Marakkanam To Tindivanam Road Condition


Thread Starter #1
Joined
Apr 9, 2011
Messages
385
Likes
282
Location
Chennai
Tomorrow planning trip to Salem from Chennai, but instead of taking the usual route via Chengalpattu - Madurantakam, planning to go up to Marakkanam on ECR and take the Marakkanam to Tindivanam road and then join the NH.


Can anybody tell me the road condition recently on this road?



I wanted to avoid both the Paranur and Athur toll plaza, as this is a traffic jam nightmare on weekends, end up wasting almost 15-20 minutes in these toll plaza sometimes. Don't mind some extra kms.
 
Thread Starter #2
Joined
Apr 9, 2011
Messages
385
Likes
282
Location
Chennai
The road is quite scenic and nice. I took this route. Upto Marakkanam I first took the OMR route from Adyar to Thiruporur and then joined ECR. Drove up to Marakkanam and took the road from Marakkanam to Tindivanam.


The road itself is nice and scenic. In ECR you have to contend with some slow moving traffic on some stretches. The Marakkanam-Tindivanam route is nice and scenic and passes through reserve forest, which makes for good driving in daytime. However, there are quite a few villages in this route where you need to watch for speed breakers, otherwise it is a good road to drive in as the road condition is good and traffic is sparse.


Overall by this route Chennai - Marakkanam - TIndivanam - Ulundurpet - Attur - Salem, it took me 5 hours 45 minutes (which is almost the same time it takes me to reach Salem by the normal route.) Also avoided the stress and tension of heavy traffic upto Chengalpattu and also avoided the two toll plazas at Paranur and Athur, so quite happy with my decision.


However, you need to watch carefully for branch to Tindivanam from Marakkanam, as it is quite a narrow road, and you need to keep your eye on google maps or GPS or stay alert on reaching Marakkanam.
 
Thread Starter #3
Joined
Apr 9, 2011
Messages
385
Likes
282
Location
Chennai
Want to add that this route MIGHT add around 15-30 kms to your overall journey, so better avoid if the traffic is heavy on ECR (checking via google maps) as you would not end up benefiting either in time or by distance. Also best suited if you are in South East Chennai, rather than on the other side of Anna Salai.


I always estimate the travel time by feeding in shorter stretches in google maps, than by estimating the entire journey. By my own experience, Google appears more accurate in estimating journeys of around 3 hours or less.
 
Last edited:

Top Bottom