Team-BHP - Bangalore - Pondicherry : Route Queries

Decided to try out the Tiruvanamalai stretch after a long time yesterday. Left Pondy at 6:00 am and was in HSR Layout, Bangalore at 11:45 with a breakfast stop at Tiruvanamalai for 25 min. The route I used was
Pondy-Tindivanam-Tiruvanamalai-Chengam-Singarapettai-Thirupattur- Krishnagiri.

The is very much doable and it cuts down on approx. 40 kms and a couple of tolls as well. The only stretch I found bad was for 4 Kms in Tindivanam town limits. There are a few stretches were the roads narrow down but that is very much manageable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by m8002? (Post 4119948)

The is very much doable and it cuts down on approx. 40 kms and a couple of tolls as well. The only stretch I found bad was for 4 Kms in Tindivanam town limits. There are a few stretches were the roads narrow down but that is very much manageable.

Thanks for the update. Good to hear that it's getting ready. What was your ride?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torqy (Post 4120197)

Thanks for the update. Good to hear that it's getting ready. What was your ride?

2006 Baleno ( with a slightly weak suspension if I can add lol:)
If you have a car with better GC, this stretch should be a the one you should take. One can easily maintain 70-80kmph in most sections. My guess is in a couple of months, Chengam bye-pass also should be ready.

Quote:

Originally Posted by m8002? (Post 4120204)

My guess is in a couple of months, Chengam bye-pass also should be ready.

Did not get this one. If you are going via Tiruvannamalai, you dont need to go to Chengam.

Or is it that you just updated the status of the bypass?

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Originally Posted by ampere (Post 4120215)

Did not get this one. If you are going via Tiruvannamalai, you dont need to go to Chengam.

Or is it that you just updated the status of the bypass?

How can one avoid chengam on the way to singarapettai?
On the bypass, I was following Google maps and not see any directions for it. However on coming out from chengam, the road joins the bypass where work is in progress.

If you notice Google maps shows the bypass but will mark your route through chengam.

Quote:

Originally Posted by m8002? (Post 4119948)

m8002, the krishnagiri - tiruvannamalai stretch was well known for the sudden huge craters which can come out of the blue to break car's suspension since the past 6~7 years. Did you mean that those are history and the roads have been tarred now with no surprise elements?

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Originally Posted by gopikb (Post 4120267)

What you are talking is about a decade back when the entire stretch was full of craters. I went by the above mentioned route in May 2016 and found the road to be very much motorable. Infact I drove from Chetpet to Bangalore via Polur, Chengam, Singarapettai, Tirupattur, Bargur, Krishnagiri and Hosur. Work was going on in Singarapettai as a part of road widening. Otherwise no issues.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gopikb (Post 4120267)

Like suresh_gs mentioned above, this leg of the route is very much motorable.
My understanding is that the second part of the original NH66A, ie, Singarapettai--Mathur--krishnagiri section is still bad and work is in progress. So your route should be Singarapettai-thirupathur-Bargur-Krishnagiri.

Quote:

Originally Posted by suresh_gs (Post 4120369)

I drove from Chetpet to Bangalore via Polur, Chengam, Singarapettai, Tirupattur, Bargur, Krishnagiri and Hosur. Work was going on in Singarapettai as a part of road widening. Otherwise no issues.

I will be driving to Pondy during the dreaded republic day long weekend. Planning to take tindivanam - Chengam route on the way back. Wanted to check if there is any way to bypass Krishnagiri & Attibele tolls as it will be absolute mayhem on 29th Jan and hence want to avoid. I need to get to Yeshwantpur and hence any route that gets me to nice road will work. How is rayakottai - kelamangalam - Attibele? Does it join housur road after Attibele toll?

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Originally Posted by procrj (Post 4120463)

You can bypass attibele toll if you take the begalur route and reach Whitefield. But I am not sure how to bypass krishnagiri toll.

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Originally Posted by procrj (Post 4120463)

You may want to consider the Pondi-Arcot-Chittoor-Kolar-Hoskote route to avoid Krishnagiri and Hosur. Then take the ring road to Yeshwantpur.

Quote:

Originally Posted by m8002? (Post 4120499)

You may want to consider the Pondi-Arcot-Chittoor-Kolar-Hoskote route to avoid Krishnagiri and Hosur. Then take the ring road to Yeshwantpur.

Yes this a very good idea only downside here would be lack of good eateries and heavy truck movement. If you can manage this then take this route.

Quote:

Originally Posted by redcruiser (Post 4120540)

Yes this a very good idea only downside here would be lack of good eateries and heavy truck movement. If you can manage this then take this route.

There are couple of decent places in Thiruvannamalai. But then one will need wade through the city traffic to find these places. Even if the road comes out clean, I would still prefer the Cheyyar/Vandasi, just for the good hotels! :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by m8002? (Post 4120429)

Quote:

Originally Posted by suresh_gs (Post 4120369)

One of my colleague travelled to pondy during christmas vacation in NH66 straight route via uthangarai in his XUV and said the road is motorable and no major craters though the road construction is going on and diversions are there. :Shockked: I was totally/pleasantly shocked to hear that. He said he was able to reach Pondy in about 7 hours including breaks.

Though i cannot personally confirm it, but that seems to be a better news to hear that the direct route is motorable.

-Ravi