[pypkmsrikanth]

Originally Posted by Lakshman1645

Hi oss,

After looking at the map I'm honestly not very sure, thought that does look like the road I took. Following the route you want to take on your way back (Kodai-Vathalagundu-Dindigul), do not turn left when you get to the main junction in Vathalagundu. Instead, carry on straight. The road is not very wide but the surface is not bad. After about 20km approximately you will drive through an under bridge and immediately reach a T junction. Turn right and drive on this road for a couple of minutes until you reach the 4 lane NH 7. You will be forced to turn left and join it north bound. From here it's straight down to Dindigul and Trichy.

You have basically taken the Kodai Road turnoff from NH7 and continued onto Vathalagundu via Nilakottai. This is certainly an OK considering the diversions between Vathalagundu & Dindigul. It is is the standard route from Madurai to Kodai.

Originally Posted by narayans80

I do remember such diversions from 2-lane days, but is the detour better evil than the traffic from TVS tollgate to Dindigul road 4-lane start ?

The 2lane highway between Viralimalai & Manapparai has just been laid and is in great condition. Passing through Viralimalai is a breeze and Manapparai is not so much of an issue. You would have to pay a toll of Rs.50/- before Viralimalai. At 4 PM I was at the Theni Road turnoff and at 5:45 PM I was at Samayapuram Toll booth. This was on Sunday evening so I possibly would have taken the same time passing through the regular route. My feeling is if you are to pass through Trichy during week day mornings (8 AM - 11 AM) and evenings (5 PM - 8 PM) it would make sense to take this deviation through Viralimalai.

Yes these roads do exist, but not sure of the road conditions though.

Originally Posted by oss

That's interesting. Does it mean that i can stay on the Trichy-Maduri hwy till Viralimali without having to enter Trichy?

Continue on the NH without taking any deviation until Viralimalai. You have to get into the town and take a right to Manapparai. It is a good 2 lane highway recently relaid. Beware of the sharp curves though, it is a serious twister.

[RoadTripper]

Hi Everyone!

Planning on a trip to Kodaikanal via Samayapuram next Sunday. Starting from Perungudi, OMR and hope to get out of home by 4 am (usually been the case).

We're planning to stop by at Samayapuram temple on the way. The last time I'd done the same trip was about 3 years back. Vividly remember that we got into Trichy town and then took the route to Dindigul via Manapparai. Is this the case still?

I was also told that there is a direct stretch through Kodai Road on the GQ which is a bit longer and then connects to Batlagundu (the usual Kodai Road Station route) - could you please advise on this route? Or is the route from Trichy until Dindigul in great shape now? The last time 4 lane work was happening for most part of the stretch and there were too many diversions though it was still a decent clip through the stretch.

Please advise, thanks.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by RoadTripper

I was also told that there is a direct stretch through Kodai Road on the GQ which is a bit longer and then connects to Batlagundu (the usual Kodai Road Station route) - could you please advise on this route? Or is the route from Trichy until Dindigul in great shape now? The last time 4 lane work was happening for most part of the stretch and there were too many diversions though it was still a decent clip through the stretch.

Please advise, thanks.

The Kodai Road-Vatalakundu road is excellent and the distance can be covered in about 20-30mins.I took the road last month.While coming from Dindigul,after the Toll gate,keep to the left and take a right under the flyover followed by a left onto the service road and a right onto the Vatalakundu road.

[RJ555]

Originally Posted by RoadTripper

Hi Everyone!

Planning on a trip to Kodaikanal via Samayapuram next Sunday. Starting from Perungudi, OMR and hope to get out of home by 4 am (usually been the case).

We're planning to stop by at Samayapuram temple on the way. The last time I'd done the same trip was about 3 years back. Vividly remember that we got into Trichy town and then took the route to Dindigul via Manapparai. Is this the case still?

I was also told that there is a direct stretch through Kodai Road on the GQ which is a bit longer and then connects to Batlagundu (the usual Kodai Road Station route) - could you please advise on this route? Or is the route from Trichy until Dindigul in great shape now? The last time 4 lane work was happening for most part of the stretch and there were too many diversions though it was still a decent clip through the stretch.

Please advise, thanks.

not sure on the direct stretch from GQ to kodai road, ideal should be trichy - dindugal bypass and kodai road, did this road last month, 4 laning almost over.

[RoadTripper]

Originally Posted by RJ555

not sure on the direct stretch from GQ to kodai road, ideal should be trichy - dindugal bypass and kodai road, did this road last month, 4 laning almost over.

