[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Surprise

Thanks for the warning Mr.Kumar. I always refer the road dictionary (HV KUMAR) for details

Any other reliable website available

I guess the teambhp members are the best maps for the moment!

No prejudice against online mapping, but always corraborate with old-fashioned printed maps and check with those who have been there before.

[csentil]

mapmyindia.com is getting better

[csentil]

mapmyindia.com is getting better all the time. Especially after introducing their GPS device. Their maps are quite reliable. However their driving directions could get better.

[sekharr]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

As usual, mapsofindia is wrong/misleading.

To go from Tirunelveli to Nagercoil, you don't touch Kanyakumari as shown in the map. That would be the NH7-NH47 corridor (7 till Kanyakumari, 47 from there onwards). Instead, you turn off NH7 immediately after Panagudi town and take the next 18 kms to Nagercoil instead of 24 kms first to Kanyakumari and another 19 from there to Nagercoil! This means you save 25 kms. No one travels to nagercoil from Tirunelveli via Kanyakumari!!!

To travel from Trichy to Madurai, the popular route is not NH45 (till Dindigul)/NH7 (from Dindigul), but it is the direct road via Viralimalai. mapsofindia is asking you to go via Dindigul!

hvkumar: I was under the impression that Trichy-Madurai via Dindigul was a better route (most buses take it) as it is apparently a wider & better road, like a GQ highway, although longer, as compared to (direct) route via Viralimalai etc, as this route passs through lot of villages & towns. Any comments? i am going to do this route shortly, any feedback appreciated

[PRADEEP KUMAR]

Originally Posted by sekharr

hvkumar: I was under the impression that Trichy-Madurai via Dindigul was a better route (most buses take it) as it is apparently a wider & better road, like a GQ highway, although longer, as compared to (direct) route via Viralimalai etc, as this route passs through lot of villages & towns. Any comments? i am going to do this route shortly, any feedback appreciated

All buses from upto Trivandrum and passing through madurai will take only the melur-kottampatti- viralimalai-trichy route. The distance is 127 Kms.This is part of the Chennai-kanniyakumari GQ stretch and work on the four laning is on.
Trichy-manaparai- dindigul-kodai road-vadiapatti route is almost 168 kms.No bus from trichy to madurai use this route.
Please note the latter route from dgl- madurai is in very bad shape and is part odf the madurai-bangalore route and has more traffic in this stretch than the former.

[hvkumar]

I agree with Pradeep - no one would take the Trichy-Madurai route via Dindigul, everyone goes via Viralimalai. Dindigual-Madurai roue is also very congested. The Viralimalai road is very good, if not better than the NH45/NH7 Mnaparai-Dindigul route. Only traffic from Tricy going to Periakulam-Theni-Kodai/Munnar would go via Dindigul.

[devthomas]

Having completed the trip, here are my notes.

Day 1 – Chennai Tirunelveli (620 kms)

Left Chennai at 5am in the morning. Plan was to cover as much distance as possible before sundown. Till Tindivanam, it was a smooth sail thanks to the early morning (or let me say, morning) start. Tindivanam to Ulundurpet, there was too much of truck traffic and took one and a half hours to cover 77kms. But after the turn for Trichy at Ulundurpet, the roads were empty and I could reach Trichy by 11.45pm. Since it was too early for lunch, kept on going and had lunch at Madurai. Since it was only 3.20pm by now, decided to proceed via Tirunelveli as there was a better chance finding a good hotel at Tirunelveli for night halt. Reached Tirunelveli by 7pm.

Road condition – Due to the four laning, there were diversions everywhere. But I would say, overall, it was good – quite drivable during the day.

Day 2 – Tirunelveli Trivandrum (152 kms)

After all the drive yesterday, the earliest I could leave the hotel was by 6am. It was a smooth drive as long as I was on NH7. From the time I left NH7, it was a crawl till Trivandrum. First, it was bad roads - the road that connects NH7 to NH47 was non existent and had a tough time covering this stretch. Second, it was traffic - narrow roads with several vehicles/bikes ahead of me. Finally reached Trivandrum by 10.30am.


While traveling back, I decided to take the road via Rajapalayam. Some of the sections were bad, but, after Schenkottai, it was good. Took the night halt at Trichy.

Left Trichy at 6am and I could hit the good roads before traffic picked up. Ulundurpet – Tindivanam section was easier to manage this time as there was comparatively less traffic compared to the onward journey. Reached Chennai finally by 1.30 in the afternoon.

Total distance covered of 1460 kms, safely covered (thanks to everyone else on the road), except for some close shaves!

[Surprise]

Originally Posted by devthomas

except for some close shaves!

These close shaves might turn the bad way too and that is the reason I think twice before I hit the road for long distance travel even at day.

While returning back from Vathalakundu, after trichy on a diverted single road, a govt bus driver overtook other state govt bus, heading straight towards me. I completely stopped the car at the extreme left and let the bus pass through inches before without touching my cars fender or bonnet. My instinct saved me.....

Originally Posted by devthomas

Day 2 – Tirunelveli Trivandrum (152 kms)

After all the drive yesterday, the earliest I could leave the hotel was by 6am. It was a smooth drive as long as I was on NH7. From the time I left NH7, it was a crawl till Trivandrum. First, it was bad roads - the road that connects NH7 to NH47 was non existent

can you recollect the names of the places on this section? might have to do this route soon again.
is this the section just before nagercoil? about 20km or so? it was potholed in january, maybe it has deteriorated now.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by rippergeo

can you recollect the names of the places on this section? might have to do this route soon again.
is this the section just before nagercoil? about 20km or so? it was potholed in january, maybe it has deteriorated now.

I think Dev must be referring to the Panagudi-Nagercoil section which is 18 kms, he point where NH7 branches off to Kanyakumari. Always a narrow road.

[devthomas]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

I think Dev must be referring to the Panagudi-Nagercoil section which is 18 kms, he point where NH7 branches off to Kanyakumari. Always a narrow road.

yes, that is right. Bad roads start immediately after getting off NH7 and continues till Nagercoil

[gkrishk]

While traveling back, I decided to take the road via Rajapalayam. Some of the sections were bad, but, after Schenkottai, it was good.

How good/bad was the Trivandrum-Shenkotta section? How long did it take you?

[devthomas]

I took the Trivandrum Schenkottai route via Punalur, though I imagine you may not take that route if travelling directly from Trivandrum.

The road condition is not that great, in shambles at some sections. For me, it was quite bearable. I had started early morning, so there was not much traffic and it was a pleasant drive.

via Punalar, it took me 4hrs 15 min to cover Trivandrum Schenkottai.

Originally Posted by gkrishk

How good/bad was the Trivandrum-Shenkotta section? How long did it take you?

[hvkumar]

You could have taken the direct route to Schencottah via Nedumangad, Palode, Tenmala and Aryankavu. 100 kms to Schencottah, takes 2-3 hours, and road is in good condition.

[gkrishk]

Trivandrum to Madurai via the ghat road to Shenkottai is a picturesque route.I travelled along this road yesterday. There is a beautiful curved railway bridge alongside the road at one point and a inverted S-shaped curve in the road with the railway line passing over it, but the road is horrible in both these places, in fact all the way from Thenmala to the end of the ghat section (about 12 km). The rest of the road from Trivandrum to Thenmala is good and enjoyable both for the view and the drive. The stretch from Shenkottai to the junction with NH7 is newly paved in places and best of all, there is very little traffic!