[srvm]

Originally Posted by surechim

Thanks for the info..
Can we cover this Chidambaram-Bangalore in atleast 7hrs with at least couple of breaks in between? Has anyone recently taken this route?

Also,let me know your suggestions for a good hotel in Chidambaram

I visited Chidambaram in May-2016. I stayed at Arudhra Residency near East entrance of the temple. Good place at reasonable cost (http://www.arudhraresidency.com/).
Sri Krishna Vilas on East Car Street is a fairly good and well-known (but small) pure-vegetarian restaurant at Chidambaram. Hotel Grand Park is right opposite to this restaurant. Though I did not stay at Grand Park, it looked decent from outside and probably one of the better places to stay at Chidambaram. Hope this helps.
Sorry I cannot comment about about the routes and road conditions since my trip was by train and public transport.

[BLACKBLADE]

I am not travelling to Bengaluru, but to Vellore from Chidambaram. Google maps is suggesting the below routes. Which one is the best in terms of good roads, shortest travel time ?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by BLACKBLADE

I am not travelling to Bengaluru, but to Vellore from Chidambaram. Google maps is suggesting the below routes. Which one is the best in terms of good roads, shortest travel time ?

- ECR has lot of traffic. So best avoided.
- From an optimized routing point of view:
Sethiyarthope bypass - Vadalur - Panruti - Vikravandi - Tindivanam - Vandavasi - Cheyyar - Arcot - Vellore

- But I dont know how good is the Sethiyarthope-Panruti-Vikravandi section. Last I read it was good.
- Tinidivanam has a byapss. Please use it. Go past Pondicherry exit road and be on the 4-lane towards Chennai.
- After you cross the Pondicherry 4-lane exit, you should see a road to the left. Thats the bypass which will lead you to Tindivanam Vandavasi SH.
- Roads are in general good till Arcot. Its a smooth 4-lane from there on to Vellore

[BLACKBLADE]

Originally Posted by ampere

- ECR has lot of traffic. So best avoided.
- From an optimized routing point of view:
Sethiyarthope bypass - Vadalur - Panruti - Vikravandi - Tindivanam - Vandavasi - Cheyyar - Arcot - Vellore

Thank you Ampere. That's ingenious. I have never done this route before. I am planning to drive to and fro on the same day (June 4,2017), so traffic is better avoided and more over, I would love to drive on state highways through the small towns. Will post update on the current road condition after the trip.

Thanks again !

Love and Live to Drive !

[ampere]

Originally Posted by BLACKBLADE

Thank you Ampere. That's ingenious

Nothing ingenious about it! Just putting two and two together.

- Vellore-Arcot-Vandavasi-Tindivanam is a part of road which all Bangalore folks take to head to Pondicherry. So Bangalore-Pondicherry will have all the updates for this stretch.

Source: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...eries-115.html (Bangalore - Pondicherry : Route Queries)

- Vikrvandi-Panruti-Sethiyarthope again is a part Chennai-Kumbakonam routing which most Chennai folks use.

Source : https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ueries-27.html (Chennai - Kumbakonam : Route Queries)

So you see nothing great about it!

[narayans80]

Sethiathope-Neyveli-Panruti-Vikravandi has suddenly become good? Its been in shambles for more than a decade now, no? Prowler's update on the MAS-KMU thread also confirms the same.

The better option would be Chidambaram-Bhuvanagiri-Sethiyathope-Vriddachalam-Veppur-to catch NH45. Though it is long, it might end up taking much less time to reach Vikravandi.

[ampere]

My ref : https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post3417859 (Chennai - Kumbakonam : Route Queries)

This is the last I have seen. It was at best decent to fair.

[BLACKBLADE]

So I am having two route options in my mind now.

1) Route 1 (As suggested by Ampere) - 240 Kms Approximately.

Chidambaram - Sethiyathope - Vadalur - Panruti - Vikravandi - Thindivanam - Vandavasi - Cheyyar - Arcot - Vellore



2) Route 2 (As suggested by narayans80) - Approximately 10 Kms more than Route 1

Chidambaram - Sethiyathope - Virudhachalam - Veppur - Asanur - Elavasanur - Koothanur - Thirukoilure - Thiruvanamalai - Polur - Vellore




I shall take one route for onward and another route for return journey

I need an update on the road condition between Sethiyathope - Virudhachalam - Veppur. Last when I traveled about 1.5 years back, the road nearing to Virudhachalam was under expansion and was in pretty bad state.

Thank you for your suggestions.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by BLACKBLADE

I need an update on the road condition between Sethiyathope - Virudhachalam - Veppur. Last when I traveled about 1.5 years back, the road nearing to Virudhachalam was under expansion and was in pretty bad state.

Veppur - Vridhachalam bypass is awesome. The road till Vridhachalam bypass was being improved. Dont know that status.

Vellore-Kannamangalam (close to Padaivedu) - Thiruvannamalai is nice 2-lane.