Thanks RJ555. How much time did it take you from Trichy to Dindigul and Dindigul to Kodaikanal. We're starting at 4 am from Perungudi OMR and should be at Samayapuram temple by 9 am and then head out from there by 10 am. Trying to figure out lunch options (perhaps the Dindigul Thalapakatti in Batlagundu may be one of them).

The last time it took me about 2 hours and a bit to cover Dindigul-Trichy and about 2.5 hours from Kodaikanal to Dindigul. However if these stretches cumulatively don't take more than 4 hours, then I'd rather check in to the Hotel around 2 pm directly.

Please advise, thanks again.

[RoadTripper]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

The Kodai Road-Vatalakundu road is excellent and the distance can be covered in about 20-30mins.I took the road last month.While coming from Dindigul,after the Toll gate,keep to the left and take a right under the flyover followed by a left onto the service road and a right onto the Vatalakundu road.

Kodai Road - Batlagundu in 30 minutes? Awesome to hear that the roads are in great condition!

I've been to Kodaikanal a dozen times at least, but it's been more than 2.5 years now. The road from Kodai Rd Station to Batlagundu has been patchy in the past and the best time I've taken has been about an hour! Having said that a cabbie once took me there in 40 minutes

The Ghat's always been good (so is the case with most if not all hill stations in TN - did Ooty and Yercaud in Dec'12, fantastic ghat roads).

[RJ555]

Originally Posted by RoadTripper

Thanks RJ555. How much time did it take you from Trichy to Dindigul and Dindigul to Kodaikanal. We're starting at 4 am from Perungudi OMR and should be at Samayapuram temple by 9 am and then head out from there by 10 am. Trying to figure out lunch options (perhaps the Dindigul Thalapakatti in Batlagundu may be one of them).

The last time it took me about 2 hours and a bit to cover Dindigul-Trichy and about 2.5 hours from Kodaikanal to Dindigul. However if these stretches cumulatively don't take more than 4 hours, then I'd rather check in to the Hotel around 2 pm directly.

Please advise, thanks again.

for your calculation you can check inn to hotel by 2 provided your darshan @ samaypuram is over. In my case most of my drives to kodai from chennai have not exceeded 7 hours. This includes lunch @ venu briyani, dindugal.
Probable travel time from a.ngr chennai :- Chn - trichy in 4 hours odd, trichy - dindugal 45 min - 1 hour and dindugal - kodai around 2 hours which includes a fuel topping at a pump on LHS of ghat road. speedo needle between 120-130 most of the journey

[RoadTripper]

Originally Posted by RJ555

for your calculation you can check inn to hotel by 2 provided your darshan @ samaypuram is over. In my case most of my drives to kodai from chennai have not exceeded 7 hours. This includes lunch @ venu briyani, dindugal.
Probable travel time from a.ngr chennai :- Chn - trichy in 4 hours odd, trichy - dindugal 45 min - 1 hour and dindugal - kodai around 2 hours which includes a fuel topping at a pump on LHS of ghat road. speedo needle between 120-130 most of the journey

Thanks again RJ555. Do we still need to get into Trichy town to hit the Dindigul bye-pass? I vaguely remember exiting the GQ, getting into the town and then taking an overpass and a left turn after the overpass (near an Indian Oil gas station) that took me into the Dindigul bye-pass gradually. The roads weren't in great condition and it seemed an eternity! It all seemed very complicated then

Please advise, thanks.

[RJ555]

Originally Posted by RoadTripper

Thanks again RJ555. Do we still need to get into Trichy town to hit the Dindigul bye-pass? I vaguely remember exiting the GQ, getting into the town and then taking an overpass and a left turn after the overpass (near an Indian Oil gas station) that took me into the Dindigul bye-pass gradually. The roads weren't in great condition and it seemed an eternity! It all seemed very complicated then

Please advise, thanks.

looks like similar route which i took, but to cutshort travell into Trichy keep travelling GQ in trichy bypass tand take right after 3rd flyover so to get teh overpass and left to dindugal, roas werent that bad

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by RoadTripper

Do we still need to get into Trichy town to hit the Dindigul bye-pass? .

Yes, you will have to go through the Trichy city (for atleast the next 1+ years). Take the last exit on Trichy bypass (clearly marked as Dindigul and Trichy city), cross the old Trichy junction bridge. Take the road that bears left on the upcoming circle and keep going straight from thereon.

BTW NH45 has nothing to do with GQ. NH4 is the GQ.

