Hyderabad to Chennai - Best route, time, distance & road conditions

[binand]

[First post here, I hope picking up an existing thread on the same topic is correct, instead of opening a new thread]

I am driving from Hyderabad to Chennai on 15/3 - this is my first long distance (200km+) drive. I have been researching the routes (in fact, have read 3 threads here on team-bhp end to end several times), and have more or less decided on Hyderabad-Macherla-Piduguralla-Addanki-Nellore-Chennai. My map (Eicher India Road Atlas) says this is 649km.

My car is a 2007 Honda Civic 1.8V. I will be accompanied by my wife, son (4 years) and my in-laws plus a couple of suitcases. I plan to start at around 4:30AM and hope to reach Chennai same evening.

My questions are:

1. Given my car and my passengers, does it make more sense for me to take the NH-only 7-18-4 (Kurnool-Chittoor) route despite the extra 100km or so? Is 4-laning of Hyderabad-Kurnool stretch complete? NHAI's website doesn't seem to have been updated in months.

2. Should I go via Nalgonda rather than Macherla?

3. Any up-to-date information on road conditions both via Nalgonda and Macherla.

4. I am starting from Madhapur in Hyderabad. Is there a way to hit Nagarjunasagar Road via ORR-Shamshabad Interchange-Hyderabad Airport-Srisailam Road-[some unknown connection]? Or is it that the only way for me to hit Nagarjunasagar Road is via LB Nagar?

5. Same question as above, but this time about hitting eastbound NH9 from Madhapur.

Thanks,

Binand

[vnabhi]

I have a few answers in bold below, though you have to take inputs from other members on latest road conditions. Cheers.

Originally Posted by binand

My questions are:

1. Given my car and my passengers, does it make more sense for me to take the NH-only 7-18-4 (Kurnool-Chittoor) route despite the extra 100km or so? Is 4-laning of Hyderabad-Kurnool stretch complete? NHAI's website doesn't seem to have been updated in months.
It appears it is 80% complete, per a post from a member a month ago.
2. Should I go via Nalgonda rather than Macherla?
Might be a better option. We don't know how the road from Macherla to Piduguralla is.
With Civic's GC issues, it is better to not to take the road less travelled. Going via Guntur instead of Addanki is also a good option, but might add to your distance.
Another option is the Kurnool-Cuddappah-Rayachoti-Chittoor route. I think it might be a better option. I almost decided on that route a year ago, after getting inputs from dsreddy in this forum.

3. Any up-to-date information on road conditions both via Nalgonda and Macherla.
None on Macherla, but Ravveendra and bblost have posted travelogues on the Nalgonda route.

4. I am starting from Madhapur in Hyderabad. Is there a way to hit Nagarjunasagar Road via ORR-Shamshabad Interchange-Hyderabad Airport-Srisailam Road-[some unknown connection]? Or is it that the only way for me to hit Nagarjunasagar Road is via LB Nagar?
There is: Gachibowli->ORR->Road to Chandrayangutta->Kanchanbagh->LB Nagar. But that would be about 30 kms longer. Since you are leaving early morning, go directly to LB Nagar.
5. Same question as above, but this time about hitting eastbound NH9 from Madhapur.
Madhapur->J Hills Check Post->Panjagutta->Begumpet->Rail Nilayam->Mettuguda->Tarnaka->Habsiguda->Uppal->Nagole->LB Nagar x roads. Turn left here and proceed towards Vijaywada on NH9. Turn right at Narketpalli towards Nalgonda.

Thanks,

Binand

[binand]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

There is: Gachibowli->ORR->Road to Chandrayangutta->Kanchanbagh->LB Nagar. But that would be about 30 kms longer. Since you are leaving early morning, go directly to LB Nagar.

I think you mean Gachibowli > Old Bombay Road > IRR to Chandrayangutta and points onward. ORR and then to Chandrayangutta would be hideously circuitous.

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Madhapur->J Hills Check Post->Panjagutta->Begumpet->Rail Nilayam->Mettuguda->Tarnaka->Habsiguda->Uppal->Nagole->LB Nagar x roads. Turn left here and proceed towards Vijaywada on NH9.

