[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by hellmet

We're a group of 4 males going in a Duster from Hyderabad to Nagercoil next week. HYD-BLR is a well known road for us so that's easy. Any idea about the present road condition from BLR to Nagercoil?

I too drove Nagercoil-Bangalore couple of weeks back, except Hosur-Krishnagiri stretch rest all are excellent. The maduri byepass road is bit bumpy, the single lane road after kavalkinaru is average as usual. If possible, avoid crossing salem during peak hours.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by 500ContyCruiser

This weekend did a long drive to Bangalore - Kanyakumari - Rameshwaram - Bangalore, total of 1700+ kms.
Day 1: Bangalore - Kanyakumari
Day 2: Kanyakumari - Rameshwaram
Day 3: Rameshwaram - Bangalore

Road between Kanyakumari - Thoothukudi is bad. They are making road in most of the places.

Referred your post here. Cant believe ECR has gone bad. Double confirmed from the route link as well. Is the whole section bad or few places around Tuticorin alone?

[julupani]

Originally Posted by ampere

Referred your post here. Cant believe ECR has gone bad. Double confirmed from the route link as well. Is the whole section bad or few places around Tuticorin alone?

I may be wrong but I remember reading a news report that the "East Coast Road" project was only upto Thottukudi and not upto Kanyakumari.

[500ContyCruiser]

Originally Posted by ampere

Referred your post here. Cant believe ECR has gone bad. Double confirmed from the route link as well. Is the whole section bad or few places around Tuticorin alone?

Roads are average right after Kanyakumari (after Anjugramam turn). Later it worsens around Thomas Mandapam.

http://goo.gl/maps/J8vDZ

My plan was to drive along the Sea.

Road was so bad that I had to take deviation and drive via Point B.

My highly broken Tamil did help a little. People were kind enough to talk in Hindi / English, as they were unable to decode my so-called Tamil


Another point missed to add, between Madurai-Kanyakumari had one of the amazing dosa's (had 2 big ones) ever. Currently do not have hotel details. Will post pic after reaching home.

The hotel is right after Toll Booth and not difficult to miss.

Exact location: http://goo.gl/maps/OBQ4K

[500ContyCruiser]

This is the hotel I was talking about..

Mods: Can you please merge with above post?

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by 500ContyCruiser

Another point missed to add, between Madurai-Kanyakumari had one of the amazing dosa's (had 2 big ones) ever. Currently do not have hotel details. Will post pic after reaching home.

The hotel is right after Toll Booth and not difficult to miss.

Exact location: http://goo.gl/maps/OBQ4K

Yes, this hotel is immediately after crossing the SalaiPudur Toll booth on the left(While going towards Kanyakumari). Another 5 Kms from here and there is Capsi Restaurant, they serve good Non- Veg food as well.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Yes, this hotel is immediately after crossing the SalaiPudur Toll booth on the left(While going towards Kanyakumari). Another 5 Kms from here and there is Capsi Restaurant, they serve good Non- Veg food as well.

Surprisingly it I could not find the location in Google. But MMI maps have it in there.

http://maps.mapmyindia.com/#map+of+C...uuAQqyMzR4ZTZl

[naveenroy]

Originally Posted by 500ContyCruiser

My plan was to drive along the Sea.

Road was so bad that I had to take deviation and drive via Point B.

My highly broken Tamil did help a little. People were kind enough to talk in Hindi / English, as they were unable to decode my so-called Tamil

Yes, when I did my Coast to Coast ride [http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...3-states.html], the villagers strongly suggested to me that I not ride along the coast as the roads were really bad. I then took ECR till Tuticorin and then rode onwards to Tirunelveli where I took the bypass and caught up with NH7.

[500ContyCruiser]

Originally Posted by naveenroy

Yes, when I did my Coast to Coast ride [http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...3-states.html], the villagers strongly suggested to me that I not ride along the coast as the roads were really bad. I then took ECR till Tuticorin and then rode onwards to Tirunelveli where I took the bypass and caught up with NH7.

For few good reasons (apart from my vehicle suspension n my body-ache), I felt nice of taking that route.

Let pics talk now...

[naveenroy]

Originally Posted by 500ContyCruiser

For few good reasons (apart from my vehicle suspension n my body-ache), I felt nice of taking that route.

Let pics talk now...

The first pic is very nice. What church is that in the background?

[500ContyCruiser]

Originally Posted by naveenroy

The first pic is very nice. What church is that in the background?

Its St. James Church. There are couple of more churches at Manapad.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by ampere

Referred your post here. Cant believe ECR has gone bad. Double confirmed from the route link as well. Is the whole section bad or few places around Tuticorin alone?

ECR or not. Tiruchendur-Kanyakumari has never improved since I've seen my dad drive in early 90s. Its a 1-1.5 lane wide road at best. It was almost identical when we returned in 2001. I don't see any different feedback from various people who've taken since. The photos too resemble how they were 10-20 years back. Its a route which the local buses don't take, you'll hardly find 1-2 buses doing Tiruchendur-Kanyakumari/Nagercoil this way. Most equivalent road I can quote is Adoni-Alur.

As a part of the ECR project, Madras-Pondy was newly laid. Nagapattinam-Ramnad and Ramnad-Tuticorin were relaid. Other sections existed from other NH and SH projects.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by narayans80

ECR or not. Tiruchendur-Kanyakumari has never improved since I've seen my dad drive in early 90s. Its a 1-1.5 lane wide road at best. It was almost identical when we returned in 2001.

From Kanyakumari if you're heading to Rameswaram, probably better to go via Tirunelveli-Tuticorin. The Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur-Tuticorin route was very bad in some sections so avoiding Tiruchendur and taking NH7A from Tirunelveli to Tutircorin via Pudukottai is a better option as the road is good (it definitely was last year). Once you get to Tuticorin you can take the ECR to Ramanathapuram and that stretch was super awesome when we travelled

[ampere]

Originally Posted by NPV

From Kanyakumari if you're heading to Rameswaram, probably better to go via Tirunelveli-Tuticorin. The Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur-Tuticorin route was very bad in some sections so avoiding Tiruchendur and taking NH7A from Tirunelveli to Tutircorin via Pudukottai is a better option as the road is good (it definitely was last year). Once you get to Tuticorin you can take the ECR to Ramanathapuram and that stretch was super awesome when we travelled

Quite confusing! First I thought how come Pudukottai comes here ? Then when I looked at Google maps, I saw there is one more by the same name!

So folks do note its not the big Pudukottai town, but a small on NH7A.

[Rajesh1968]

Guys, planning Bangalore - Kanyakumari this weekend, IDD long weekend. Please do help me with road conditions and any deviations to Kanyakumari, aslo planning to go Rameshwaram, any tips on Kanyakumari- Rameshwaram - Bangalore route.

Please also suggest place of stay in Kanyakumari