Did Chennai-Kumbakonam-Thirukollikadu: My obervations on the route

The last 3-4 kms there are no roads as well - the Fortuner took it in its stride.

BHPian crsvasan recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Thanks to the suggestions that I received for my query. Since Thiruvarur didn't have any decent options, decided to change the destination to Kumbakonam and then go from there to Thirukollikadu.

My notes from the trip:

Onward to Kumbakonam:

Started from Chennai (Toyota Fortuner 4x4) at 6.15am and took the route suggested - Chennai to Thindivanam to Vridhachalam to Sethiatope to Kumbakonam. Reached Kumbakonam at around 11.45 am with a 30mins pitstop at Hotel Aryas just before taking the road to Vridhachalam. The journey was smooth through out excepting for all the road work going on in the GST road. Traffic from Chennai up until Thindivanam was quite thick and subsequently it eased out. We went to Mangalambika Coffee and Tiffin Center straight for lunch as the check-in time to the room was post 12 pm.

Return Journey:

Since the Sethiathope to Kumbakonam road was very nice (but you have to watch out as people drive without any caution on the opposite side of the road, I had two instances of cars coming straight on at good speed on the right most lane!! and two wheelers who just risk everything by coming to the right most lane and then switching lanes at will and there is some finishing work going on in this highway still) I decided to drive straight to Vikravandi on this road hoping that the road should be manageable, however it was an absolute apology for a highway and was 2 lane for most parts. We stopped at Neyveli for breakfast (started at around 8.45 am from Kumbakonam) and then joined the GST road just before the toll plaza. Traffic was absolutely thick from Sethiathope to Vikravandi and then on GST it was choc-o-bloc, more like cars coming out of a theatre post a movie, was like this till Tambaram. Reached Chennai at about 2.45 pm with 30 mins stop for breakfast and in between pit stops to buy things on the road (fruits!)

Thirukollikadu:

Started for this place from KBM at 6.30 am in the morning and drove via Mannargudi, roads up till Mannargudi are fine, after that you take a turn in to a 'district road' as per google for about 13kms . The first 5-6 kms are manageable post that it is truly a single lane village road to the temple and you have vehicles coming in the opposite direction. I was lucky to find a village road that I could turn in to when I found a bus coming in the front, there are a few cars that return from the temple as well, of course bikes keep coming. The last 3-4 kms there are no roads as well - the Fortuner took it in its stride, may not be the case with sedans as there are craters all along. We reached the temple by about 8.15 am and returned back in about 45 mins. Hope this helps.

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