[narayans80]

Originally Posted by Gansan

Need to make a trip to Seerkazhi and back sometime next week.

Villupuram-Veppur-Vriddachalam bypass-Chidambaram bypass-Sirkazhi.

Excellent roads all through, except for Bhuvanagiri town which is an annoyance.

We did Thirukadaiyur in 5.5 hours at laid back pace.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by Yieldway17

If you want to not bother with Pondy city traffic

Originally Posted by narayans80

Excellent roads all through

Thanks. The plan is to visit Ashram enroute, hence touching Pondy.

[prabhuferrari]

What’s the best route to Kumbakonam from
Chennai? Is the vikravandi route done or should ai take the one via Vridachalam?

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by prabhuferrari

Kumbakonam from
Chennai

via Vriddachalam. From here you can either take Jayamkondam-GKC-Anaikarai or via T-Palur.

Vikravandi route is far from completion.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by narayans80

via Vriddachalam. From here you can either take Jayamkondam-GKC-Anaikarai or via T-Palur.

Vikravandi route is far from completion.

Originally Posted by prabhuferrari

What’s the best route to Kumbakonam from
Chennai? Is the vikravandi route done or should ai take the one via Vridachalam?

Current best route is
Madras-Tindivanam-Ulundurpet Toll - Mangalampettai Bypass - Vridhachalam town - Jayankondam - Gangai Konda Cholapuram (GKC) - Anaikarai (new Bridge) - Tirupanandal - Cholapuram - Kumbakonam.

Given that new roads are laid between Meensuruti-Anaikarai route except for couple of diversions, No use of going via T.Palur - Madhanathur bridge which has a speed breaker in every km and is painful. So, in nutshell T.Palur route is not recommended nowadays, even though GKC route is 12 kms more but time wise it is less and driving experience is far better.

-Ravi

[gops619]

Sethiyathope-Cholapuram section of Vikravandi-Thanjavur NH to be completed by April

Also, didn't know that no work is in progress between Vikravandi and Sethiyathope, shocked. Hope NHAI sorts out new contract soon.

Source: The Hindu

[venki.bala]

Originally Posted by gops619

Sethiyathope-Cholapuram section of Vikravandi-Thanjavur NH to be completed by April

Also, didn't know that no work is in progress between Vikravandi and Sethiyathope, shocked. Hope NHAI sorts out new contract soon.

Source: The Hindu

NHAI waited for 3- 4 years and cancelled reliance infra contract for the Vikravandi - Sethiyathope section. They cancelled it last year and still they are working to get a new tender released. After that it will take atleast 2 years if the works get started and everything goes smooth, which has not happened in this Highway construction since day One. Somewhere in this thread it was mentioned may be it will get completed by the time we get retired or our kids start driving and i think that is going to be the reality.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by venki.bala

Somewhere in this thread it was mentioned may be it will get completed by the time we get retired or our kids start driving and i think that is going to be the reality.

That was me who mentioned here (Chennai - Kumbakonam : Route Queries) .That statement was 7 years back, my son would be ready to drive in another 7

The complaints on the Vikravandi-Panruti-Neyveli-Kumbakonam have been since mid 1980s, so am not surprised at how bad the 'progress' is.

[prabhuferrari]

Originally Posted by ravib

Current best route is
Madras-Tindivanam-Ulundurpet Toll - Mangalampettai Bypass - Vridhachalam town - Jayankondam - Gangai Konda Cholapuram (GKC) - Anaikarai (new Bridge) - Tirupanandal - Cholapuram - Kumbakonam.

Given that new roads are laid between Meensuruti-Anaikarai route except for couple of diversions, No use of going via T.Palur - Madhanathur bridge which has a speed breaker in every km and is painful. So, in nutshell T.Palur route is not recommended nowadays, even though GKC route is 12 kms more but time wise it is less and driving experience is far better.

-Ravi

Originally Posted by narayans80

That was me who mentioned here (Chennai - Kumbakonam : Route Queries) .That statement was 7 years back, my son would be ready to drive in another 7

The complaints on the Vikravandi-Panruti-Neyveli-Kumbakonam have been since mid 1980s, so am not surprised at how bad the 'progress' is.

