[Jebs]

Hi all,

Just completed a short-trip to Madurai this weekend. It was really a amazing trip. Started chennai at 6 a.m saturday and reached Madurai around 12 noon with 1 hr break in between. The roads are pretty much good, all the lanes are completed as no more diversions. Back to chennai almost same time on Sunday. Moreover, I just spent Rs.2400 for fuel on this 950 kms trip. Kudos to my fiesta which did well all the way through the trip (crossed 59K mark now) without single issue between.

Also i personally recommends the hotel sonamina at Samayapuram toll near Trichy. We can get very good food at nominal rates (almost equal to A2B bill). And the restaurant and rest rooms are pretty much clean and well maintained.

[rock18]

Any good petrol bunks enroute?i.e chennai to madurai?
Since i will be travelling in a palio 1.6,I need to refill before i reach sriviliputtur.

Originally Posted by rock18

Any good petrol bunks enroute?i.e chennai to madurai?

My favourite BPCL pumps in Chennai/Trichy/Madurai:

1. ASM Abdul Cader & Co., Meenambakkam, near Airport, on LHS [A2B attached]

2. T V Sundaram Iyengar & Sons Ltd., Bypass Road, Trichy, near Railway Junction

3. T V Sundaram Iyengar & Sons Ltd., West Veli Street, Madurai

[rock18]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

My favourite BPCL pumps in Chennai/Trichy/Madurai:

1. ASM Abdul Cader & Co., Meenambakkam, near Airport, on LHS [A2B attached]

2. T V Sundaram Iyengar & Sons Ltd., Bypass Road, Trichy, near Railway Junction

3. T V Sundaram Iyengar & Sons Ltd., West Veli Street, Madurai

Thanks Ravi.
1. The one near to airport is the Bharat petroleum i guess,There is what i usually top up.

2. Is it in the byepass itself or should i go into the city?

Originally Posted by rock18

Is it in the byepass itself or should i go into the city?

All three pumps mentioned by me are of BPCL indicated in the top itself. The one at Madurai is located inside the city. It is on South Veli Street. Here is the location on MMI map:

But, the one at Trichy is located on the bypass road. Here is its location on the Google map:

[narayans80]

rock18, there is a BP Ghar Dhaba just outside Madurai just as the 4-laned highway ends. This should be ideal for you to topup and take the Othakadai-Tirumangalam bypass without having to get inside Madurai. There is another 5 kms before Ulundurpet, if you need additional fuel stop.

Ravi, isnt the TVS bunk at Trichy, under the bridge on the bypass at TVS tollgate ?

[rock18]

Thanks Ravi for the detailed map.
@Narayans80: Yes the TVS bunk is below the flyover.i actually missed it and went further and tanked up in next BP petrol bunk which is 500mts ahead of the TVS bunk.
I will try to tank up there next time.

While retruning,I have tanked up in BP petrol bunk near andha bhavan.I guess this is near villupuram.

[manim]

Originally Posted by narayans80

there is a BP Ghar Dhaba just outside Madurai just as the 4-laned highway ends.

I always fuel and make a food and loo break at that ghar dhaba during my long chennai drives.

It is between Madurai and Melur, google-map coordinates are: 9.973091,78.216219.

[Chillout]

Folks I plan to go to Thekkady from Chennai and Google maps shows me route via Madurai, however I also see NH 45 going directly to Theni via Dindugal which is 35 kms shorter.

If anyone has traveled recently on this route, please let me know if we can opt for this route or take the usual Madurai - > Theni route to Thekkady.

[prabingade]

I traveled Hyd-Blr-Thekkeddy last week (returned from Thekkedy on this Monday).

The Dindigul to Thekkedy road via Theni is in excellent condition. Get off the NH7 at Dindigul and take the Theni, Cumbum, Thekkedy road. The last 10-15 kms which is the hill climbing is also recently laid is in excellent condition

The drive time from Dindigul diversion to Club Mahindra Thekeddy was 2.5 hrs. The same was while returning.

If you need any more info on the route/about Thekkeddy, feel free to ping me.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by Chillout

If anyone has traveled recently on this route, please let me know if we can opt for this route or take the usual Madurai - > Theni route to Thekkady.

Dindigul route is the standard route towards Theni. To navigate through Trichy to Dindigul Road, here is Srikanth's guide.

[Chillout]

Thanks Narayanan, the link was useful and I hope I don't miss the right turn at the last flyover in Trichy.

Now comes the big question, do I take the Fiesta or the Wagon R. Sheer driving pleasure would be Fiesta, but worried about the road conditions in and around Thekkady.

Planning to stay in Sterling resorts, apparently they have opened a new resort in Thekkady called Wood and Spice.

BTW I came across the most Bizarre accident on my way back from Thiruvellore to Chennai. An i10 had apparently hit a school kid and I could see the village folks heckling the people in the car and finally some sense prevailed and they let the car occupants take the injured child to a hospital in the same car. The car over took me and guess what I see the same car involved in another accident near Poonamalee fly over.

The driver had hit the median head on and the car was in a bad shape and the occupants in the car were also in a bad shape,the driver was not wearing a seat belt and it appeared bad as the windshield was broken. Luckily a police constable was nearby and he rushed to their assistance and called for an ambulance. This incident definitely looked like a sequence from Final destination. My prayers to the kid and family for a speedy recovery. Drive safe and always wear seat belts.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Chillout

Thanks Narayanan, the link was useful and I hope I don't miss the right turn at the last flyover in Trichy.

Now comes the big question, do I take the Fiesta or the Wagon R. Sheer driving pleasure would be Fiesta, but worried about the road conditions in and around Thekkady.

Planning to stay in Sterling resorts, apparently they have opened a new resort in Thekkady called Wood and Spice.

You dont need to go via Madurai. You can take the Trichy-Dindugal highway as well.
4L is almost done and you can easily go through. Add to it, you dont have the hassle of by-passing a big city like Madurai.
Dindigul-Theni NH45 is also a good 2L.

I dont know the current status of 220 from Theni to Thekaddy. But still I dont think it would be so bad that you cannot take the Fiesta.
After all its for such drives that you bought the Fiesta in the first place ! Is it not?

[MX6]

Chennai - Trichy. Then look for board to Dindigul. You will take a right to go inside trichy town. There's a left after a small bridge that looks like a pathetic road which is actually the dindigul road. A bit further in this two lane opens out to be a beautiful 4 lane all the way up to Trichy (except for one small bit of 50 meters where one part of the lane is being surfaced, which might be complete by now). Trichy to Dindigul is a breeze. Enjoy.

[prabingade]

Now comes the big question, do I take the Fiesta or the Wagon R. Sheer driving pleasure would be Fiesta, but worried about the road conditions in and around Thekkady.

Definitely take Fiesta. The roads are good to excellent. Only in Kumily you may find small potholes but very manageable and not a pain at all.

If you plan to include Gavi in your trip (I suggest you do) driving upto Gavi is not a problem as the roads are good. As I had infant and it was raining, I went on a 3 hr safari from Gavi (the guide came with us) and I took my Scorpio for this trip from Gavi. The roads are not good and only SUV's are suggested. So irrespective of Fiesta or Wagon R, you need to hire a Jeep from Gavi if you chose to go for safari there.