Muvattupuzha(kochin) to Velankanni-route enquiry:

deepclutch · 15th May 2017, 06:11

Visited Velankanni and returned on Sunday morning. I took the Muvattupuzha-Vadakkancherry-Kollengode-Pollachi-Karur outer-Trichy bypass-Thanjavoor-Mannargudi-Thiruthuraipoondi to reach Velankanni Shrine Basilica. The roads are pretty nice and as @aargee said, relied on GPS for bypasses. Paid around 250 as toll amount. We started a bit late at 8PM on Friday as a relative has to come. Reached Velankanni around 8.15 AM. Since, we had taken few stops for feeding the baby and all, and already a bit late, It took some spirited driving to reach on time. Total distance was 540kms unlike indicated 525kms on Gmaps. Google Maps markings are wrong in few cases somewhere near Trichy to a round about and near Dindigul too.

We returned on the evening at 4.45PM and took the Thiruthuraipoondi-Mannargudi-Thanjavoor-Trichy-Dindigul-Theni-Kumily-Kanjirappilly-Erattupetta-Thodupuzha route to reach Muvattupuzha. This route is not preferable than the Mannuthy-Vadakkencherry-Pollachi route because, in Theni we are diverted through some village roads through Uppukottai to reach the parallel road to Cumbum via Kuchanoor-Uthamapalayam. Driving at early morning hours through this deserted narrow stretches was a nightmare. After reaching Palayam, the roads are just OK to Lower camp and Kumily. Near Kumily in the hills, there are some bridge works going on. We wasted a hours time or more taking the Theni-Kumily route. After reaching Kanjirappilly, we took the Erattupetta-Thodupuzha road. There are road constructions going on all the way from Kanjirappilly to Thodupuzha. In fact, avoid Thodupuzha-Erattupetta road as almost 15 kms is without tar and is getting levelled and re-construction going on. Thus lost another 30 minutes or so maneuvering through this road. We reached only by 8AM at Muvattupuzha. The driving was sedentary with many stoppages on the return. Took 15 hours on return and a total of 550kms. On the return journey we stopped for dinner at Hotel Junior Kuppanna near Thanjavoor on Trichy-Thanjore highway. The attraction is you have A2B also on the same compound. It was good. This is the location of the restaurant: https://goo.gl/S5Chww

I have seen that there are buses to Munnar in the early morning hours plying to Munnar through Bodinayikanur from Theni. There was an option to travel as convoy by sticking with a TNSTC bus till Pooppara and take Rajakkad-Vannappuram route. But, it was not worth the risk traveling with a baby.

The day we visited the Velankanni Basilica was crowded with pilgrims from Kerala, Mangalore-Goa and even Bombay. Have seen that there are a lot of accidents between Thanjavoor and Velankanni. No wonder, that road through Thiruthuraipoondi is more about goats, cows and people roaming around making it dangerous. Besides, lots of Kutcha roads that we had to manoeuvre through with over bridges being built - This is somewhere near Mannargudi. I wonder about the Thanjavoor-Needamangalam-Velankanni higway? No updates on it's completion.

Also, whether it was better for us to try Thanjavur-Papanasam-Valangaiman-Nagapattinam to Velankanni? We have no updates about these roads. https://goo.gl/voqo4H

JohnnyBoss · 15th May 2017, 13:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by deepclutch

I have seen that there are buses to Munnar in the early morning hours plying to Munnar through Bodinayikanur from Theni. There was an option to travel as convoy by sticking with a TNSTC bus till Pooppara and take Rajakkad-Vannappuram route. But, it was not worth the risk traveling with a baby.

Theni - Pooppara ghat road is on of the most beautiful ghat sections and it should be covered during daytime, with enough breaks to enjoy the views. The best time would be immediately after monsoon. A slight drizzle would add up to the charm.

KL07 · 5th October 2017, 09:53

Hi,

I am planning to leave for Velankanni next Saturday morning from Cochin. I am a little confused about the route. Should I stick to the Cochin-Vadakkancherry-Kollengode-Pollachi-Karur outer-Trichy bypass-Thanjavoor-Mannargudi-Thiruthuraipoondi route or should I take the Cochin-Trichur-Palakkad-Coimbatore-Karur route.

