[ampere]

Originally Posted by srimath

Friends, I will be driving from Tirupati to Melattur near Tanjore on the 10th. What is the best route for me and how are the road conditions. Thanks in advance.

I think the best option would be :

Tirupathi-Nagari-Arakkonam-Kanchi-Vandavasi-Tindivanam (bypass) to NH45 - Ulundurpet - Vridhachalam - Jayamkondam - Palur - KMU bypass - Papanasam - Melatur.

You will need to go through Kanchi. You can utilise that to have break fast in the city.

[kablu]

Originally Posted by ampere

Tambaram-Ulundurpet-Vridhachalam-Sethiyarthope-KMU

Tambaram-Ulunderpet is about 190. You should cover that in about 2 hour max. Take a break here. And the rest 100km should take about another 2 hours max (assuming a max average speed of 50).

So in that way 5 hours should suffice. May be add a buffer to start at 4:30?

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

I would suggest the following route from Tambaram

Via Ulundurpet, Vriddhachalam, Jayamkondan. From here you have the option of going straight via T Polur or Take a left from jayamkondan and head towards Meensurty. From here take a right and proceed to Kumbakonam via Anaikarai.
I chose the latter. Very good roads all the way. Do remember as you head to Vriddhachalam from Ulundurpet, we have a bridge construction going on near Vriddhachalam level crossing. Here we have mud roads for about max 1/2 km. Otherwise good roads to commute.

Happy Journey

Originally Posted by DWind

Agree with Suresh. Going towards Meensurty and crossing Coleroon at Anaikarai would be better option. Also, try to start as early as possible.

Thanks for the quick response guys. I'm just back from my trip and it was a wonderful journey all the way. Took Tambaram - Dindivanam - Ulundurpet - Jeyamkondan - T.Palur Route. Onward journey took 5:15 Hrs including a short break at Ulundurpet. Returned via the same route in 4:30 Hrs maintaining a constant 90 Kmph from Ulundurpet till chennai.
All in all, a nice journey. Thanks once again for the suggestions.

[DWind]

Originally Posted by kablu

Took Tambaram - Dindivanam - Ulundurpet - Jeyamkondan - T.Palur Route.

Thanks for the update. How is the Jeyamkondan - T.Palur route? I had tried it more than a year back and the roads were not great. Further the route from Coleroon bridge to Kumbakonam Byepass was very narrow and got stuck behind an crawling SETC bus which was going crab like (the bus body was in line with the direction of travel; was going sideways)

[srimath]

Originally Posted by ampere

I think the best option would be :

Tirupathi-Nagari-Arakkonam-Kanchi-Vandavasi-Tindivanam (bypass) to NH45 - Ulundurpet - Vridhachalam - Jayamkondam - Palur - KMU bypass - Papanasam - Melatur.

You will need to go through Kanchi. You can utilise that to have break fast in the city.

From what I observed on google maps, it is the GST till Ulundurpet. From there is is 2 laned or 4 laned. Also what is the road condition from Ulundurpet.

[rameshnanda]

Originally Posted by srimath

From what I observed on google maps, it is the GST till Ulundurpet. From there is is 2 laned or 4 laned. Also what is the road condition from Ulundurpet.

From Ulundurpet, it will be 2 laned road. The condition of the road is good except for a small bad patch. Also, remember that you will have to get into the Ulundurpet town to take this 2 laned road.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by DWind

Thanks for the update. How is the Jeyamkondan - T.Palur route? I had tried it more than a year back and the roads were not great. Further the route from Coleroon bridge to Kumbakonam Byepass was very narrow and got stuck behind an crawling SETC bus which was going crab like (the bus body was in line with the direction of travel; was going sideways)

Jayamkondan - T.Palur - Kumbakonam roads are good.

Did you mean Anaikarai bridge as Coleroon bridge in NH45C crossing Kollidam river? If so, only the bridge is narrow but beyond that roads till Kumbakonam are good 2L roads and not narrow. The bridge is now alternating one-way traffic and police controls the traffic direction every few minutes.

-Ravi

[DWind]

Nope I mean the bridge across Coleroon river near Neerathanallur. It is the road after this bridge until the junction of Kumbakonam Bye-pass near Prist University that I found it narrow

[ravib]

Originally Posted by DWind

Nope I mean the bridge across Coleroon river near Neerathanallur. It is the road after this bridge until the junction of Kumbakonam Bye-pass near Prist University that I found it narrow

Oh ok. That is called as Madhanathur bridge. Yes, the roads after that via asur are narrow & winding till you reach by-pass. Agreed

-Ravi

[ns94]

Hi all,

Are there any good options for food between Vadalur and Kumbakonam?

Thanks in advance

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ns94

Hi all,

Are there any good options for food between Vadalur and Kumbakonam?

