[Sridhar K]

Hi All,

Thanks to all for your feedback and I completed my trip last night.

• * Did Chennai- Samaypuram (visited the temple) - Thiruchi bypass - Thanjavur bypass - vaduvur - Mannargudi. 4 lane all the way till Thanjavur and then pretty decent two lane road to Mannargudi.
  
  * Took 1.5 hrs from Samayapuram temple to Mannargudi. The extra 75 odd kms is worth it considering that we stay with four lanes for most part.
  
  * Stayed overnight at Mannargudi at TMA lodge. Lodging is ok standards. (they are improving it a bit now after recovering rooms from a ONGC contract). Probably the best of the lot in Mannargudi.
  
  * After our temple visits in Mannargudi, visited Alangudi temple and Valangaiman Seethaladevi temple enroute to K. Konam. Pretty decent roads all along though there were patched up potholes.
  
  * Stayed overnight at Sitthi residency in K. Konam on Madathu thru right opposite to Murugan Cafe. Had booked at Navadharshan but not happy with the maintenance of the toilets. Sitthi residency is pretty good and would recommend them, Only issue is that there is 3 dedicated car parks and space for parking 3 more cars one behind the other. First day, one of the 3 dedicated park was free and on the next night, had to park the car in the lane. Had to take the car out once at 5:30 AM to the let the cars parked behind out.
  
  * Saw a lot more new options to stay and dine at KMU. There is a Quality Inn, Thangavilas grand hotel (in the old Thangavilas Seeval factory) which has a coffee shop, wifi and a veg restaurant. Had lunch there which was pretty good.
  
  * Visited Engan Murugan temple and Sikkal temple. KMU - Thiruvarur road is in excellent condition and took a right towards engan after Simizhi. The village road is pretty decent.
  
  * Post Engan, continued on the same road which hits the Thanjavur - Thiruvarur road which was also in decent condition until the Thiruvarur bypass.
  
  * Thiruvarur - Nagapattinam is not in great shape due to the mansoon Road was ok but had to watch out for occasional pot holes. The road conditions between villages is ok but bad when passing inside the villages
  
  * Returned back to KMU for some rest as it was already noon. Made the mistake of entering Thiruvarur town. The easier option would have been to use the Thiruvarur bypass and turn right after a KM or so to join the Thiruvarur - KMU road. The roads inside Thiruvarur town left a lot to be desired
  
  * In the evening, visited Vanamutti perumal temple in Kozhikotti. The KMU- Mayavaram road also is potholled. Hence took a left at Adudhurai to join the SH-22. SH-22 was great considering the greenery, no pot holes and less traffic.
  
  * After Vanamutti temple, came back to join KMU- Mayavaram road through moovanur and proceeded back to Thiruvarur via Mayavaram. Mayavaram - Thiruvarur has taken quite a beating due to the monsoon and heavier traffic.
  
  * Post visiting Thiruvarur temple, returned to KMU via Thiruvarur - KMU road visiting Thirukannankudi temple (one of the divya desams) enroute.
  
  * Stayed overnight at KMU, visited Kumbheswarar temple, Thirubhuvanam temple (and the Viralimalai swamigal matam in Thirubhuvanam) and then returned to Chennai via KMU bypass, Anaikarai - Jayamkondan- Virudhachalam- Ulundurpettai.
  
  * Road condition from KMU - Virudhachalam was awesome. Virudhachalam - Ulundurpet was broken at many places. Though 17 kms more and had an extra toll, preferred this route because we get to drive in two lane roads only for 88kms, lesser two wheeler and lorry traffic unlike the panruti route.
  

Overall road condition in descending order of quality

• 1) Chennai- Thiruchi- Tanjavur
  2) Virudhachalam - KMU
  3) KMU-Thiruvarur
  4) KMU - Mannargudi = Thanjavur - Mannargudi
  5) Virudhachalam - Ulundurpet
  6) Mayavaram - Thiruvarur and Thiruvarur - Sikkal.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by Sridhar K

* Stayed overnight at KMU, visited Kumbheswarar temple, Thirubhuvanam temple (and the Viralimalai swamigal matam in Thirubhuvanam) and then returned to Chennai via KMU bypass, Anaikarai - Jayamkondan- Virudhachalam- Ulundurpettai.