I am aware of this route through the middle of the city. My question was about a route via city outskirts (ie, less number junctions, signals etc.)

Thanks,

Binand

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by binand

I think you mean Gachibowli > Old Bombay Road > IRR to Chandrayangutta and points onward. ORR and then to Chandrayangutta would be hideously circuitous.

I am aware of this route through the middle of the city. My question was about a route via city outskirts (ie, less number junctions, signals etc.)

Thanks,

Binand

Yup, the route via ORR would be too darn long, and not worth the effort because you are leaving early in the morning.
The city routes are preferable (IRR-Chandrayangutta or via Panjugatta) ---though there are more junctions. IMO, most signals start operating from 8 am---except perhaps very major ones like Check Post, etc.

[binand]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Should I go via Nalgonda rather than Macherla?

Might be a better option. We don't know how the road from Macherla to Piduguralla is. With Civic's GC issues, it is better to not to take the road less travelled.

I finally chose to go with your advice and tooke the Nalgonda-Pidugurella-Addanki route. My impressions are:

1. Distance (as per my car's trip meter) from junction with IRR in LB Nagar/Hyderabad to the junction with IRR in Puzhal/Chennai = 605km. It took 9h 54mins to conver this distance (average speed after deducting breaks is 69.3 kmph).

2. NH9 - to some distance beyond Hyderabad, it is 4-lane dual carriageway. Then it becomes 2-lane, single carriageway and then the misery starts. The traffic volume is horrible (between 6-7AM). Very careful, alert driving needed in this stretch. The road quality is good - no potholes, no speedbreakers etc.

3. SH2 - is a beauty from Narketpally till around Miryalguda - much better to drive on than the NH9 we left behind, with hardly any traffic. The major problem is of course the occassional speed breaker that comes up (some of them were bad enough to hit my undercarriage) and the potholes. Still, this stretch needn't be the deciding factor against this road.

4. SH2 from Miryalguda till Addanki and junction with NH5 - it deteriorates gradually. The potholes become closer to each other and bigger and wider and deeper, and now we can see occassional stretches where the road has simply collapsed. Still, manageable with careful driving. The road becomes good once again a few kms shy of Addanki.

5. NH5 - is a breeze. Unfortunately, you will find the occassional car, auto, cycle and whatnot coming TOWARDS you on your side of the carriageway - and not always on the shoulder either. Very dangerous practice, NHAI and local police ought to crack down on this.

Trip sheet extract (the numbers are distance in km, time taken in hh:mm and average speed in kmph):

Hyderabad - Narkatpalli 73.3 1:21 54.3
Narkatpalli-Pidugurella 127.0 2:12 57.7
Pidugurella-Ongole 114.4 1:46 64.8
Ongole-Chennai 290.3 3:25 85.0

Binand

[nagvasireddy]

Binand - Thanks for the report. Going by your experience with Miryalaguda-Addanki-NH5 stretch, do you think it would be better to do Miryalaguda-piduguralla-Narsaraopeta-Chilakaluripeta (merging with NH 5) when doing Hyderabad-Chennai?

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by binand

I
3. SH2 - is a beauty from Narketpally till around Miryalguda - much better to drive on than the NH9 we left behind, with hardly any traffic. The major problem is of course the occassional speed breaker that comes up (some of them were bad enough to hit my undercarriage) and the potholes. Still, this stretch needn't be the deciding factor against this road.

4. SH2 from Miryalguda till Addanki and junction with NH5 - it deteriorates gradually. The potholes become closer to each other and bigger and wider and deeper, and now we can see occassional stretches where the road has simply collapsed. Still, manageable with careful driving. The road becomes good once again a few kms shy of Addanki.

Trip sheet extract (the numbers are distance in km, time taken in hh:mm and average speed in kmph):

Hyderabad - Narkatpalli 73.3 1:21 54.3
Narkatpalli-Pidugurella 127.0 2:12 57.7
Pidugurella-Ongole 114.4 1:46 64.8
Ongole-Chennai 290.3 3:25 85.0

Binand

Thanks for the update! You've done good speeds in those stretches---surprisingly, your average speed is higher after Pidugurella than before it. I thought the roads were bad after that place. I wonder how they will be during monsoon.

