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-   -   Chennai to Munnar - Road Trip : Route Info Needed (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/92740-chennai-munnar-road-trip-route-info-needed-2.html)

Meenakshi Bhavan at Theni is a very good place. It is right next to a HP petrol pump on the right hand side of the road while you are going towards Theni.

Alternatively what you could do is to may be take a break at Western Gatz hotel at Theni, though the food might turn out to be more expensive than Meenakshi Bhavan.

Please note that in both cases you have to come into the city and then trace your way back towards Bodi.

Thats good info. Thanks for sharing. Though I have never driven through Bodi, but as per what I guess, it should not be that difficult to wade through the town (Or is it ?).

Thanks for the inputs Srikanth. So, you mean to say these hotels are not on the highway NH-49 and one would have to take a detour inside Theni town? How far would that be from the highway ?

Also then how good is the Theni by-pass? Do you have one? GM shows a Theni by-pass on the Nh45 which hits NH49 on the South side of the town.

Theni is not a very big town you can comfortably get into the city and get out without much of a trouble in terms of traffic. I have never had an opportunity to use the byepass as I have always travelled from Dindigul, my feeling is the byepass is good only if you are coming from Usilampatti and continuing onwards towards Vathalagundu rather than come into Theni town.

That is what even I was thinking. Since the turn to Munnar is closer to the city, by-pass is a roundabout option.

I've taken the by-pass on my trip to Thekkady and it was in good shape(this is in September).

@Ampere, Precisely right, the by-pass is good only for travelers from Usilampatti. It puts you into the Theni town closer to bus-stand on the Madurai road and from there you'll be taking the regular route. So you'll join back well before the Bodi turn-off. From Madurai, you will not encounter most part of Theni town as you'll reach bus stand without much fuss of traffic and take left there.

And the Meenakshi Bhavan should be about a km from the bus stand on the road towards Bodi/Thekkady. I'm only assuming that it should be before the Bodi turn-off, as I dont remember exactly.

Any updates on road condition on Trichy - Dindigul - Theni section of NH45? Is 4Laning complete between Trichy & Dindigul? Next weekend I will be travelling to Theni.

I did Trichy-Dindigul some 3-4 weeks back. Almost done! the lane changes are pretty smooth. Only place its roughed up a bit is near Manapparai bypass. Vaiyampatti bypass bridge is under construction. Few exit ramps, minor bridges and connecting roads are in progress thats why few sections are closed even though the 4-laning is complete on those sections. This was done in a bus, so dont really know conditions of Manapparai, Vadamadurai and Dindigul bypasses alone. It is almost comparable to Trichy-Thanjavur 6 months back.

Thanks for the updates, narayans80.

Hi,
I have gone thru this thread. I would need some more info on this, I got the impression that Chennai - Dindigul - Theni - Munnar route is the best and scenic.
What about Chennai - Madurai - Theni - Munnar route?

Is trichy to madurai 4 laned?

Thanks
qARS

Trichy-Madurai is fully 4Laned (NH45B).
Trichy-Dindigul (called Old NH45): 4L is nearing completion.

Scenic part is only after Theni/Bodi. So it does not matter much, which route you take.
If you need hassle free drive, Madurai option is better, as you get more full 4-Laned road till Madurai.

Hi Guys,

M planning to drive down to Munnar on the 13th of April (election day). Can someone please recommend which route to Munnar will be the fastest?
I) Chennai-Dindigul-Trichy-Munnar.
II)Chenna-Madurai-Munnar.

I would be starting from Chennai not later then 5AM. Will i be able to reach Munnar by 3PM?

Thanks!
Varun

Chennai - Trichy - Dindigul - Theni - Munnar is the shortest.

But, Udumalpet - Munnar is more scenic :)

Long back we used to go Chennai - Salem - Coimbatore - Pollachi - Udumalpet - Munnar. Used to take ages in the old Fiat or Amby. But a lovely drive in terms of scenic beauty.