* Road condition from KMU - Virudhachalam was awesome. Virudhachalam - Ulundurpet was broken at many places. Though 17 kms more and had an extra toll, preferred this route because we get to drive in two lane roads only for 88kms, lesser two wheeler and lorry traffic unlike the panruti route.
[/list]
Overall road condition in descending order of quality

• 1) Chennai- Thiruchi- Tanjavur
  2) Virudhachalam - KMU
  3) KMU-Thiruvarur
  4) KMU - Mannargudi = Thanjavur - Mannargudi
  5) Virudhachalam - Ulundurpet
  6) Mayavaram - Thiruvarur and Thiruvarur - Sikkal.

I will be driving to oppiliappan temple in kumbakonam on thursday. From ulundurpet onwards till vriddhachalam is the road that bad
Any other options?

[Sridhar K]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

I will be driving to oppiliappan temple in kumbakonam on thursday. From ulundurpet onwards till vriddhachalam is the road that bad
Any other options?

Don't worry. The road is pretty much manageable. Just that you have to drive a bit slower due to the occasional pot holes that comes out of nowhere. I was able to maintain good speed but for the rest of the 23km stretch.

[ampere]

Great update Sridhar. A few notes.

Originally Posted by Sridhar K

* In the evening, visited Vanamutti perumal temple in Kozhikotti. The KMU- Mayavaram road also is potholled. Hence took a left at Adudhurai to join the SH-22. SH-22 was great considering the greenery, no pot holes and less traffic.

This is surprising. I thought this was decent. Maybe did not realized thanks to Duster!

Visited Engan Murugan temple and Sikkal temple. KMU - Thiruvarur road is in excellent condition

Was expecting this. Good to note.

Returned back to KMU for some rest as it was already noon. Made the mistake of entering Thiruvarur town. The easier option would have been to use the Thiruvarur bypass and turn right after a KM or so to join the Thiruvarur - KMU road. The roads inside Thiruvarur town left a lot to be desired

Yes the bypass needs to be used. Roads around the temple seem to be OK. Bu they are narrow. I was OK getting into the town and get on to Peralam road.

Mayavaram - Thiruvarur has taken quite a beating due to the monsoon and heavier traffic.

Surprising! Thiruvarur-Peralam was very nice this summer. But roads were quite broken around Peralam. I also heard KMU-Peralam-Karaikal is quote broken. But expected Mayavaram-Peralam to be good.

* Road condition from KMU - Virudhachalam was awesome. Virudhachalam - Ulundurpet was broken at many places.

This is NICE! Never thought this section would have done clean!

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

I will be driving to oppiliappan temple in kumbakonam on thursday. From ulundurpet onwards till vriddhachalam is the road that bad
Any other options?

@Suresh you can try the Salem-Attur-V Koot Road-Veppur-Vridhchalam option. Much better in conditions. (That is in case you are willing to take the 4-lane).

Or try this: Take your time and tested SH to Harur and then head to Salem via Kuppanur (Thirupattur-Salem SH). And join the 4-lane. And then drive to V-Koot road.

Or instead of heading to Thirukkoillur from Harur, head to Kallakurichi via Sankarapuram and then head to Veppur.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by ampere

@Suresh you can try the Salem-Attur-V Koot Road-Veppur-Vridhchalam option. Much better in conditions. (That is in case you are willing to take the 4-lane).

Or try this: Take your time and tested SH to Harur and then head to Salem via Kuppanur (Thirupattur-Salem SH). And join the 4-lane. And then drive to V-Koot road.

Thanks Amp, I will be driving to Kumbakonam this thursday from Bangalore by car. I intend to go via Rayakottai,Karimangalam,Kambainallur,Morappur,Haru r,T V Malai,Thirukkoilur by pass,Ulundurpet,Vriddhachalam,Jayamkondan and T Polur.

My concern is the road condition after Ulundurpet. Since the Ulundurpet-Vriddhachalam stretch is bad, do i have any option. I am not too keen to shell out money on toll.

[suresh_gs]

Folks

From Ulundurpet, i have the opton of going via Panruti, Sethiathoppe and Thirupananthal (NH45C).
How are the road conditions on this stretch ?
Do we have any tolls on this stretch ?

[Sridhar K]

@Ampere
Agree. The quality of the road is a relative term and does vary with the car .

