Vinayagar Chathurthi 2016 Trip from Chennai to Nagercoil

Vinayagar Chathurthi weekend holiday was there, so planned to visit Nagercoil. Since son’s school was having Saturday  3-9-16 as holiday or not was not announced, finally it was a half day on Saturday.

Due to the Saturday school couldn’t book the tickets in advance. Tatkal had waiting list more than 100 and private buses had minimum fare as 1500 in non A/C buses.

Finally decided to travel by car. Things were packed tank filled air checked and started journey from Chromepet home at 1:50 pm, at perungalathur itself traffic started somehow took the left lane and stopped at Eraniamman temple, it was closed still offered prayer and started, Traffic signal at Vandalur GST road Kelambakkam was not functioning hence there was a big traffic pile up, none of the vehicles were moving all the available road, Main road Service Road, Vandalur flyover everywhere it was vehicles.
Good news they are planning for a flyover at Vandalur zoo and service roads are to be laid for traffic diversion, Govt says work will start and complete in two years time, let us hope it gets completed soon

Traffic on GST Road Towards Tindivanam

Moved inch by inch, no policemen where seen, traffic itself decided to move merge and give way as per their own wish and moved, this continued for 45 minutes, then finally crossed Vandalur zoo, traffic then started moving, at Guduvanchery next bottleneck was there, halted and then moved on, finally with all stop go condition reached paranur toll plaza at 3:40 pm.

Afterwards traffic was seen moving continuously, we continued to reach Tindivanam at 4:30 pm, after Ulunderpet traffic was less continued till Chakra milk parlour near perambalur and took a break here for twenty minutes, had milk thought it iwll be fresh milk but is is instant milk powder mix.

Then continued to Madurai ring road, as usual road was in bad condition, huge potholes slowed down the progress, but Madurai ringroad has continuous flow of vehicles, it was 10 pm now and we were searching for some good hotel for dinner, Planned to take dinner at Virudhunagar Burmakadai but not sure whether it will be open at 11 Pm or not,  so settled for the ring road Muniyandi vilas, had parotta and started the journey after thirty minutes.

Nearing Melur there was heavy rain, visibility was not there added  to it the wiper was not cleaning the windshield properly, it seems there is gap between wiper blade and windshield, however continued to drive and another 30 minutes rain got over and reached a petrol pump for refill.

Crossed virudhunagar burmakadai by 11:20 pm and still found it is open with lights on, but didn’t stop and not sure whether service was available or not.

Reached Kayathar by 12 midnight and was very tired by now, throughout the journey there were no SETC buses to give company, TNSTC also few buses were found in the Chengalpet Villupuram stretch, beyond that between Trichy and Madurai few TNSTC buses were there otherwise it was sand lorries and few cars from Trichy to Madurai.

From Kayathar raced all the way due to empty roads and reached Nagercoil home by 1:25 am, complete 11 hours 25 minutes journey to cover 675 km.

At Amaravila Gurusami temple

Return Journey started from Nagercoil on 5-9-16 morning 5:40 am, came to Muppandal amman temple the temple deity was getting washed, again started and plan changed to visit Sankarankovil, so entered Tirunelveli and with Here Maps app, took the Rajaplayam road, this road is being widened and at many places the work is completed and going on, so for every 5 km of good run 3 km will be on bad roads and the new road is at a higher level at all the transition points vehicle has to get down and climb one feet high road, speed was greatly reduced and reached Sankarankovil by 8 am, had a good darshan and continued to Karivalamvandhanallur, Paalvannanadhar temple, had a good hassle free darshan and continued to Rajapalayam, Srivilliputhur, got the Paalkova took the Madurai highway the roads were average at some places big potholes were there and reached Thirumangalam by 11:15 am, took the Periya- Alangulam road to airport and reached NH45B to Trichy. 

Morning Sunrise at Nanguneri

Rajapalayam Diversion at Tirunelveli

Good and Bad Roads towards Sankarankovil

Good stretch of Road to Sankarankovil

At SankaranKovil

Paalvannanadhar Temple at Karivalanmvandhanallur

Temple car in the making

Travelling from Srivilliputhur to Thirumangalam

Roads were free of traffic raced and reached Trichy, searched for Hotel to have Lunch but on the GST road there were no hotels to be found came to Manachanallur and stopped at Sonamina hotel by 2 pm they were not having Lunch, found Star biryani hotel on the opposite side, but it was not yet opened, they told next week (15-9-16) only is slated for opening. Halted at a Saravanabhava hotel food was not so good.

Our Companions on the Road

NH45B Highway at Thuvanrangurichi

Started after Lunch and there was traffic building up, based on the previous journey bit hesitant to take Chengalpet Vandalur road, but google map was not showing any major traffic buildup. So continued to wards Chengalpet and reached Chromepet Home by 5:45 pm.
Complete 12 hours for 693 km journey.

NH45 after Samayapuram nice median plantation

Ever crowded Sengurichi plaza

Total toll Paid Onward Chromepet to Nagercoil 12 toll plazas 710 Rs

Return Journey Nagercoil to Chromepet 9 Toll plazas 510 Rs Paid
Paranur                Rs 50
Athur                   Rs 50
Vikravandi          Rs 75
Sengurichi           Rs 45
Thirumandurai    Rs 45
Samayapuram     Rs 40
Boothakudi         Rs 70
Chittampatti        Rs 75
Thirumangalam  Rs 60
Etturvattam         Rs 65
Salaipudhur         Rs 75
Nanguneri           Rs 60

While return avoided Salaipudhur, Etturvattam and Thirumangalam Toll plazas Rs 200 saved Extra Km travelled 18 km but time took almost 2 hours more