Thank you both. I saw the post bit late. While going I went via tindivanam vridachalam and then did the mistake of taking T.Palur route. 5.15 min driving time with a start time of 5.15 AM.

On the way back experimented a new combination and was surprised

Kumbakonam - Meensuruti via new roads ( One diversion at Tirupanathal)
Meensurutti - Chidambaram via the 2 lane highway (Good but bit bumpy)
Chidambaram - Cuddalore bypass- 4+ lanes (Excellent)
Got down from Cuddalore bypass at Bahour and went via Uruvaiyar to villiyanoor and from there joined pondy tindivanam highway some 20 kms before tindivanam. (Village roads, hardly any traffic and good roads. No bad patches. Takes around 20-30 mins)
Google maps link

Tindivanam - Saligramam usual route via bypass from perungalathur and got down at maduravayol.

Overall driving time 4hr 30 min door to door. Started at 11.30 AM and reached home at 5.30 PM (30 min break at A2B for food) Avoided Pondy and mostly bypasses everywhere.

[venki.bala]

Originally Posted by prabhuferrari

Meensurutti - Chidambaram via the 2 lane highway (Good but bit bumpy)

Is this through the Kattumannarkoil?

[prabhuferrari]

Originally Posted by venki.bala

Is this through the Kattumannarkoil?

That’s the traditional route. This is through the trichy chidambaram highway and there is an exit for kaatumannarkoil before toll gate

[ampere]

Originally Posted by venki.bala

Is this through the Kattumannarkoil?

Originally Posted by prabhuferrari

That’s the traditional route. This is through the trichy chidambaram highway and there is an exit for kaatumannarkoil before toll gate

Thats the Kattumannarkoil bypass which we are talking about. And yes its the new numbering system. NH81 now covers Coimbattore-Palladam-Kangeyam-Karur-Trichy-Jayamkondam-Kattumannarkovil-Chidambaram. (We have new NH numbers cutting TN east to west 81/83/85)

[mah45]

Hi All

May need to do a quick trip to Swamimalai and back. I presume the route remains the same as mentioned by Ravib ?

Madras-Tindivanam-Ulundurpet Toll - Mangalampettai Bypass - Vridhachalam town - Jayankondam - Gangai Konda Cholapuram (GKC) - Anaikarai (new Bridge) - Tirupanandal - Cholapuram

From Ulundurpet I used to take the Veppur route in the past, is this any different ?
Also when you go from GKC does the route automatically take you to the new Anaikarai bridge or do we need to set any specific diversion in GMaps ?

While returning, thinking of covering Pondy, any help with the Meensurutti - Chidambaram route from Swamimalai will help, thanks

[RGK]

Originally Posted by mah45

Hi All
From Ulundurpet I used to take the Veppur route in the past, is this any different ? Also when you go from GKC does the route automatically take you to the new Anaikarai bridge or do we need to set any specific diversion in GMaps ?

No need to travel to Vepur and the extra 20 km is no longer necessary. The Vriddachalam road is now easily connected at the Ulundurpet ROB on the Trichy highway (about 4 km from the Ulundurpet toll ) by taking a left on the service road and turning left.

Yes, the road goes straight (no diversion required) after GKC until you reach the Chennai-KKM expressway. Need to turn right beneath the Chennai - Vikravandi - Anaikarai - Kumbakonam Highway and merge.

Note: At Jayakondam, turn left at the bazaar (sign board available) and head to GKC.

[mah45]

Originally Posted by RGK

No need to travel to Vepur and the extra 20 km is no longer necessary. The Vriddachalam road is now easily connected at the Ulundurpet ROB on the Trichy highway (about 4 km from the Ulundurpet toll ) by taking a left on the service road and turning left.

.

Thanks RGK

Is this the narrow road next to the Transformers on the left side on Trichy highway ?
I used to take this road in the past

Yes, I am aware of the left in Jayamkondam, going straight will take you through T. Palur