Originally Posted by soarer

After Salem I need to go to Namakal route correct ? from there how do I proceed.

Yes. Proceed on NH 7 till Namakkal bypass. At the bypass, don't go over the flyover, which takes a turn towards the right. There is a sign board indicating the direction for Namakkal town on the road going below the flyover to your left [service road]. Take that road, enter Namakkal town, after the bus stand, you have to take left again to proceed towards Musiri/Trichy. There are signages to guide you to Trichy SH at important junctions.

[soarer]

Thanks Ramesh, Ravi .. I will update the once Im back from my trip.

@Ravi..I would also start from Prestige Tech park, ORR on June 3.

Originally Posted by soarer

@Ravi..I would also start from Prestige Tech park, ORR on June 3.

On that day, my MMI Lx130 navigator recommended this route to bypass SilkBoard junction. But, I didn't listen to it and continued on ORR, only to get caught in traffic jam and reached Hosur Road via HSR Layout. If you want to avoid ORR, you can try this route via Sarjapura Road/Dommasandra which joins NH 7 at Chandapura:

[ampere]

If you start early morning, then its peaceful and you also get to take the BETL.
(In fact, early morning you don't even need BETL. The regular NH7 is itself empty.)

But if you are leaving at any other time, then the Sarjapur-Attibele makes a lot of sense.
Also it helps folks who stay in Whitefield. I am aware of many friends who are regular on that route. Starting from ORR, means its easier to take the NH7 itself, provided its the early hours.

Note: Traffic is only on ORR (during the day also). After Silk board its BETL during peak hours, which easies life quite a bit.

These days, I also see a service road dedicated for folks who want to turn to NH7 and those who are coming from HSR side.

Hope this helps instead of confusing you more!

[soarer]

Thanks for Ampere, Ravi..I usually take Varthu -Sarajpur road till atibele if I start in the day ..But this time im planning to start around 10 PM from my office...hence I think I will stick to ORR till Silk board and there I will BETL..Because Varthu-Sarjapur road is lonely in the weird hours...

Note from the Team-BHP Support Team: Please take the time to use proper punctuation as per Team-BHP rules. Avoid...typing...like...this. Thanks.

[soarer]

Update,

I have done the below route this weekend( 04-05 June-2011). While going took the following route

Bangalore- Kgiri-Salem-namakal-Musiri-Trichy-Tanjore-Kumabakonam-Mayavaram-Thirukadaiur. It took approx 8.5 hrs (including dinner and nature Break) for 520 kms and entire drive was in Night. Entire route was good till Thirukadaiur. Stayed at Chella residency overthere and next day morning after fininshing all darshan and homam's travelled to Tranqbar which is just 10 kms from there. Tranqbar has decent beach with very less crowd and there is old dutch palace which is located near beach where you can spend almost an hr ( beach & Palace) . Then started back to bangalore around 11:45 Am and took the following route,

Tranqbar-Srikali-Chindabaram-Panurooti-Thiruvanamalai-Kgiri-Bangalore and reached home around 8:30 and the total distance is 400 Kms . Except Kgiri to Bangalore entire route is on SH which is good except for Thiruvanamalai to Kgiri escepially for the last 20 kms near Thiruvanamalai is very bad.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by soarer

Tranqbar-Srikali-Chindabaram-Panurooti-Thiruvanamalai-Kgiri-Bangalore and reached home around 8:30 and the total distance is 400 Kms . Except Kgiri to Bangalore entire route is on SH which is good except for Thiruvanamalai to Kgiri escepially for the last 20 kms near Thiruvanamalai is very bad.

Driving during day would be nice. But driving this stretch in the night, would really an issue.
Hopefully this situation has improved.

[Tempelhof]

Need info on the shortest yet best road (wide, not much potholes - Civic) from Kumbakonam to Bangalore. Starting KMU at 0530.

Toying with the following two routes: (1) Kumbakonam - Gangai - Panruti - TVM - K'Giri - BLR, and (2) Kumbakonam - Gangai - Vadalur - Vridhhachalam - Salem - BLR.



Thanks in advance.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by Tempelhof

Need info on the shortest yet best road (wide, not much potholes - Civic) from Kumbakonam to Bangalore. Starting KMU at 0530. Toying with the following two routes: (1) Kumbakonam - Gangai - Panruti - TVM - K'Giri - BLR, and (2) Kumbakonam - Gangai - Vadalur - Vridhhachalam - Salem - BLR.

Your best bet if you want good roads is to go via Trichy (either via Thiruvayaru or Thanjavur) and then take the Thuraiyur route to Namakkal, NH7 thereon. The Bangalore-Trichy route has been dissected here.

AFAIK (1) has bad roads from Tiruvannamalai-Krishnagiri and (2) has some bad roads from Vridhachalam to Salem (via Attur, Chinna Salem).

[ampere]

Kumbakonam-Tanjore-Trichy-Musiri-Namakkal-Salem-Blr
This is the best route

[Tempelhof]

Originally Posted by ampere

Kumbakonam-Tanjore-Trichy-Musiri-Namakkal-Salem-Blr
This is the best route

Originally Posted by narayans80

Your best bet if you want good roads is to go via Trichy (either via Thiruvayaru or Thanjavur) and then take the Thuraiyur route to Namakkal, NH7 thereon. The Bangalore-Trichy route has been dissected here.

AFAIK (1) has bad roads from Tiruvannamalai-Krishnagiri and (2) has some bad roads from Vridhachalam to Salem (via Attur, Chinna Salem).

Thanks for the information.

[ampere]

Please note, there was some construction going on the Namakkal-Musiri stretch. But its not that bad, so as to be avoided.

[Tempelhof]

Originally Posted by ampere

Please note, there was some construction going on the Namakkal-Musiri stretch. But its not that bad, so as to be avoided.

Thanks.

So, I guess it should be OK, if I come from KMU to Thanjavur (may be take the bypass) and go towards Trichy, cross NIT, cross Kattur, and take a right turn on the Trichy - Madras Road (NH), and after crossing the two Cauvery rivers, take a left towards Musiri - Namakkal and then on to Salem and Bangalore - I hope there is no need to enter Trichy at all.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Tempelhof

Thanks.

So, I guess it should be OK, if I come from KMU to Thanjavur (may be take the bypass) and go towards Trichy, cross NIT, cross Kattur, and take a right turn on the Trichy - Madras Road (NH), and after crossing the two Cauvery rivers, take a left towards Musiri - Namakkal and then on to Salem and Bangalore - I hope there is no need to enter Trichy at all.

Yes per my opinion that is the easiest way.
But good to confirm with others also.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by Tempelhof

So, I guess it should be OK, if I come from KMU to Thanjavur (may be take the bypass) and go towards Trichy, cross NIT, cross Kattur, and take a right turn on the Trichy - Madras Road (NH), and after crossing the two Cauvery rivers, take a left towards Musiri - Namakkal and then on to Salem and Bangalore - I hope there is no need to enter Trichy at all.

You are correct, there is no need to enter Trichy at all. A small correction here, left from Trichy-Madras NH and a right at the Number 1 Tollgate 4-way intersection.

You'll cross both Kaveri and Kollidam on NH45, if you take Thanjavur route. If you taking Kallanai, Thiuvayaru route (SH22) from Kumbakonam, you'll just cross the Kollidam on NH45.

Does Thanjavur have a bypass ? I visited last October and there wasn't any, neither were there proper signages for Kumbakonam inside Thanjavur city. Though traffic wasn't a problem when I crossed at 8am.