[ssbiitm]

Am planning to drive to Madurai from Chennai early tomorrow morning. Since I have to go via Thirvuvanmiyur/Kottivakkam, the options I have are:
1. ECR from Thiruvanmiyur to Mahabalipuram to Thirukazhukundram to Melavalam and join GST to Trichy Madurai there
2. ECR from Thiruvanmiyur to Nemmeli to Thiruporur to Chengalpattu and join GST to Trichy Madurai
Any idea about which road is better: Mahabalipuram - Thirukazhukundram - Melavalam route OR Thiruporur to Chengalpattu? The Thiruporur - Chengalpattu route was quite scenic when I last travelled that way, but it was over 6 years back!

Thanks for your help.
Subbu

[Benoit]

Originally Posted by ssbiitm

Any idea about which road is better: Mahabalipuram - Thirukazhukundram - Melavalam route OR Thiruporur to Chengalpattu? The Thiruporur - Chengalpattu route was quite scenic when I last travelled that way, but it was over 6 years back!

Thanks for your help.
Subbu

I have travelled a handful of times on the Thiruporur to Chengalpet route. The roads are good. I haven't used the mahabs - melavalam route, so can't say which one is better. But the thiruporur - chengalpet route was very good when I travelled the last time (3 months ago).

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by ssbiitm

Am planning to drive to Madurai from Chennai early tomorrow morning.

Its not a long weekend. There is not a big difference in routes. I wouldn't do route 1 at all.

ECR-Mahabalipuram bypass-Chengalpattu is little narrow the first kms from Mahabs. After that it is wide. You can maintain 60-80

Nemmeli-Thiruporur is narrow, goes via Thiruporur temple. And roads inside Thiruporur are a total mess. Apart from this 4 km stretch, rest is excellent.

If it is before 6 am, Radial Road-GST-Chengalpattu itself will be free. The shift buses-college bus traffic starts after 630 am.

[ssbiitm]

Thanks narayans80 for your response.

I will avoid route 1. Yes, you are right - Nemmeli to Thiruporur is quite narrrow and quite horrible inside Thiruporur where the roads are a right-royal mess. What I would prefer is to cross the Buckingham canal at Nemmeli and then turn left on the Thiruporur by-pass which is in great shape, proceed southward and then once I join the Rajiv Gandhi Salai, turn back towards Thiruporur and turn left on to the Chengalpattu road at the circle. True its nearly a 6 km deviation, but the drive is comfortable.

Cheers,
Subbu

[ssbiitm]

Thanks Benoit for your reply.

I will let you all know once I complete my trip. Will be returning on Monday.

Cheers,
Subbu

[mah45]

Originally Posted by ssbiitm

Thanks narayans80 for your response.

I will avoid route 1. Yes, you are right - Nemmeli to Thiruporur is quite narrrow and quite horrible inside Thiruporur where the roads are a right-royal mess. What I would prefer is to cross the Buckingham canal at Nemmeli and then turn left on the Thiruporur by-pass which is in great shape, proceed southward and then once I join the Rajiv Gandhi Salai, turn back towards Thiruporur and turn left on to the Chengalpattu road at the circle. True its nearly a 6 km deviation, but the drive is comfortable.

Cheers,
Subbu

Hope you have a safe journey.
Please do share the road conditions after your trip
If possible please do share the GMaps route as well, Thanks

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by mah45

Please do share the road conditions after your trip

I went till Trichy on the Vinayaga Chathurthi weekend. There is one diversion on Villupuram bypass, which is a non-issue even with long weekend traffic.

There are 3 diversions on Ulundurpet-Trichy section: one about 2 km from Salem turn at Ulundurpet, one at Veppur (this has been for atleast 4 years), one at Padalur (this also has been for 3 years atleast). All 3 had glorious traffic jams during the Sunday evening return, and surprise surprise: none from Sengurichi to SRM.

You'll see some potholes till Chengalpattu after that it is smooth sailing.

Thiruporur-Chengalpattu and ECR-Mahabs-Chengalpattu have stayed as they are. I last did in July and April respectively.

[ssbiitm]

Did the Chennai - Madurai - Chennai road trip as planned. Onward on Saturday 14th and return on 16th.
Started at 0745 on 14th from Valmiki Nagar.
Went down ECR till Nemmeli (no real traffic at that time), took the turn to Thiruporur (be aware that you have to go a considerable distance ahead and take a U turn and come back to take the turn, which is just after the barriers at the police chowki).
The road from Nemmeli till the Thiruporur by-pass is quite narrow and a little bothersome when there is traffic coming the other way. You have to get on to the shoulder and that is very uneven.
A the Thiruporur by-pass took the turn towards Mahabalipuram (lovely road). At the junction with OMR, turned back towards Thiruporur. Just before the main part of Thiruporur took the left turn towards Chengalpattu.
The Thiruporur - Chengalpattu road is in very good condition for the most part, but is undivided. The last part as you approach Chengalpattu is very scenic and beautiful. Lovely green hills and quite dense vegetation.
Entered Chengalpattu (lot of in city traffic) and joined GST. This is where the traffic was quite heavy and very painfully slow, especially at the Palar bridge. Took quite some time getting through that zone. Even then the traffic was quite high (guess it was because it was a Saturday?).
Most eating places (Manoj Bhavan etc) were extremely crowded. Finally stopped for breakfast at Oorvasi at Tindivanam. Although it was not that crowded by the time we stopped, the service was extremely slow and what should have been a half hour stop turned out to be an hour long.
Back on GST the traffic density had reduced considerably. The road conditions are great except for the few diversions because of flyover constructions. After Trichy the roads improved further.
At Thuvarankurichi, got off NH38 and took NH785 to Natham (a little tricky here since the flyover part is not complete). This was fantastic. The road is in superb condition. Could easily cross 140 kmph in my Baleno, but stuck to a much lower figure. Of course, the toll on this stretch is heavy (Rs. 190), but worth it. The best part is that this highway goes on to the Natham flyover in Madurai and you are right inside the city even before you know it or have to slow down!! Reached our destination in Krishnapuram colony at 1615 hrs.
470 kms in 8 hrs 30 mins with 2 stops!

Started on the return at 0745 on 16th. Followed the same route back, except that at Melavalam (after Madurantakam) we turned off towards Thirukazhukundram deviating from what I had originally planned (somehow didnt want to cross Palar at Chengalpattu and the traffic density was constantly going up). The road is good but not as great as the Chengalpattu - Thiruporur route. It is white-topped, but not uniform. At Thirukazhukundram, the roads are very narrow, but fortunately there was not much traffic. From there till the ECR near Mahabalipuram is in decent condition. Reached Valmikinagar at around 1500 hrs. 470 kms in 7 hrs 15 mins with one lunch stop at A2B and a short break.

Cheers,
Subbu
Got mileage of about 18 kmpl in my Baleno alpha (2016) - not bad considering that the car was fully loaded and the AC working extremely hard (it was one of the hottest times in this stretch with Madurai being about 40 deg. C)

Have attached a picture of NH785. The road is really excellent and scenic.