[congruent.cars]

Sorry if this is not the right thread for this query.

I am from Mumbai. Me along with my family and friends (4 adults and 4 kids) are planning a trip to Puducherry over the Holi long weekend. We will be flying to Chennai and then driving to Puducherry via Kalpakkam. Need pointers to good & clean self-drive car rentals (auto transmission, 7/8 seater) that we can pick up and drop off from/to Chennai airport.

Checked ZoomCar & a few other online websites and the available options seem to be limited to 2 or 3 compact SUVs only.

Requesting for suggestions, contact details. Thanks in advance.

[concorde24]

Originally Posted by marsbhp

Is this route section from Maduranthakam to ECR via Karunguzhi and Thirukazhukundram the correct route?

Yes, this route is correct.

After reaching Thirukazhukundram, Gmaps routed me via Anupuram and join ECR much ahead of Mahabalipuram probably due to traffic. This road was good, though technically longer by few km.

[thanixravindran]

Originally Posted by marsbhp

Thanks for the information, concorde 24! I will be driving down from Trichy to Pallikaranai next week. Planning to take the Karunguzhi-Thirukazhukundram route as shown in the attached image.

Is this route section from Maduranthakam to ECR via Karunguzhi and Thirukazhukundram the correct route?

The junction that Tirukazhukundram road, OMR and ECR joins is Pooncheri where toll plaza is located for ECR.

If your destination is Pallikaranai, you can just use OMR itself and reach Kelambakkam through Tiruporur after which you can decide whether to go through Sholinganallur or turn left and reach Mambakkam, Medavakkam and Pallikaranai. Roads will be okay with less traffic but won't be like four lane ECR.

[marsbhp]

Originally Posted by concorde24

Yes, this route is correct.

After reaching Thirukazhukundram, Gmaps routed me via Anupuram and join ECR much ahead of Mahabalipuram probably due to traffic. This road was good, though technically longer by few km.

Thank you again, concorde24! I plan to use OMR till Thoraipakkam junction and use the Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam radial road to reach Pallikaranai.

[marsbhp]

Originally Posted by thanixravindran

If your destination is Pallikaranai, you can just use OMR itself and reach Kelambakkam through Tiruporur after which you can decide whether to go through Sholinganallur or turn left and reach Mambakkam, Medavakkam and Pallikaranai. Roads will be okay with less traffic but won't be like four lane ECR.

Thank you for the suggestion, thanixravindran. Definitely makes sense!

[vvivek85]

Originally Posted by irdevanand

Hi All,

Got into a nasty traffic jam yesterday night while returning to chennai from Nagercoil. We crossed the last but oneth toll at 7.30PM and the last 33 KMs to my home took me 6 hours !!!!!.

Hi All,

The bridge is still not usable, yesterday while returning from Kumbakonam we too got struck at this place. So travelers if possible, take the alternate route via East Coast Road (ECR) to reach Chennai.

[VER_10]

Originally Posted by congruent.cars

Sorry if this is not the right thread for this query.

I am from Mumbai. Me along with my family and friends (4 adults and 4 kids) are planning a trip to Puducherry over the Holi long weekend. We will be flying to Chennai and then driving to Puducherry via Kalpakkam. Need pointers to good & clean self-drive car rentals (auto transmission, 7/8 seater) that we can pick up and drop off from/to Chennai airport.

Checked ZoomCar & a few other online websites and the available options seem to be limited to 2 or 3 compact SUVs only.

Requesting for suggestions, contact details. Thanks in advance.

May be you too would have googled the options. In case, you haven't, then I have pasted few links from the search:

https://www.mychoize.com/self-drive-...Cartype%3D=Muv

https://www.indusgo.in/searchlist/ch...rt/18_Mar_2022

Apart from these you have your usual Zoomcar, Revv, Avis etc.

If all fails, you could still opt for the day tour by Ola, Uber or FastTrack call taxi (044-28889999). Fast track was widely used before Ola and Uber came into the market and I still see a decent number of cars on road.

[callvvijay]

Originally Posted by congruent.cars

Checked ZoomCar & a few other online websites and the available options seem to be limited to 2 or 3 compact SUVs only.

Originally Posted by VER_10

https://www.mychoize.com/self-drive-...Cartype%3D=Muv

https://www.indusgo.in/searchlist/ch...rt/18_Mar_2022

Apart from these you have your usual Zoomcar, Revv, Avis etc.

IndusGo - I called them up @ Coimbatore - but was asked to deposit a huge amount as refundable deposit. Was taken aback by that number - some 20 or 25K

The other safer options are already listed - Revv, Zoom, Mychoize and Avis.

