Hi folks. Life on the road in Chennai peak hour traffic!

[sterlingjames]

Having travelled quite a bit in the developing countries on various job assignments(in the auto industry) i have had the good fortune of experiencing some of the best automobiles this side of the world and it is really heart warming to see some of these vehicles make their way into our country(albeit scaled down in options and features!).

settling back into the mainstream has been quite a unique experience and i would like to share how much of a revelation, driving in peak hour traffic has been in chennai! after the initial discomfort, i have managed to master the traffic route which i would like to share with some fellow motorists who wish to use this route as well.

Annaagar west to Perungudi(the IT corridor of chennai)
Starting from the tirumangalam signal(anna nagar west) you head out into the traffic going towards the koyambedu signal/junction.
Stick to the center or extreme right side of the road to avoid being muscled out at the narrow junction at the bridge entrance to the signal.
You need to wait quite a bit to get out of the signal and once you are out, keep to the center of the road and move as quick as possible to the extreme left as you near the signal. This will help avoid the scores of buses who will probably be ahead or beside you and will try to veer off to the right at the last minute to enter the CMBT.

Once you cross the CMBT keep to the center of the road till you reach vadapalani signal. The speeds will be considerably slower and come to a standstill at certain points where the excavation for the metro rail project is underway.
As you near the vadapalani signal keep sharply to the extreme right. This will help avoid the traffic pile up at the bus stop just ahead of the signal. There is however no guarantee that no one will cut across and force you to jam your brakes.
you invariably find out that every bus which has picked up or dropped off passengers will storm their way horizontally across the road and proceed forward ignoring you and anyone else below the eye level, completely
You need to keep to the extreme left despite temptations to go center and proceed till you reach ashok pillar junction. From then on you need to shift to the extreme right and keep going that way till you reach kasi theatre.
Once you cross the theatre and head out to eekaduthagal you will realise how wisely you escaped the traffic pile up caused by the bus stop at the narrow theatre junction.
As you head out to the eveready signal(guindy estate) from the eekaduthangal bridge, desist the temptation to continue on the right side and quickly move to the extreme left and keep going that way. This will help avoid a lot of vehicles both small and big, making unauthorised u-turns along the stretch.
From the eveready signal keep left and enter the road below the bridge to enter mount road.
Now keep to the center till as close to the guindy bus stop as possible.DONT move right or left just keep to the center
Only when you reach the bus stop shift to the extreme right and stay on that track till Saidapet sessions court. Any other way and you are bound to get squeezed/muscled out by all kinds of vehicles.
From then on head towards Sardar Patel Road(raj bhavan road) keeping to the center. not right nor left, just center. might be tricky but you keep moving!
As you near the Anna University entrance keep extreme right and continue that way till you climb the bridge near IIT signal. As you descend keep left or center depending on the traffic flow. Don’t go right. Keep that way till you reach madhya kailash signal. Then cut across to the right to enter taramani road to tidel park.
This is one stretch to make up lost time so try to go upto 100kmph or above till you hit the traffic block. Here, keep center or right. DON’T go left even if there is an empty lot. you will later thank yourself for keeping to the center or right because once the traffic lights turn green you will see hordes of two wheelers and corporation trucks jostling with each other for track position which invariably results in the cars in the extreme left lane stuck for another round of signals.
As you exit the signal and head out towards SRP tools bus stop. You need to keep arrow straight and not be intimidated by traffic swarming from the left going to velachery. These guys will cut across you from the extreme left to the extreme right and any which way you will have a heart stopping, brake jamming moment till you cross the signal successfully.
On the home stretch you will have to keep again to the center or left till you see the passenger overbridge just above. At the last moment you keep to the extreme right to avoid the bus stop but reduce speed as you will see a crowd rushing from IN FRONT of the parked buses to cross the road(people will be people and the overbridge is most always never used by them despite being safer!) from then on pick up speed to reach the destination.....whew!!!!

GARMIN Navigator readouts:
total distance covered-21.9kms

Overall average speed : 20.3 kmph
Moving average speed : 28.2 kmph
Maximum speed(at the taramani stretch) : 106 kmph
Overall fuel cost : Rs. 122.58
(Assumptions: fuel type:diesel, mileage:14 kmpl, fuel cost Rs.35/-,vehicle: Suzuki SWIFT VDi)
Moving time: 42.48 mins
Stopped time: 16.43 mins

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[anekho]

Welcome to t-bhp!

Interesting info there, if you put it in a new thread in maybe the street experiences section, I am sure more will enjoy it

cheers

[sterlingjames]

thanks..will do...once i figure out how to do it!


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[klassics45]

wow. you travel through some of the main junctions of chennai. I am sure you must find difference in driving and also vehicles between annanagar to guindy and guindy to perungudi.

[dotexe]

Very well narrated with timings. I travel daily from OMR to Anna nagar East. It takes almost the same time, but I take velachery - tnagar - nelson manickam road - anna nagar route. Thanks for your post.

[Gilead]

James, my daily commute is from Annanagar to Guindy and i follow the EXACT same lane techniques that you have mentioned here. In fact over the last 5 years or so, I have perfected it to a near art form. Welcome to Team BHP.

[sterlingjames]

Originally Posted by dotexe

Very well narrated with timings. I travel daily from OMR to Anna nagar East. It takes almost the same time, but I take velachery - tnagar - nelson manickam road - anna nagar route. Thanks for your post.

your route is shorter, but slower...try this one out(ring road/guindy route) and let me know... i am trying to map your route next as well as the beach road option.

[abishek2222]

Intresting.......Nice write up.