[gabrielthomas]

Not sure when this would become a reality, but I think it this would be an exciting news for all us petrol head's for now. The TN government is planning to lay a road that will enable all Dhanushkodi visitors to drive till the land's end. The current situation is that we have to depend on the local vehicle operators who take us inside with constraints. I really feel elated. The last time I went here, I was sad that I was not able to spend much time on this serene landmark due to dependency on these operators.

Read on more....

DHANUSHKODI: "After five decades, the government has planned a 10km-road from Mukuntharayar Chathiram to Arichalmunai, the end of Dhanushkodi, at a cost of Rs 50 crore. "

"Without proper roads, jeep and van operators fleece tourists eager to visit the ghost town. The 100-odd van operators and 20 jeep operators also watch the upcoming road with some concern."

Complete news here - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/47336326.cms

[couswheels]

Had been to Dhanushkodi during August 2014 and works were on full swing on laying of roads. Huge boulders were piled up to prevent sea water entering the road. If this gets completed would become one of the roads where you can see sea on both sides

[deepv]

The road to Dhanushkodi looks likely to be open in a month or so - Road to Dhanushkodi.

I was there during the second week of January and it looked almost done, atleast was ready beyond the point the van operator took us via sea/shore route.
Would have been great to just drive your vehicle to that point and further.

[gm_arun]

Hi,

My parents visited Dhanushkodi last sunday.

So the information from the local van guy was "The road would be open to public during the first week of March, If everything goes as per plan".

My parents also mentioned that the road is laid beautifully with sea on both side. Have to drive down there once the road is open.

[JohnnyBoss]

Originally Posted by gm_arun

Hi,

My parents visited Dhanushkodi last sunday.

So the information from the local van guy was "The road would be open to public during the first week of March, If everything goes as per plan".

My parents also mentioned that the road is laid beautifully with sea on both side. Have to drive down there once the road is open.

That's nice information. Heard that the Pamban toll people are also fleecing motorists. Any info on that?

[tharian]

The downside to the road to lands end is that the area which is now a ghost town will loose it's charm.
With limited access to the tip, the number of visitors were less and so was garbage and related things.
With the road open, traffic to the tip will increase with more people and before you know, it will become another kanyakumari.
Having said this, the road to the tip will be something to drive on. As it is there is an arrow straight road from Rameshwaram to the small settlement were the roads used to end. With the extension, it will be an amazing drive.

[hangover]

On a related note I was checking distances. New York to San Francisco is 4700 km. Leh to Rameshwaram is 3700.

The point is maps of the world as shown on atlases are NOT proportional to actual measurements.

US is a mere 1000 km wider than India is long.

European countries are actually very tiny compared to any state in India.

It's possibly a colonial mindset that makes them show their countries as huge. They aren't.

To see actual sizes you may see other map formats. Example is a Gall Peters projection map.

[ramprakashr]

I was there last weekend and the road has been completed till a certain distance (Not sure of the exact name, but around 23 kms from the temple). Following which the fleece continues, 150 per person for a 2 hour trip into the ghost town. They have very old 16 seater mahindra vans, modified for 4 wheel drive.

Road construction is still ongoing. I also overheard from a vendor that if you have a 4WD vehicle, you can get in with the written permission of the local MLA.

Hope the road comes to life soon!

[VinothAJ]

I'm planning a trip to Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi in the last week of Sep. Hope the road is completed by then.

[darklord]

After 50 years, Danushkodi gets road link to land’s end

Danushkodi, the abandoned pilgrim town in the south eastern tip of Tamil Nadu has got the much-awaited road link, more than five decades after it was devastated by the 1964 cyclonic storm and awaited formal inauguration.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper...cle9253366.ece

[tharian]

Originally Posted by darklord

After 50 years, Danushkodi gets road link to land’s end

Attachment 1573535
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper...cle9253366.ece

Need to do the trip again. The last time when I went , I was mesmerised by the straight stretch of road from Rameshwaram till the asphalt ended. Now with it extended, it is a must do trip till the tip.
A video I found when the road was partly done.

Watch from the 16 min mark which is till were the existing road used to end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FzfA-oX7Qg

[arun_josie]

I was there last week and this is how the last 5Kms looks,



More pics here,

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ml#post4086713

[Harshavarthan]

The road ends with a round about and Ashoka Pillar in the middle. It goes all the way till the tip where the land ends and is 99.9% complete. I'm told that it will be officially inaugurated in February 2017.

[svsantosh]

This is good news for the normal tourist, but a very sad news for the enthu-cutlet who goes with something sinister in his mind.

I would love to goto Dhanushkodi again, but in the road less taken!

For those who have gone to DKodi, the convoy pics below is taken about 2-3 Kms ahead of the super-tall Coast Guard radio tower. We went actually into Ramar Sethu and could see the mounds of sand which may be considered as a ruined bridge of some sort. Was truly a mesmerising adventure.

Of course, no such adventure is without its share of stuck&retrieve moments.















To get a feel of what is sea sick but in a car, please see this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qs95poEDnM