[BLACKBLADE]

Originally Posted by ampere

From an optimized routing point of view:
Sethiyarthope bypass - Vadalur - Panruti - Vikravandi - Tindivanam - Vandavasi - Cheyyar - Arcot - Vellore

- But I dont know how good is the Sethiyarthope-Panruti-Vikravandi section. Last I read it was good.
- Tinidivanam has a byapss. Please use it. Go past Pondicherry exit road and be on the 4-lane towards Chennai.
- After you cross the Pondicherry 4-lane exit, you should see a road to the left. Thats the bypass which will lead you to Tindivanam Vandavasi SH.
- Roads are in general good till Arcot. Its a smooth 4-lane from there on to Vellore

Took the route as suggested by you from Chidambaram to Vellore i.e Chidambaram - Sethiyathope - Vadalur - Panruti - Vikravandi - Thindivanam - Vandavasi - Cheyyar - Arcot - Vellore and I must say I am very much impressed by how spot on you were !

Chidambaram - Sethiyathope (SH70) and then Vadalur - Panruti (NH 36) stretch is not that bad. Patch works done at many places, but no potholes and moderate traffic. Speeds of 60-70 Kmph can be easily maintained.

There is an over bridge construction work going on at Panruti which resulted in diversions and some off roading, resulting in time delay, but that's about it.

Panruti till Kurinjipadi (NH 36) was smooth overall but traffic was on the higher side and quite unruly. Got to be careful on the stretch of road for about 5 Km or so, after crossing Panruti, were huge crater like potholes were found in the middle of an otherwise smooth road, a nasty combination in my opinion.

After joining NH 132, Vikravandi to Thindivanam is Tolled (one way Rs. 75 and Bothways Rs. 110 for cars) four lane.

Bypassed Thnidivanam and joined SH5 for the last leg Thindivanam - Vandavasi - Cheyyar - Arcot and it was indeed a treat to drive on this SH. Almost zero traffic and good roads overall. Most of the times I was the only one driving on the road, or was it because of the hot Sun nobody ventured out? I don't know.

Covered the distance of about 240 Kms in about five hours, including a break time of 20 minutes.

Thanks a ton for suggesting this route !

Did a stupid mistake on the return journey by joining NH32 after Thindivanam and got caught up in peak evening traffic at Pondicherry. Crossed Pondy and reached Chidambaram via Cuddalore. Took a good one hour extra negotiating some unruly traffic. Would surely avoid this in future.

Cheers !

Love and Live to Drive !!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by BLACKBLADE

Did a stupid mistake on the return journey by joining NH32 after Thindivanam and got caught up in peak evening traffic at Pondicherry. Crossed Pondy and reached Chidambaram via Cuddalore. Took a good one hour extra negotiating some unruly traffic. Would surely avoid this in future.

Yes this is a known problem. Pondicherry-Cuddalore is a big traffic block. You will never feel you are on the highway.

[BLACKBLADE]

Originally Posted by ampere

Veppur - Vridhachalam bypass is awesome. The road till Vridhachalam bypass was being improved. Dont know that status.

Here is quick update on the condition of Vridhachalam-Veppur bypass, a stretch of about 20 Kms, as I happened to drive on this road yesterday (October 12, 2017). The road that was newly laid/improved about 1.5 years back, is smooth all along but has developed a lot of huge craters at random locations. The potholes are deep at some places. Can do speeds of about 80-90 Kmph during broad daylight. But one has to be wary of these huge craters and keep looking out for them as they appear all of a sudden.

[Rajesh K R]

Hello all,

We are travelling to Chidambaram from Bangalore on 12th Jan (Friday). We are not driving and would be travelling in two Force Traveller vehicles.

We intend to take BLR - Salem - Attur - Virudhachalam - Bhuvanagiri - Chidambaram route

Just wanted to know about the road conditions on the Salem to Chidambaram sector. Also intend to take a break at Hotel Ramas Veg, near Attur.

Any other good hotels with decent restroom facilities on the way ? We are travelling in a big group with senior citizens and ladies.

Recommendations are definitely welcome.

TIA.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Rajesh K R

Just wanted to know about the road conditions on the Salem to Chidambaram sector. Also intend to take a break at Hotel Ramas Veg, near Attur.

Its great till Vridhachalam. (V Koot Road - Veppur - Vridhachalam. Beyond thats its just about OK I think. Look for Bangalore-Kumbakonam threads for more updates.

Any other good hotels with decent restroom facilities on the way ? We are travelling in a big group with senior citizens and ladies.

Not much that I know about or can suggest.

[Rajesh K R]

Originally Posted by ampere

Its great till Vridhachalam. (V Koot Road - Veppur - Vridhachalam. Beyond thats its just about OK I think. Look for Bangalore-Kumbakonam threads for more updates.




Not much that I know about or can suggest.

@ Ampere..Thank you very much.