Posted by JacksonStorm

Route 1: Usual route viz. Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Salem - Namakkal - Thottiyam - Musiri - Gunaseelam - Srirangam/Trichy

Route 2: Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Salem - Namakkal - Thottiyam - Kulithalai - Trichy

Route 3: Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Salem - Namakkal - Karur- Kulithalai - -Trichy/Srirangam

4 lane NH road till karur. From karur to chathiram bus stand is still NH but without any divider; extra 30-45km plus toll

Route 4: Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Salem -Namakkal - Kannanur - Pagalavadi - Nochiyam - Trichy

I decided to drive this sector for first time. Having experienced Salem to Trichy route 1 in TNSTC in end Nov-2021 and certifying it as horrible, decided to try route 3 for the peace of mind part. Here are my observations on the entire Bengaluru to Trichy sector for the benefit of readers:

1. South Bengaluru to Krishnagiri : Departed base at 0630hrs and used NICE Road to merge with Hosur Road. Sections of NICE Road are single carriageway and slow moving trucks can be a headache, but navigated this without too much fuss. Reached Krishnagiri toll in approx 1hr 50mins.

2. Krishnagiri to Salem : Below average experience with zig zag crossings aplenty, a hefty 120 buck toll at Thoppur Toll Plaza, and road rumblers on the Thoppur down gradient to reward us for the toll paid. The only positive experience was that I saw vehicle speeds much more controlled on the infamous down gradient. In the video below,

a: 00:29, you can see an impatient Volvo driver that I happily allowed to get ahead of me
b: 00:40 only one loudspeaker was blaring "Go Slow" unlike the many that I heard in end-2020.
c: 02:26 the dreaded bridge where several vehicles were mowed down in a ghastly accident in 2020

https://youtube.com/watch?v=4XP9HW5gJ0o&feature=share

The 30 minutes upstream of Salem to about 10 mins out of Salem is filled with mad traffic, two wheeler riders, and the like.

3. Salem to Karur : outstanding experience, and worth the extra distance traversed. My only stop on this drive was A2B at https://maps.app.goo.gl/RssN1pPMnkg2MzVA9 Food was good and service was quick. No menu is presented. It is the old system of us asking them what is available and then placing the order. Spoons don't come by default. One needs to ask.

4. Karur to Trichy: both toll plazas are poorly managed plus the sector after Manavasi toll plaza isn't fit to be called a toll road.
a: at Manavasi the tag reader didn't read, the portable scanner also didn't read, post which they entered the vehicle number and then the barrier opened.
b: at Thiruparathurai, one lane of the two showed the lane open but the cones were there to close the lane off. Lot of confusion later, the lane opened.
c: Several zig zag crossings post the first toll plaza, where one encounters the most indisciplined and impatient drivers

Despite these shortcomings, Route3 is definitely better than the Namakkal - Musiri - Trichy Route. Just 4km short of the right turn into Trichy, one can capture some scenic views of the Kaveri River.

Distance covered : 394 km
Time taken : 6hrs 50mins (Route1 would have taken longer, and would have been a harrowing experience)
Toll paid : INR 555

Views of the Kaveri

[vigsom]

Introduction

The intent behind these posts is to explain with pictures Route no.4 that bhpian @JacksonStorm had mentioned in his post, and introduce a small variant of this route for the benefit of road users.

Background

I'd experimented with the Namakkal - Karur - Trichy route on a recent Bengaluru - Trichy drive; experiences documented here. For my return leg, I had set the Trichy - Karur - Namakkal route on my map and was almost going to turn left just ahead of the Kaveri bridge, when I decided to pull over and just mark Route no.4 that bhpian @JacksonStorm had mentioned in his post. I set Kannanur as a way point and just confirmed that the route was taking me via Pulivalam. However, I didn't bother to check the route past Kannanur as I'd assumed that the route would follow the road to Namakkal. Only later did I discover that I had gone on a variant of route no.4, which I will fondly call Route 4.1. The benefit of Route 4.1 is that it bypasses Namakkal and takes one straight to the NH at Budansanthai.

Route 4.1

[vigsom]

What I liked about Route 4.1

1. Excellent traffic free roads for the most part; zero stress
2. Eye-pleasing views of surroundings - farms, coconut trees, hills, trees lining up both sides of the road
3. A rural drive experience worth the time

What one needs to watch out for

1. Monkeys that dart across the roads
2. Speed breakers at every village entry and exit
3. The odd motorcyclist who is keen to show off his stunts
4. Three right angle bends at Thathiengarpettai (T.Pettai) where one can see private inter-town buses just swerve in - these bends can cause potential traffic and people snarls

[vigsom]

My experiences

1. Nochiyam to Pagalavadi : The best road to drive on was after crossing the Uthamarkoil railway overbridge and turning right at Nochiyam onto the road to Thuraiyur - absolutely fantastic surface where one feels like just cruising at 60-70kmph

Manachanallur Bypass


Pulivalam


Trichy - Thuraiyur Road


Typical village entry


Typical speed breakers at entry-exit at any of the villages enroute



2. Pagalavadi to Kannanur : Again beautiful road - immediately after turning left at Pagalavadi, the farms look all dull, but suddenly, one sees lush green patches, coconut trees and bovines

Not so green


turning into green



Bovines at Kaliyampatty


Chinnasalempatti


3. Brief stretch of the Thuraiyur - Musiri road from Kannanur till the right turn off this road : Very average road surface, but happy that it wasn't too far (just approx. 2km)

4. Right turn off Thuraiyur - Musiri Road onto Thuraiyur - Namakkal Road all the way till Thathiengarpettai (T.Pettai) : Good road with little to no traffic, as seen in the pic below.


5. Three right angle turns at Thathiengarpettai (T.Pettai) : One has to keep as left as possible and navigate both bends carefully as this is the main road through the village - watch out for the town buses that swerve in with little warning

The three right angle bends at T.Pettai


6. T.Pettai till Alanganatham : Nice roads with a lake around Pavithiram


7. Alanganatham to Senthamangalam to Budansanthai : This is the sector bypassing Namakkal and that's why I've christened this Route 4.1; the road is good except for road relaying work around the Palapalayam lakes and a little ahead, which can throw up a lot of dust

Palapalayam lake road - WIP




Nainamalai




8. Budansanthai to Bengaluru : The NH till Salem, post which one has to turn left onto the highway to Omalur. My most favourite sight on this road is the up and down section between Krishnagiri and Hosur.

Krishnagiri to Hosur -




Key takeways

A: Route Comparison - No.3 vs No. 4.1

a. Route 3 - 394kms 6hrs 50mins, Toll INR 555

b. Route 4.1 - 355kms 6hrs 55mins Toll INR 390 via E-City toll and INR 410 via NICE Road

B: Toll roads eg. Karur to Trichy need not be better than non-toll roads (Nochiyam to Thuraiyur); toll roads also have barriers at intersections and speed breakers at certain points

C: Thoppur toll - definitely not worth the INR 120

[venkyhere]

@vigsom,
Can't thank you enough for the extremely valuable post with detailed descriptions and specific pictures.