Chennai Bangalore - Old and New

[Rahulkool]

I have gone through GQ route 3 times, once on bike. its pretty good and scenic, i always prefer roads with dividers.

anyways the restaurent before vellore is pretty good, had lunch there 2-3 times and food was good. its just next to the apollo hospital on the high way you have to little careful and slow, coz if you pass it u-turn is little far away AFAIR, also they don't serve breakfast

[csentil]

Originally Posted by hrag

Day / not in a big hurry: NH4 all the way
Night / in a hurry: GQ (NH7 - NH46 - NH4)

I don't particularly advise the old route at night because overtaking can be a pain (single lane road from Bangalore all the way until Ranipettai) plus you have manic bus drivers who WILL try and push you off the road (was almost pushed off the road twice on Sunday night by buses overtaking on the other side)

Yup agreed. With the 4 laning there are no shoulders in some places. So you'll have to be double careful.

The GQ is longer by around 20 km. Watch out for town traffic and pedestrians at Hosur, Ambur and Vellore. The stretch between the Sriperumbudur and Ranipettai toll plazas is the best of the lot.

Yeah.. Around 20 - 30 kms. I don't like the Sriperumbadur to Kancheepuarm sector. Too many sand laden lorries. Even the road quality is ok. Kanceepuram bridge to Ranipettai toll plaza is awesome.

But the best is Vaniyambadi to Krishnagiri. Lots of beautiful curves and excellent scenery. Hosur - Krishnagiri is good but not the other way as its uphill and there are too many lorries trying to overtake each other at a snails pace uphill !! I've always been able to do Bangalore - Krishnagiri in an hour (before the road works started) but could never do Krishnagiri - Bangalore in an hour !

[skydiver]

Guys,

thanks for the valuable info...will be taking the GQ route and update you'll after come back on sunday night..

[hrag]

Did Bangalore - Chennai via the GQ last night - an update:
Roads pathetic from Bangalore almost all the way till the TN border. Some stretches are good but the roadworks combined with crazy traffic demands that one be very careful. Zuzuvadi was surprisingly clear last night.

After entering TN, the roads are smooth all the way. Exactly 7 km after the KA-TN border ("You are Entering Tamilnadu" overhead sign), the flyover at Hosur is undergoing some road work. Please be very careful on this flyover. Material is strewn around on the right lane and there are no signs.

Waiting for the Bangalore - Hosur stretch to be completed; the whole stretch then becomes a pleasure to drive.

[mjothi]

Just came back from Chennai through the GQ. I see that there is some increase in the number of lorry traffic in this stretch (Toll roads)
Btw, there was some major accident on the Vaniambadi over bridge. This was around 3:30pm. There was huge traffic on the bridge due to this. I tried to see what happened, but could not get any complete picture. All I saw was a orange (sunlight copper) swift in the middle of the road and huge crowds. Suddenly I saw a person hitting the other guy with huge stick (lathi?) and trying to get him in the NHAI jeep. Sensing some tension there, I just reversed and took the vaniambadi city and reached the Toll road later. I was with family and hence do not want to take any risk.

I also saw 2 NHAI ambulance after this incident. One from the spot and other throught Vaniambadi bustand. Hope and praying god that all are well.

Anyone came through that place? Any news?

P.S. I remember seeing that same/similar swift doing like 140 and over taking me some time ago.

[skydiver]

Hi,

Came back from chennai via GQ sat night. The road was amazing, though at some points, the trucks trying to overtake each other at 40km/hr is very frustrating!!

While going, the road till Hosur was not in a great shape due to road widening...one needs to be careful during thsi stretch.
A good place to have food and re-fueling is the BP outlet which has anad bhavan and dhabha (forgot what they call the place, concept looks similar to reliance A1 plaza). It is about 20kms from Hosur.

On coming back, we started off from Taj Fisherman's cove at about 4pm, took the bypass road to avoid going inside chennai. The road was good.

On way back, stopped at grand krishana in Vellore for about half hr and then again at Anand Bhavan near Hosur. Both the eating joints are good place to have quick meals.

On way back near ranipet, saw a truck rammed a new Ford Endy from back and smashed its rear, there were a lot of heated arguments going around..felt sorry for the owners loss...