Trichy-Dindigul will easily take an hour, please be wary of the jokers who ride wrong side close to Dindigul. If you are starting at 4am, you will be able to reach 1ish in Kodai including breaks.
~~~
BTW Ranjit, Dindigul-Vathalagundu widening is done?

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by narayans80

~~~
BTW Ranjit, Dindigul-Vathalagundu widening is done?

In January there were still patches with no roads in between.No markings done yet.Same is the case between Vathalakundu and the turn off to Kodai,wide road and suddenly you come up on a mud section.

[RoadTripper]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

In January there were still patches with no roads in between.No markings done yet.Same is the case between Vathalakundu and the turn off to Kodai,wide road and suddenly you come up on a mud section.

Hi Ranjitp1, Narayanan

Many thanks for your inputs. We left on Sunday morning from Madras and the roads were awesome all the way until Dindigul.

From the Srirangam until the start of NH45 at Trichy exit (Trichy-Manapparai-Dindigul) it took about 30 min. Trichy exit Dindigul took an hour - thankfully not too many wrong side riders.

Dindigul-Batlagundu took about 40 minutes. The initial stretch is good and wide, however no divider markings or median. It does get bumpy in patches and after the first 15 min on the stretch, you do come across mud surfaces which basically are WIP. While they aren't too bad and not more than 20 meters in length, some of these start and end with a very bumpy surface.

Batlagundu-Kodi is excellent until the first 15 minutes uphill. From there its not great, certainly not the best that I've seen in this ghat. It appears to me that the carriageway width has reduced in some parts - poorly executed relaying of road. Moreover, the relaid surface is much higher than the periphery and if you need to (god forbid) veer off the carriageway to avoid a maniac, you may end up with a scratch on the chassis, I did have on. It took me as n hour and 15 from Batlagundu until Kodi lake, my previous trips would take about 50 min to an hour.

Summary:
Dep Perungudi @ 425 am
At Pallavaram overpass at 440 am
Arrival Trichy @ 830 am (including 20 min breakfast stop @ A2B, Ulundurpet)
845 am @ Trichy exit to Dindigul
950 am @ Dindigul
1020 am @ Batlagundu (including 4 min at Gas station)
1135 am @ Kodi lake

[RoadTripper]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

In January there were still patches with no roads in between.No markings done yet.Same is the case between Vathalakundu and the turn off to Kodai,wide road and suddenly you come up on a mud section.

Folks

Please help again

I need to drive to Bangalore from Kodi (last minute development).

Please advise on route options, will leave Kodi around 8am:
1. Kodi-Palani-Perundurai-Salem-Krishnagiri-Blr
2. Kodi-Dindigul-Karur-Krishnagiri-Blr
Or any other route?

I have driven in the Palani ghat and aware of the # of hair pins and challenges.

I will need to go Domlur. Would (obviously) like to reach by 4pm and avoid traffic in BLR.

Thanks again

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by RoadTripper

I need to drive to Bangalore from Kodi (last minute development).

Please advise on route options, will leave Kodi around 8am:
1. Kodi-Palani-Perundurai-Salem-Krishnagiri-Blr
2. Kodi-Dindigul-Karur-Krishnagiri-Blr
Or any other route?

I will need to go Domlur. Would (obviously) like to reach by 4pm and avoid traffic in BLR.

Take the Kodai-Vatalakundu-Kodai Road-NH7-Dindigul-Karur-Salem-Bangalore route.Its the best of the lot.With a 8am departure from Kodai,you should easily make it to Domlur by 4pm with a lunch break in between.You could stop on top of Thoppur ghat for lunch.

Take the elevated road from Ecity,followed by the Silk Board flyover,as you climb down the flyover,keep to your right (do not take the underpass that you see).At the junction on top of the underpass,take a right and keep going straight.No turns anywhere.Straight at all the signals and you would enter the IRR(Intermediate Ring Road).At the end of the IRR,you would see a huge interchange,climb the interchange or dont climb depending on where in Domlur you are headed to.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by RoadTripper

I will need to go Domlur. Would (obviously) like to reach by 4pm and avoid traffic in BLR.

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Take the elevated road from Ecity,followed by the Silk Board flyover,as you climb down the flyover,keep to your right (do not take the underpass that you see).At the junction on top of the underpass,take a right and keep going straight.No turns anywhere.Straight at all the signals and you would enter the IRR(Intermediate Ring Road).At the end of the IRR,you would see a huge interchange,climb the interchange or dont climb depending on where in Domlur you are headed to.

To avoid Krishnagiri-Bangalore section you can also try :

Dharmapuri-Palacode-Rayakottai-Kelamangalam-Attebele (on NH7 before electronic city)
Route Link