I was on my Swift. Though the ride quality on the new Swift is better but comparing to a duster, it still has a long way to go.

As a overall feedback, considering the roads were relaid this summer, the roads with heavier traffic have taken a beating i.e. Mayavaram- Nagai, Ulundurpet - Virudhachalam, Mayavaram- KMU unlike Thiruvarur-KMU - Thanjavur - Mannargudi.

Despite my comments on quality of the roads not being great in sections, the roads are still much better than the typical conditions of these roads post every monsoon a few years back.

@Suresh
I would suggest that you either stick to Ulundurpet -virudhachalam or worst case take - Veppur - Jayamkondan. Perhaps I was a bit harsh on Ulundurpet - Virudhachalam. Don't think Panruti - Sethiathoppe is going to be any better.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by Sridhar K

@Ampere
Agree. The quality of the road is a relative term and does vary with the car .

I was on my Swift. Though the ride quality on the new Swift is better but comparing to a duster, it still has a long way to go.

As a overall feedback, considering the roads were relaid this summer, the roads with heavier traffic have taken a beating i.e. Mayavaram- Nagai, Ulundurpet - Virudhachalam, Mayavaram- KMU unlike Thiruvarur-KMU - Thanjavur - Mannargudi.

Despite my comments on quality of the roads not being great in sections, the roads are still much better than the typical conditions of these roads post every monsoon a few years back.

I spoke to the hotel Manager near Oppiliappan temple. He suggested me to come via Ulundurpet,Vriddhachalam,Jayamkondan and Anaikarai.

Is the T.Polur route from Jayamkondan that bad??

[ampere]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

My concern is the road condition after Ulundurpet. Since the Ulundurpet-Vriddhachalam stretch is bad, do i have any option. I am not too keen to shell out money on toll.

Thats why I tried to minimize your tolled road commute to byass Ulundurpet-Vridhachalam. Instead was suggesting Kallakurichi/Vkoot Road-Veppur-Vridhachalam. (Thats a SH)

To hit the source places (V Koot Road / Kallakurichi) you quite some options which you can look at.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by ampere

Thats why I tried to minimize your tolled road commute to byass Ulundurpet-Vridhachalam. Instead was suggesting Kallakurichi/Vkoot Road-Veppur-Vridhachalam. (Thats a SH)

To hit the source places (V Koot Road / Kallakurichi) you quite some options which you can look at.

Thanx for your feedback Amp. Should i then take NH68 all the way till Attur and then take the V koot road (marked as NH 532 in google maps) till Vriddhachalam?

Do we have any tolls on NH 532. Can you show the route map??

[ampere]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

Thanx for your feedback Amp. Should i then take NH68 all the way till Attur and then take the V koot road (marked as NH 532 in google maps) till Vriddhachalam?

Do we have any tolls on NH 532. Can you show the route map??

This is what I meant:

Route Link

NH532 is just a NH and not a tolled road.

[maddyoni10]

Hi

I am driving from Chennai to Kumbakonam and my choice of route based is NH45 until Perambalur and then Ariyalur Kumbakonam. Its a little round about but the idea is to drive through good roads. Is this a good idea or do you have a better route that is shorter and has decent roads?

Thanks
Madhav

[ravib]

Thanks Sridhar for great updates.

@ampere & @suresh,

I'll be driving to Kumbakonam from Bangalore this thursday 25th dec in below route (which is my usual one too )

Bangalore-Salem-Attur-V Koot Road-Veppur-Vridhchalam-Jayankondam-T.Palur-Madanathur Bridge-Kumbakonam

I drove this route a year back November 2013. I too have heard Vridhachalam to Kumbakonam roads are good now, so will obviously take it.

Usually the road condition between V.Koot road to Vridhachalam is average / Patchy. Let me see how it will be this week.

-Ravi

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ravib

Usually the road condition between V.Koot road to Vridhachalam is average / Patchy. Let me see how it will be this week.

I think its still better than going all the way to Ulundurpet. You dont gain much that way. But at least you avoid the bad section and also reduce the distance a bit.

[maddyoni10]

I too have heard Vridhachalam to Kumbakonam roads are good now, so will obviously take it.

Hi Ravib,
Is this via Sethiathope or Jayankondam? Please elaborate.

Thanks
Madhav