Team-BHP - Chennai to Munnar - Road Trip : Route Info Needed

I am planning to visit my friends property in Vandenmedu (guess it is in Idukky district) on my way back from Kerala to Bangalore, would like to know which will be the best route from Vandenmedu to Bangalore. My drive is a sedan with low ground clearance.

nfsfreak, but i would be starting like 330 pm from Madras, that would mean I would land in Trichy like 730-8pm which i know will be horrible time around Main Bus Stand. There are/were diversions on NH45B (atleast the pre 4-laned NH45B) that lead from Viralimalai towards Manapparai, but that is totally unworthy when it isnt much of a detour via Madurai. The idea was to rest in Madurai/Theni depending on the route we take (the latter is preferred as Madurai is a mess).
~~~~
amp, the diversions are still there on the 4-lane. But its not that bad, it is in the same state as NH-67 from Trichy to Thanjavur. I did post about TPJ-DG NH45 in some other thread too, but dont remember. My status update is as of 1-March.

Quote:

Originally Posted by narayans80 (Post 2318350)

amp, the diversions are still there on the 4-lane. But its not that bad, it is in the same state as NH-67 from Trichy to Thanjavur. I did post about TPJ-DG NH45 in some other thread too, but dont remember. My status update is as of 1-March.

Thanks for that update. Another question: Which route has better hotels/brekarea etc?

I remember quite some time back, there was nothing even on the Trichy Madurai section. How is the status today?

The entire 4-laned stretch Trichy-Madurai and Trichy-Dindigul has minimal eatery facilities. Madurai has some in around the bypass and bus stand. Dindigul stretch is even worse. But both are pretty quick though, 130 kms to Madurai can be done in 100 mins flat even at sane speeds. Once you catch the 4-laner, Dindigul is pretty quick too, 98 kms in 70 mins.

Quote:

Originally Posted by narayans80 (Post 2319199)

That is the only problem. You enter a little inside Trichy/Madurai and its heaven. And then at the outskirts, its a drought!
Not sure why its like that? Is there not much business in these sections on the road?

@Amp: I am driving towards that direction for the first time, so I would not like to take chance, and hence I decided to go by your suggestion.

Chennai - Trichy - Madurai - Theni - Bodi - Munnar.

Any idea if there is an A2B in Ulundurpet? In another post, i saw a message stating that there is A2B near ulundurpet.

I am not sure how authentic the info is? If A2B does not exist, would you suggest a good restaurant to have breakfast before Trichy?

Thanks
qARS

Quote:

Originally Posted by qAnand (Post 2319445)

Yes the earlier ghar dhaba has become A2b.On your left towards trichy.

Though not directly related to Munnar, am planning to travel the same route.

1) How is the traffic on Madurai-Theni or Dindigul-Theni route after 9pm ?
2) Anyone knows of decent hotels in Theni, Cumbum ? pypkmsrikanth mentioned Western Gatz in Theni somewhere, but dont see any accomodation info on Cumbum hotels.
~~~~
Anand, Ghar Dhaba is much before Ulundurpet toll if i remember.

Quote:

Originally Posted by qAnand (Post 2319630)

Thank you Pradeep.
While coming from Chennai, is the hotel after the ulundurpet toll?

Regards,
qARS

the hotel comes a couple of kms before ulundurpet toll. it is a km or 2 before the road from ulundurpet town meets on the NH45 bypass towards the chennai side. and it does not come on the left. but it comes on the right side when you go from chennai to trichy, so need to take a U turn.

@narayans80 For the sake of my understanding by meaning going through Trichy city are you referring to going via Thiruvanaikoil, Tollgate & Bus stand etc. or are you referring to the byepass which used to connect you directly to Trichy Jn. through Ponmalai etc. If my memory serves correct you could use Trichy byepass and take a detour for Dindigul because the old alignment has been used for completing the byepass if my understanding serves correct.

With regard to the Theni - Cumbum please note that traffic is moderate right through the night and there is no issue per se with regard to safety on the stretch even in the night. With regard to hotels I suggest if you are planning to go all the way to Cumbum before taking a break you may as well go upto Kumili where you have more options. Alternatively you could stay at Western Gatz at Theni.

For the benefit of those travelling in the Dindigul - Theni - Cumbum stretch you can plan your food break at Theni which has Meenakshi Bhavan. There are a couple of hotels in Chinnamanur etc as well.

With regard to the A2B before Ulundurpet it is on the right hand side when you go from Chennai so you will have to take a U turn.

From my travel last August to Munnar from Chennai, the worst stretch was from Trichy to Dindigul (NH 45). It will find it's place in the top 10 worst roads of India. Well, they've been laying that highway stretch for decades.

I would suggest you go from Trichy to Madurai (extra 70 kms) and then from Madurai - Theni - Bodi - Munnar. Trust me, that extra ~70 kms is worth it as you would be spending less on that extra fuel than suspension repairs later. Madurai-Theni-Bodi stretch is a breeze until Bodimettu where you cross the Tamil Nadu border. After Bodimettu, the roads in Kerala state are treacherous and single-laned. In fact, just 10 kms before Munnar, my Swift and another Swift couldn't cross each other on that one lane road. One of us had to back up to let the other pass.