[nagvasireddy]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

surprisingly, your average speed is higher after Pidugurella than before it. I thought the roads were bad after that place. I wonder how they will be during monsoon.

Good point. Also I am little surprised that the average speed for Narketpally-Piduguralla is not very different from the average speed for Hyd-Narketpally.

[binand]

Here is a more specific extract from my trip sheet:

Hyderabad-Narkatpally 73.3 1:21 54.3
Narkatpally-Miryalguda 59.3 0:53 67.1
Miryalguda-Pidugurella 67.7 1:19 51.4
Pidugurella-Addanki 77.4 1:19 58.8
Addanki-SH2/NH2 Junction 9.3 0:08 69.8
SH2/NH2 Junction-Ongole 27.7 0:19 87.5
Ongole-AP/TN Border 242.0 2:45 88.0
AP/TN Border-Chennai 48.3 0:40 72.4

So, yes:

- Narkatpally-Miryalguda was covered faster than Hyderabad-Narkatpally - very less traffic, and the two big towns en route (Nalgonda and Miryalguda) have by-passes. There are occassional speed breakers, true - but on NH9 you more frequently end up behind a slow-moving truck with no chance of overtaking for many kilometres too

- The average after Pidugurella is higher than before it - I am also surprised now - earlier I thought it was the NH5 stretch that pulled it upwards.

- NH5 could have been covered much faster if it were not for 5 toll booths (total = Rs. 160), the integrated checkpost near AP/TN border and a couple of diversions. Once we crossed into TN, traffic on NH5 increased substantially (the TN areas are all satellite towns of Chennai).

- I don't know about the other roads - Hyderabad-N. Sagar-Macherla, Pidugurella-Guntur (NH5), Pidugurella-Narasaropet-NH5 etc. - all routes that I considered when planning the trip - but I think the AP SH2 (Nalgonda-Pidugurella-Addanki chord) route to go from NH9 to NH5 is quite motorable, considering it is the shortest route between Hyderabad-Chennai.

Binand

[PRADEEP KUMAR]

folks ,
any updates on this ,planning a trip to HYD and back in May'09.

tnx

[bblost]

Originally Posted by PRADEEP KUMAR

folks ,
any updates on this ,planning a trip to HYD and back in May'09.

tnx

Have a planned trip this weekend.
Will provide some info on the road conditions.

Anyone got an update for me.
I don't think anything much should have changed in April.
Considering the last detailed post is from March.

This trip will be kind of different for me. Am planning on leaving in the afternoon.

[bblost]

Hyderabad - Addanki via Miryalaguda.

The road has deteriorated.
Now the potholes in the centre are wider than the space inbetween the tires.
So its a complete stop and go.

Last year the milage on this stretch for me about 19.
This time a little under 16.
And it took me atleast 90 minutes more than last time.

I will not use it for my return journey.
Will be checking out the Sagar road instead.

My timings
Left Hyderabad at 1:30 PM.
Addanki at 7:30 PM (Exact 300 kms)
Adyar, Chennai at 12:30 AM (350 kms)

No breaks except for nature(2) and fuel(1) .

[bblost]

Is this route correct for Chennai to Hyderabad via Sagar.
At the right bottom is Addanki

[vnabhi]

Seems to be correct, though that seems to be a road less travelled. Another alternative is to go via Chilkaluripeta and join the Guntur-Sattenapalli road.
If you want to avoid NH9 traffic, you could branch off left at Miryalguda and join the Nagarjunasagar road between Sagar and Mallepalli--this could be 30 kms longer, but free from dense traffic.

[bblost]

Another Route discovered:

In short: Chennai -> Gudur -> Rapur -> Rajampet -> Cuddapah -> Kurnool -> Hyderabad.
Chennai (Adyar) to Hyderabad (Masab Tank) in 710 kms

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ome-ghats.html (Chennai to Hyderabad via some ghats)