[Wheels]

Originally Posted by marsbhp

Thanks for the information, concorde 24! I will be driving down from Trichy to Pallikaranai next week. Planning to take the Karunguzhi-Thirukazhukundram route as shown in the attached image.

Attachment 2280252

Is this route section from Maduranthakam to ECR via Karunguzhi and Thirukazhukundram the correct route?

I'll be travelling from Mannargudi to Tambaram and gmaps show a right after Karunguzhi, Takeright in Melvalampettai-Thirukazhukundram road> Cross railway crossing> Cross Palar through Vallipuram bridge>PVkalathur>ChengalpetBusStand and then joins GST Road at Chengalpet byepass (see below pic1).
1) Is this the best route to reach Tambaram heading from South?
2) Is it fine to join GSR road to reach Tambaram instead of going through village roads like Karumbakkam > Othivakkam > Mappedu > Selaiyur > Tambaram East (see below pic2)
Pic1:


Pic2: Route from Melvalampettai to Selaiyur to reach Tambaram East

[marsbhp]

Originally Posted by Wheels

I'll be travelling from Mannargudi to Tambaram and gmaps show a right after Karunguzhi, Takeright in Melvalampettai-Thirukazhukundram road> Cross railway crossing> Cross Palar through Vallipuram bridge>PVkalathur>ChengalpetBusStand and then joins GST Road at Chengalpet byepass

Hi Wheels, I do not have much experience about this route either! I usually take the regular route via Mamandur, Singaperumalkoil and Maraimalai Nagar to reach Tambaram and drive further on to my residence at Pallikaranai. I am sorry I am not able to help you with this route. Maybe some other Bhpians could help!!

Cheers!
Ram

[locusjag]

Originally Posted by Wheels

I'll be travelling from Mannargudi to Tambaram and gmaps show a right after Karunguzhi, Takeright in Melvalampettai-Thirukazhukundram road> Cross railway crossing> Cross Palar through Vallipuram bridge>PVkalathur>ChengalpetBusStand and then joins GST Road at Chengalpet byepass (see below pic1).
1) Is this the best route to reach Tambaram heading from South?
2) Is it fine to join GSR road to reach Tambaram instead of going through village roads like Karumbakkam > Othivakkam > Mappedu > Selaiyur > Tambaram East

I live in Agaram main road in Selaiyur. What I did a month back was to turn right after the Madurantagam lake as indicated by Gmaps, got into Thirukazhkundram, crossed Palar at some point and headed to Thiruporur. From there, I reached Vengambakkam village after turning right from the Thiruporur-Kelambakkam road and from there to Mappedu. From Mappedu, you will need to head to camp road junction and then to Tambaram East.

[Wheels]

Originally Posted by locusjag

I reached Vengambakkam village after turning right from the Thiruporur-Kelambakkam - Vandalur road and from there to Mappedu. From Mappedu, you will need to head to camp road junction and then to Tambaram East.

Is the road good once we take the right turn to Vengambakam? I drove 2 years before and was full of pot holes and good to break our bones. Didnt your gmap show Pvkalathur route after crossing palar and join back in GST road after going thro Chengalpet town? Did you take the Melvalampattu right after Madurantakam, Karunguzhi? Pls do share the gmap route you took.

[locusjag]

Originally Posted by Wheels

Is the road good once we take the right turn to Vengambakam? I drove 2 years before and was full of pot holes and good to break our bones.

That road was laid afresh 2 years ago and is good, if a bit narrow. (Side note: I intend to build our dream home in Vengambakkam...it is developing rapidly as a residential area)

Didnt your gmap show Pvkalathur route after crossing palar and join back in GST road after going thro Chengalpet town? Did you take the Melvalampattu right after Madurantakam, Karunguzhi? Pls do share the gmap route you took.

Alas...for we stumbled in our drive and ended up joining the Thiruporur-Chengalpet road near Thiruporur. Gmaps was showing some other route and we merely stumbled onto this alternative route, which was okay in retrospect.

Yet another alternative exists which branches off from the Thiruporur-Chengalpet road and meets the Mambakkam junction on the Kelambakkam-Vandalur road; but there's a jarring 1 Km stretch to cover when you enter it first. After that, it's a smooth road all the way to Mambakkam. That 1 Km stretch was doable in a Swift, for reference; no underbody hits.

[narayans80]

Huge accident on 200ft road about a km away from Velachery bridge. Whatever vehicle it is, has shooted 100 meters off the road.

Was a sorry sight, could hardly identify what vehicle it was, didn't look much more than a metal pile from that distance. I doubt there were any survivors.

[Gansan]

^^ Towards which direction? How is the traffic there?