[ram2004]

Hi

Did a recent drive from Chennai to Rameswaram and thereafter to Kodaikanal via Madurai and return.

I did the Chennai-Rameswaram trip on a day. The road is nothing to write home about. Although I must say that the road from Rameswaram to Madurai is good and continues through to Kodaikanal. The kodai to Dindigul road was also good. I dont see any light on the GST road after the toll road finishes off at Tindivanam. Perhaps another 2 years?

Anyway for those interested in some snaps of the Kodail lake - please see them at:

Picasa Web Albums - Ram

(in the same album I have my chennai to leh - by road: pictures.)

do give me your feedback.

cheers
Ram

[hrag]

Ram, could you please post the route you took?

Yes, Kodai to Dindigul would be on the fantastic NH209 via Pazhani.

[ram2004]

The route is as follows:

1. Chennai-Chinglepet-Tindivanam-Villipuram-Tiruchi-Pudukottai-Karaikudi-Devakottai-Devipattinam-Ramnad-Rameswaram

2. Rameswaram-Ramnad-Paramakudi-Manamadurai-Madurai-vattalagundu-Kodai

3. Kodai-Vattalagundu-Dindigul-Tiruchi-Chennai (dont have to touch Palani)
cheers
Ram

[vasudeva]

Dear all,

I am from Delhi and went to Ooty in Oct 2005, and loved the quietness of place, and the Southern simpleness and honesty. Woul like to go to Kodai and Munnar in May 2007. Would prefer ideas on how to go:

take a flight to Bangalore/Coimbatore/Madurai, and then by road.
where to stay (preferably 3 star and above with a daily room budget of around 4K).
I would like to keep the taxi from airport to Kodai for entire stay of 7-8 days. Can you suggest some reputed taxi op. in Coimbatore/Madurai. I think Madurai is nearest to Kodai but is not well served by flights. If from Coimbatore, how many hours to Kodai.

Bangalore is not a problem since our office there can arrange that.

[hrag]

Originally Posted by ram2004

3. Kodai-Vattalagundu-Dindigul-Tiruchi-Chennai (dont have to touch Palani)

Oops, I assumed you'd taken the route from Kodai to Palani and then taken the beautiful NH209 till Dindigul.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by ram2004

The route is as follows:

1. Chennai-Chinglepet-Tindivanam-Villipuram-Tiruchi-Pudukottai-Karaikudi-Devakottai-Devipattinam-Ramnad-Rameswaram

2. Rameswaram-Ramnad-Paramakudi-Manamadurai-Madurai-vattalagundu-Kodai

3. Kodai-Vattalagundu-Dindigul-Tiruchi-Chennai (dont have to touch Palani)
cheers
Ram

Ram, how was the Karaikudi-Devakottai-Devapattinam-Ramnad stretch? I did this 1 year ago and the road was a disaster especially since there was a diversion via Tondi and the ECR road is being built.

I presume that you stuck to the Madurai Bypass to reach the Vathalagundu road (via Andipatti - NH49 - or Dindigul/Kodai Road?)

One piece of info, the ECR from Madras-Pondicherry is being extended all the way along the coast till Kanyakumari and the road from Kodikarai-Mimisal-Tondi-Ramnad is part of it - last year, work was on to widen this road, the existing road is single lane, terrible state and no facilities.

Kumar

[ram2004]

Kumar,

The roads were pretty good till devipattinam but just the last stretch of 20-25kms to Ramnad there is NO ROAD....simple.

Yes, Madurai byepass through to Vattalagundu and onward to Kodai; followed the same on return but turned off at Vattalagundu to head toward Dindigul (that road is a good one).

As regards the ECR, I have been right through from Pondicherry-Chidambaram-Sirkali-Nagapattinam - but let me tell you after Pondicherry the roads are non-existant. I doubt whether this will see the light of the day even by next year - given that the Tindivanam-Tiruchi has been under construction for ages now.

cheers
Ram

[ram2004]

Kumar,

The last 30kms to Ramnad (after Devipattinam) has NO ROAD....... I didnt see any intense construction activity either.

Yes, through the Madurai bye-pass to Vattalagundu and then on to Kodai. Returned to Vattalagundu and turned off to Dindigul.

I dont think I have seen anything beyond Chidambaram as of now. First let the Highways from Tindivanam-Tiruchi sector be done - I think that stretch is long overdue and you feel sick especially after driving to Tindivanam like a breeze.

cheers
Ram

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by ram2004

Kumar,

I dont think I have seen anything beyond Chidambaram as of now. First let the Highways from Tindivanam-Tiruchi sector be done - I think that stretch is long overdue and you feel sick especially after driving to Tindivanam like a breeze.

cheers
Ram

I did almost the full ECR in Jan 2006, from Chennai down to Kanyakumari:
The road is good even beyond Chidambaram, via Karaikal to Nagapattinam. From there, it starts cracking up a bit, especially after Velankanni - the road goes on via Vedaranyam till Kodikarai (Point Calimere).

I had to curtail my drive from Kodikarai on the ECR because I was told that the roads were virtaully non-existent (and it was already dark, and despite that I was driving a Scorpio). Hence, I could not take the drive on the coast via Mimisal to Tondi. Instead, I detoured inland via Pattukottai and Karaikudi to rejoin the ECR at Tondi. From Tondi onwards, I found L&T building the wider roads and the whole route till Ramnad was a big mess.

Further down, the road vends through Kizhakarai, Sikkal to Tuticorin - this stretch is also a big disaster, you can hardly do more than 30 kmph. After Turicorin, the road is good via Tiruchendur to Kanyakumari (via Koodankulam).

I do hope that the ECR gets completed in entirety, this will be one interesting ride on the South East Coast - Pondicherry, Cuddalore, Poompuhar, Pichavaram, Karaikal, Nagapattinam, Velankanni, Kodikarai, Tondi (nice beach), all the way to the Cape.

Kumar

[Harshavarthan]

How much of the ECR work from pondicherry to kanyakumari is completed so far? Did anybody try this route in recent days?

[hvkumar]

Hardly, south of Vedaranyam. Everything is as messy as ever.

[Harshavarthan]

Devipattinam to ramnad road works are over and is awesome now. 13kms takes less than 10 min. The entire ECR stretch is supposed to be over by april. Not sure how much they have covered till now.

[hvkumar]

Unfortunately, the ECR route which runs south of Nagapattinam via Tondi to Ramanathapuram and further south to Tuticorin via Sikkal and Vembar is hardly driveable. The Devipattinam-Ramnad stretch has been under construction for over 3 years now and am not surprised it is at last commissioned!!!!

[dskumar]

Originally Posted by Harshavarthan

Devipattinam to ramnad road works are over and is awesome now. 13kms takes less than 10 min. The entire ECR stretch is supposed to be over by april. Not sure how much they have covered till now.

Not sure what the rains have done to these roads now.
It was raining for 4 full days, non-stop.

[Surprise]

Which is the best and safe route to Velankanni from Chennai as I heard that during recent rains, somewhere in the middle, roads upto 10 kms have been washed away.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

From there, it starts cracking up a bit, especially after Velankanni - the road goes on via Vedaranyam till Kodikarai (Point Calimere).

Any news on the current conditions of roads till Kodikarai and what the exact distance from Velankani? Any good hotels there to stay in Kodikarai?