Thanks in advance

None on the highway. One option would be to get into Chidambaram town. But then you have to take the Chidambaram/Sirkazhi route just for this purpose only.

[ravib]

Last night, i drove from Pondy to kumbakonam.

Took Pondy-Cuddalore-B.Putlur-Bhuvanagiri-Sethiyathope-Anaikari-Kumbakonam route.

Pondy - Cuddalore - usual heavy traffic and road conditions are just okay. i believe the road work/widening is in progress.

After cuddalore, drove till B.Putlur and then took a right deviation towards Bhuvanagiri. This will completely avoid Chidambaram/Mayiladuthurai and the associated ECR heavy traffic and patchy Mayiladuthurai to Kumbakonam route.

The road conditions are good generally.

Sethiyathope-Anaikarai is patchy but can maintain decent speeds atleast 80 kmph. Anaikarai to Kumbakonam - roads are very good.

-Ravi

[ns94]

Drove from Pondy to Thirunageswaram (Oppiliappan Kovil ) yesterday. Took the Cuddalore Kurunjipadi Vadalur Sethiyathope Anaikarai route in the onward direction and Mayiladuthurai Chidambaram Cuddalore during return

Onward: Started at 0600 and reached by 0915. 140kms with 10 min stop for breakfast
Pondy-Cuddalore : Extremely high traffic, full of maniac private buses, surface quality has declined badly
Cuddalore-Kurunjipadi: Very Bad
Kurunjipadi-Vadalur: Very Bad
Vadalur-Sethiyathope-Anaikarai: Bad, but better than the above
Anaikarai-Kumbakonam byepass entry-Karaikal byepass-Thirunageswaram: Decent

Return: Started by 1100 and reached by 1500 with 30 minutes break at Sathabishekam, Vaitheeswaran Kovil for lunch. (I noticed a new restaurant called "Akshadram" a short distance before Sathabishekam on the right side. Has it opened recently? Any reviews? )
Decent roads throughout, but very high traffic around Chidambaram. Was struggling to overtake SETC buses between Kumbakonam and Mayiladuthurai.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by ns94

Drove from Pondy to Thirunageswaram (Oppiliappan Kovil ) yesterday. Took the Cuddalore Kurunjipadi Vadalur Sethiyathope Anaikarai route in the onward direction and Mayiladuthurai Chidambaram Cuddalore during return

Onward: Started at 0600 and reached by 0915. 140kms with 10 min stop for breakfast
Pondy-Cuddalore : Extremely high traffic, full of maniac private buses, surface quality has declined badly
Cuddalore-Kurunjipadi: Very Bad
Kurunjipadi-Vadalur: Very Bad
Vadalur-Sethiyathope-Anaikarai: Bad, but better than the above
Anaikarai-Kumbakonam byepass entry-Karaikal byepass-Thirunageswaram: Decent

Return: Started by 1100 and reached by 1500 with 30 minutes break at Sathabishekam, Vaitheeswaran Kovil for lunch. (I noticed a new restaurant called "Akshadram" a short distance before Sathabishekam on the right side. Has it opened recently? Any reviews? )
Decent roads throughout, but very high traffic around Chidambaram. Was struggling to overtake SETC buses between Kumbakonam and Mayiladuthurai.

Thanks ns94. Looks like for drive from Pondy towards Kumbakonam/Tanjore, the route which i took seems to be much better than Kurinjipadi.

I too have heard about Akshardam and heard good reviews about it. Good to see more options coming up there.

-Ravi

[DWind]

Originally Posted by ampere

I think the best option would be :

Tirupathi-Nagari-Arakkonam-Kanchi-Vandavasi-Tindivanam (bypass) to NH45 - Ulundurpet - Vridhachalam - Jayamkondam - Palur - KMU bypass - Papanasam - Melatur.

If you are going to reach Tiruvallur during non-peak hours (read before 7 AM) you can also try Tirupathi - Tiruthani - Tiruvallur - nazarethpettai - Vandalur (via Outer Ring Road) - GST - Chengalpattu and carry on.
Another option from Tiruvallur is Tiruvallur - Sriperumbadur (2 Lane but good roads except for last 2 kms) - Oragadam - Singaperumal Koil- Chengalpattu - GST.

I see Melattur listed near Tirukarugavur in Google maps, then the fastest option from GST road would be through Tiruchi- Thanjavur- Saliamangalam and then take the road to Papanasam and turn near Tirukarugavur

[ampere]

Originally Posted by DWind

I see Melattur listed near Tirukarugavur in Google maps, then the fastest option from GST road would be through Tiruchi- Thanjavur- Saliamangalam and then take the road to Papanasam and turn near Tirukarugavur

I thought of this option too. But seems like it adds a lot more distance. Because one needs to head past Tanjore.