Team-BHP - Bangalore - Pondicherry : Route Queries

Quote:

Originally Posted by raveesh_k (Post 2923886)

I just returned from a 4 day trip to Pondicherry from Bangalore.

The above link is a map route by denver85. Your description sounds something like it. Am I right or wrong?

Though your inputs on the route was super informative, I am going to have a hard time remembering it all, especially the point from Arcot onwards. I'll have to keep the route on stand by on my phone. In your description, it says you have to get across the river and take a u turn, if I were to refer the same from the linked map above, I can't seem to find a u turn suggested.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan (Post 3264603)

Though your inputs on the route was super informative, I am going to have a hard time remembering it all, especially the point from Arcot onwards. I'll have to keep the route on stand by on my phone. In your description, it says you have to get across the river and take a u turn, if I were to refer the same from the linked map above, I can't seem to find a u turn suggested.

How to Cross Arcot and get on to Vandavasi road?

- Go on the Chennai 4-lane past Arcot.
- Take the bridge on Palar.
- After the bridge take a U, come back and cross the bridge again.
- Immediately after you return, you would an exit. Take that exit. Thats the road to Cheyyar/Vandavasi.

Here is the route link

- Cheyyar, Vandavasi and Tindivanam have bypasses. Make use of them. Its worth it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere (Post 3264694)

Cheyyar, Vandavasi and Tindivanam have bypasses. Make use of them. Its worth it.

I see that the map link I posted by passes Cheyyar and Tindivanam. Are these the correct by pass roads for these two towns that you are referring to?

Not so for Vandavasi where it does run in to town and then lead to the road to Melmaruvathur. I can see a by pass for Vandavasi, the map does not use it because it does not appear to be direct approach to the Melmaruvathur road. What do you suggest?

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan (Post 3264787)

I see that the map link I posted by passes Cheyyar and Tindivanam. Are these the correct by pass roads for these two towns that you are referring to?

The Cheyyar bypass is correct. For Vandavasi, since you take the toad Sothupakkam, you dont use the bypass. But if you take road to Tindivanam, you can take the bypass.

At Tindivanam you have a bypass via new College road.

Just came back from Bangalore-Pondy-Bangalore trip.
I started on 11th Oct at about 6.45 am from RT Nagar, Bangalore. Took the BLR-HOSUR-KGIRI-ARCOT BYPASS-VANDAVASI-CHEYYAR-THINDIVANAM-PONDY route. Reached at 1.45 with about 45 minutes break in between. So it took 6 hours of driving time. We took a similar time on the return too. Great roads all through. A big shout to Raveesh and Ampere for the detailed explanation on the route. I cannot thank you enough.

We took a print of the instructions and just followed it to the T. This coupled with Gmaps made the journey great. I only missed the bypass on college road at Thindivanam, so had to go into the market for about 10 minutes. Other than this, it was a pleasant trip.

We stayed at The Sunway GRT Grand. Highly recommended. Great experience, nice rooms and awesome breakfast and service. Although it is on ECR road, so the beach and ashram are a 5 km drive away. But we had no issue as we had our car.

We had our lunch and dinner at Surguru on Anna Nagar, ECR road. Again, highly recommended place. Great taste and not too highly priced. Google coordinates here: 11.934138,79.807646

Watch out for the huge potholes outside the "Adhi Parashakti Institutes gates " around Cheyyar. Here are the googlemaps coordinates: 12.798834, 79.441145

For anyone, it is possible to do this trip in 6 hours, maintaining sane speeds.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan (Post 3265921)

Looking at this region, is this the overall route you suggest?

Yes that's the route I meant Sandeep. Member J-Ravi had reported about the new construction on the new college-bypass road. And its very easy to spot.
See his post (#453)

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post2673152

Just Came back from Pondy. Big Thanks for Ampere and Team-BHP.

We took BLR-HOSUR-KGIRI-ARCOT BYPASS-VANDAVASI-CHEYYAR-THINDIVANAM-PONDY. Also visited Pichavaram

Though the Right Turn to Arcot was a bit confusing for me but could locate it. The roads were pretty Good and had a good trip altogether.

Just returned from Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry trip, from Bangalore. Thanks for all the Info on this thread.

Onward: BLR-Krishnagiri-Vellore-Kanchi-Chengalpet-Maha. We skipped the last Saravana bhavan before KGiri, and ended up grappling for food in the car, until we saw an Ananda bhavan attached to a sai baba temple, just before vellore. (palikonda is the place name I guess. It comes on the left towards Vellore. Good food, okayish toilets.) Wading through kanchi & Chengalpet was a pain. Google maps helped. Lunch was at Mamalla Heritage (A/c, Veg) on the main road near Arjuna's penance. Good one. Dont take your car to the shore temple. Its a mess.

We were booked in Nalla Eco Beach resort in Pody. One word: Spooky. Thoroughly mismanaged and unhygenic place. It was drinking sessions everywhere with bottles, plates , glasses thrown all over the place. Wondeful location, though. Just go out of the gate, you are on the beach. We did'nt bother to eat their complimentary breakfast. We were booked for 2 days, but left the place after day-1. And second day, we checked into Surgur. I cant reccommend this high enough.

Return: Pody-Tindivanam(bypass)-Vandvasi(bypass)-Cheyyar(by pass)-Arcot-(got into that town mess)-Vellore-Kgiri-BLR. We just follwed the Google maps. But it'll lead you to Arcot town which is a pain. Excellent roads throughout

BTW, not a trace of cyclone in Pondy. Very hot as usual.

Thanks for each and evey one on this thread.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vrvarier (Post 3265986)

Ananda bhavan attached to a sai baba temple, just before vellore. (palikonda is the place name I guess. It comes on the left towards Vellore. Good food, okayish toilets.)

Within 5km from Pallikonda toll, you will see Aryas on your right (other side of the road while driving towards Chennai). This is along with Coffee Day. This comes before Ananda Bhavan.

Quote:

Wading through kanchi & Chengalpet was a pain.

You dont have a choice here I think. Only way is drive very early to beat the traffic at Kanchi.

Quote:

Return: Pody-Tindivanam(bypass)-Vandvasi(bypass)-Cheyyar(by pass)-Arcot-(got into that town mess)-Vellore-Kgiri-BLR. We just follwed the Google maps. But it'll lead you to Arcot town which is a pain. Excellent roads throughout

Arcot bypass is the following:
Route Link

Since this is not a main road, Google may not give directions through this route.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torqy (Post 3267868)

Did Pondy - Bangalore yesterday via Thiruvannamalai. HORRIBLE roads with construction happening from Tindivanam till Krishnagiri. NEVER take this route. Didn't get much time to do research on routes.
What a blunder!

Sorry to hear about your ordeal but thanks nevertheless for the update. :thumbs up
The last several pages of this thread are dedicated to mostly discussing the alternate route since the one via Tiruvannamalai has been bad now for almost 3 years or so, probably more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NPV (Post 3271973)

The last several pages of this thread are dedicated to mostly discussing the alternate route since the one via Tiruvannamalai has been bad now for almost 3 years or so, probably more.

When I went to Thiruvannamalai last some 3+ years back, it was pretty decent with odd pot holes here and there. But now looks like now its beyond redemption.