Guys, just beware of the people crossing the roads on this route, especially during the night. Most of the road-crossers dont pay any heed to the horn or high-beams, you have to stop otherwise there will be a collision..

thanks

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by skydiver

Hi,

Came back from chennai via GQ sat night. The road was amazing, though at some points, the trucks trying to overtake each other at 40km/hr is very frustrating!!

yes, very true. The other problem is slower traffic going on the right hand side of the road. This makes it so difficult for fast moving vehicles. We need to keep driving in a zig-zag manner to pass these guys.

I wish these drivers are educated that right road is for faster traffic. Infact some of the section in the GQ has boards mentioning heavier traffic to be on the left lane only. But why cares!!!!

[csentil]

Actually it took me lesser time from Chennai to Bangalore when I drove last weekend in the nite. Left at 8.30pm and was at home by 1.15am. I guess it had to do with less traffic from Hosur to Bangalore coz I never went beyond 110 all the way.

The GQ is well lit :-) with a lot of Cat's eyes. The only stretch which didn't have a lot of them was from Krishnagiri to Bangalore.

Vaniyambadi bridge is highly dangerous. I've lost a dear friend there in an accident. Its a S bend bridge with no banking. You can enter the bridge at high speeds, however the curves have no banking and if you corner too fast or try to brake when you corner you will have problems. I've seen a lot of accidents on that bridge.

[bglsrini]

HI,
My wife and daughter are travelling in MY BULL(Safari) with my driver to chennai Via hosur krishnagiri.She is starting today at 5:30p.m. Please some one suggest good and safe hotels for dinner.

Iam going to miss my BULL...............and my family too for this weekend.

[akroy]

Originally Posted by bglsrini

HI,
My wife and daughter are travelling in MY BULL(Safari) with my driver to chennai Via hosur krishnagiri.She is starting today at 5:30p.m. Please some one suggest good and safe hotels for dinner.

Iam going to miss my BULL...............and my family too for this weekend.

If you start an hour earlier then you can have your dinner at Chennai

Abhi

[bglsrini]

Originally Posted by akroy

If you start an hour earlier then you can have your dinner at Chennai

Abhi

Yes,I know that.But,My daughter's school bus drops her back from school by 4:20 only.So they have to then start from bangalore.But, normally when we travel,we do it non stop or place for food dosent matter.But,since they are travelling alone......I wanted the details.
srinivas.

[hrag]

2 decent places enroute:

1. Motel Rosin ~15 km after the Vaniyambadi toll plaza, on the LHS. With the recent ban on hoardings in Tamilnadu, your driver will have to watch out for this place anytime after 10 km from the toll plaza
Place is veg & non-veg.

2. Hotel Grand Krishna @ Sathuvachari (just after Vellore), on the RHS. You can see the hotel sign lit at night. Place is veg only.

Grand Krishna would be a better bet in terms of time, provided they reach Hosur quickly. If they can start by 5 pm, they can beat most of the traffic and reach Chennai for dinner.

There is also a restaurant called Fisherman's Fare after Ratnagiri on the RHS next to Apollo Hospital. Never tried that so cannot recommend - place looks decent, though.

Note bglsrini's order of missing: Safari first and family last

[madan80]

Originally Posted by hrag

2 decent places enroute:


There is also a restaurant called Fisherman's Fare after Ratnagiri on the RHS next to Apollo Hospital. Never tried that so cannot recommend - place looks decent, though.

they have a few branches in Chennai, the calamari is excellent! the food here in chennai is good- im hoping that the food there is the same!

[bglsrini]

[quote=hrag;882735]

Note bglsrini's order of missing: Safari first and family last

Yes,Thats true.....life has become like that with my safari

From yesterday,we were having smallfights regarding the car and I was trying to make her take the santro.But........she wanted MY BULL only.

Thanx for your support and my wife has started already at 4:30p.m and she has got some burgers and chicken strips from KFC . So, she can go non stop.


she,Is on her way and enjoying the Safari and irritating me......

[snaronikar]

Originally Posted by bglsrini

she,Is on her way and enjoying the Safari and irritating me......

Don't feel jealous man. Afterall she is your better half and she deserves this BULL.