Also from Trichy, which route do I take to reach Velankani? Any updates on the Trichy-Thiruvarur-Velankanni route.

Cheers,
J

15th May 2017, 06:11	#46
deepclutch Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Muvattupuzha Posts: 1,165 Thanked: 162 Times	Re: Muvattupuzha(kochin) to Velankanni-route enquiry: Visited Velankanni and returned on Sunday morning. I took the Muvattupuzha-Vadakkancherry-Kollengode-Pollachi-Karur outer-Trichy bypass-Thanjavoor-Mannargudi-Thiruthuraipoondi to reach Velankanni Shrine Basilica. The roads are pretty nice and as @aargee said, relied on GPS for bypasses. Paid around 250 as toll amount. We started a bit late at 8PM on Friday as a relative has to come. Reached Velankanni around 8.15 AM. Since, we had taken few stops for feeding the baby and all, and already a bit late, It took some spirited driving to reach on time. Total distance was 540kms unlike indicated 525kms on Gmaps. Google Maps markings are wrong in few cases somewhere near Trichy to a round about and near Dindigul too. We returned on the evening at 4.45PM and took the Thiruthuraipoondi-Mannargudi-Thanjavoor-Trichy-Dindigul-Theni-Kumily-Kanjirappilly-Erattupetta-Thodupuzha route to reach Muvattupuzha. This route is not preferable than the Mannuthy-Vadakkencherry-Pollachi route because, in Theni we are diverted through some village roads through Uppukottai to reach the parallel road to Cumbum via Kuchanoor-Uthamapalayam. Driving at early morning hours through this deserted narrow stretches was a nightmare. After reaching Palayam, the roads are just OK to Lower camp and Kumily. Near Kumily in the hills, there are some bridge works going on. We wasted a hours time or more taking the Theni-Kumily route. After reaching Kanjirappilly, we took the Erattupetta-Thodupuzha road. There are road constructions going on all the way from Kanjirappilly to Thodupuzha. In fact, avoid Thodupuzha-Erattupetta road as almost 15 kms is without tar and is getting levelled and re-construction going on. Thus lost another 30 minutes or so maneuvering through this road. We reached only by 8AM at Muvattupuzha. The driving was sedentary with many stoppages on the return. Took 15 hours on return and a total of 550kms. On the return journey we stopped for dinner at Hotel Junior Kuppanna near Thanjavoor on Trichy-Thanjore highway. The attraction is you have A2B also on the same compound. It was good. This is the location of the restaurant: https://goo.gl/S5Chww I have seen that there are buses to Munnar in the early morning hours plying to Munnar through Bodinayikanur from Theni. There was an option to travel as convoy by sticking with a TNSTC bus till Pooppara and take Rajakkad-Vannappuram route. But, it was not worth the risk traveling with a baby. The day we visited the Velankanni Basilica was crowded with pilgrims from Kerala, Mangalore-Goa and even Bombay. Have seen that there are a lot of accidents between Thanjavoor and Velankanni. No wonder, that road through Thiruthuraipoondi is more about goats, cows and people roaming around making it dangerous. Besides, lots of Kutcha roads that we had to manoeuvre through with over bridges being built - This is somewhere near Mannargudi. I wonder about the Thanjavoor-Needamangalam-Velankanni higway? No updates on it's completion. Also, whether it was better for us to try Thanjavur-Papanasam-Valangaiman-Nagapattinam to Velankanni? We have no updates about these roads. https://goo.gl/voqo4H Last edited by deepclutch : 15th May 2017 at 06:18.
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5th October 2017, 09:53	#48
KL07 Newbie Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Cochin Posts: 23 Thanked: 10 Times	Re: Muvattupuzha(kochin) to Velankanni-route enquiry: Hi, I am planning to leave for Velankanni next Saturday morning from Cochin. I am a little confused about the route. Should I stick to the Cochin-Vadakkancherry-Kollengode-Pollachi-Karur outer-Trichy bypass-Thanjavoor-Mannargudi-Thiruthuraipoondi route or should I take the Cochin-Trichur-Palakkad-Coimbatore-Karur route. Also from Trichy, which route do I take to reach Velankani? Any updates on the Trichy-Thiruvarur-Velankanni route. Cheers, J
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