Bangalore - Madurai - The route

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The Road route from Bangalore to Madurai. If you want the route for Madurai to Bangalore ask a Maduraikaran. (I know it is a PJ)

All distances are approximate and conditions are as when I traveled (Sometime in Feb 2011).

Bangalore - Madurai Road Route I

Bangalore - Krishnagiri (95) - Dharmapuri (150) - Salem (210) - Namakkal (265) - Karur (320) - Dindigul (390) - Madurai (450): entirely on NH 7, entirely 4 laned

Distance: 450 Kms

The entire route comes under National Highway (NH) 7, which is included for widening under the NHDP, North-South corridor project. Bangalore - Krishnagiri stretch 95 kms is part of Mumbai-Chennai GQ project and was completed some time back. Road from Krishnagiri to Madurai and beyond till Kanyakumari too is now 4 laned and fablous. From Krishnagiri, you can divert to Chennai via Vellore (NH 46) and Pondicherry via Thiruvannamalai (NH 66). After Dharmapuri, the Thoppur ghat section has 8 speed breakers, clearly marked, so be watchful. Dharmapuri, Namakkal, Karur and Didndigul are all bypassed completely. Only Salem will have some traffic even if it is bypass. Only a bridge in Samayanallur (10 Kms before Madurai) has not been completed, so there is a small diversion over there. If you are entering Madurai, you can exit here itself or continue on the 4 lane and get into town thru Madurai - Melakkal Road or Theni Road or Thirumangalam exit.

From Salem, you can go to Coimbatore and Kerala (NH 47) or Chennai via Ulundurpettai (NH 68). To goto Trichy, divert at Namakkal on the way thru state highways. Karur has a good 4 lane bypass for about 5 kms that skirts the town. You can also reach Trichy from Karur via NH 67 (Coimbatore - Trichy road), which is a greenic drive along Cauvery river. Road widening is going on this Karur - Trichy section so expect rough roads. Karur - Dindigul is about 75 kms of easy but dreary drive with not much scenery. Halfway in the road we come across mountains (western ghats) which slightly eases the view. There are deviations to Palani (SH) somewhat closer to Dindigul.

Dindigul has a bypass and quiet a few of National highways converge here. The NH 45 from Chennai via Trichy and NH 209 from Bangalore via Coimbatore and Palani merge into NH 7. Dindigul - Madurai 62 Kms is not so boring scenery wise but heavily trafficked. Kodai Road railway station, the rail link to Kodaikanal hill station (74 kms away) comes on this route. Madurai city's urban sprawl extends some 10 kms to the highway as we join Madurai bypass and the city.

Facilities Enroute:

Fuel stops are available at frequent intervals.

Sri Krishna Inn / Coffee Day at HP bunk before Shoolagir, a couple of Kamat Upachars attached to Reliance bunks also nearby and the most famous / crowded A2B (Adyar Anandha Bhavan) at Chinnar BP Ghar are food stops. Another A2B is at the opposite side of the road before Thoppur ghats also attached to BP ghar. More options if you digress into Salem city as well as a couple of smaller south Indian joints near Madurai.

Tourist Thingy:

See my Bangalore - Chennai road guide for details in the Bangalore - K'giri stretch. Dharmapuri is the base for the famous Hogenakkal falls 40 kms

Yercaud hill station, called poor man's Ooty is 32 kms from Salem. Mettur Dam (Stanley reservoir) is a locally famous tourist spot (if it has water) and that is about 40 kms away.

Namakkal is famous for Anjaneya (Hanuman) temple with a huge statue of Hanuman. It is also India's biggest trucking centre (most owners, drivers are from around here) and truck body building is an important economic activity. Namakkal is now a little away from the highway.

Trichy with its rock fort and Sri Ranganathaswamy temple is an important tourist place reachable from Namakkal or Karur

Dindigul is not much of a tourist place but has a rock fort / temple. Palani, the richest temple in TamilNadu is nearby. There is a famous temple for Lord Murugan or Subramanya. This temple on a hillock has winch and rope-car facilities and is very crowded. Kodaikanal hill station, a smaller and better version of Ooty is also near to Dindigul.

And finally, Madurai is THE TOURIST place of TN. With its several thousand years of history, as the former capital of Pandiyan empire, centre of Tamil culture and literature and a place of religious significance with a famously huge temple, this would have rubbed shoulders with Rome, Paris and Athens, had it been in any western country. Unfortunately situated in India, it looks like just another dusty, dirty large town.

Road Route II

Just for the sake of taking the road less travelled

Bangalore - Kanakapura - Chamraj Nagar - Sathyamangalam - Coimbatore - Pollachi - Palani - Dindigul (NH 209 - 450 Kms) - Madurai (NH 7 - 62 Kms)

Distance: 515 Kms

I have personally taken only a part (150) kms stretch in this road. If you like a totally different route, this is the choice. This is a much more scenic route than NH7. Certainly not as good a road as NH 7, still shouldnt be too bad considering this is a NH. Sure, there are potholes and some very narrow stretches after Kanakapura, this road is seeing some improvement. Reports say the Tamilnadu stretch of this road is very good.

This road will take you thru the Kollegal and Sathyamangalam forests, formerly Veerapan's territory.

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