[viju_bubli]

Hi

I am visiting Thirukadaiyur on 24th Jan 2015 and I am planning to take ECR via Pondicherry.

I will be using my Car and I would like to know whether do we have to pay any permit charges to enter pondicherry? If yes, where do we have to obtain the permit? In Chennai?

Regards

Arun Natarajan

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

Jaggu use the route mentioned by ampere. I did the same route in December 2014 and was an absolute hoot to drive. What you taking, the ST eh ?

Thanks Ampere and rj, i will be driven in a Ritz i guess Family vacation so wanted a peaceful drive route. Hope the extended weekend rush does not play spoiler.

Originally Posted by viju_bubli

I will be using my Car and I would like to know whether do we have to pay any permit charges to enter pondicherry? If yes, where do we have to obtain the permit? In Chennai?

Nope, not heard of any permits for entering pondicherry in a private car.

[rjstyles69]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Thanks Ampere and rj, i will be driven in a Ritz i guess Family vacation so wanted a peaceful drive route. Hope the extended weekend rush does not play spoiler.

Jaggu I suggest that you start a wee bit early and beat the traffic at the Krishnagiri toll. Being a long weekend expect some heavy traffic at the toll booths.

[AmazeGuru]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Thanks Ampere and rj, i will be driven in a Ritz i guess Family vacation so wanted a peaceful drive route. Hope the extended weekend rush does not play spoiler.

Hi Jaggu,

Saturday being start of long weekend, you are likely to spend a lot of time at toll booths - especially the BETL (elevated expressway on Hosur road) and Attibele toll booths.

I traveled to Pondicherry on 25th Dec (start of 4-day long weekend) and had to spend at least 45 mins in these two toll booths.

Make sure you leave very early (before 5 AM) to beat the rush at toll booths. Also there is some road widening/construction work going on inside Hosur town, which might add to the delay.

Have a safe trip!

[soumobakshi]

Can anyone suggest a good place to stay for a family of 4+1 preferably sea facing. Also would like to know whether there are any beaches nearby which is accessible for mortals like us ?

Planning to start at around 1 PM this Saturday the 24th of Jan 2015.

[Arjun Reddy]

Originally Posted by soumobakshi

Can anyone suggest a good place to stay for a family of 4+1 preferably sea facing. Also would like to know whether there are any beaches nearby which is accessible for mortals like us ?

Planning to start at around 1 PM this Saturday the 24th of Jan 2015.

Try the Zest Mahindra property. During off season the do accommodate non members. It's a good property to stay on. It's on the beach but you will not be able to see the sea. Not sure if the first floor rooms have a view of the sea.
I have their number. Give the reservation a go. 0413-2616100

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by Arjun Reddy

Try the Zest Mahindra property. During off season the do accommodate non members.

Though I have not stayed at Zest, should agree that it is a good property. One of my colleague who stayed there had great reviews about the place. Also there was a travelogue about the same on TBHP.

However I don't think it will be possible to get booking at Zest or most of the resorts in this short notice, more so since it is a long weekend.

[creative420]

How's this route - http://goo.gl/YjIyT3 - if one wants to avoid the tipper-laden Hosur Road in the morning say at about 5:30-6:00am?

@Sudden123, if you take this route in the evening today, do update this thread.

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by soumobakshi

Can anyone suggest a good place to stay for a family of 4+1 preferably sea facing. Also would like to know whether there are any beaches nearby which is accessible for mortals like us ?

Planning to start at around 1 PM this Saturday the 24th of Jan 2015.

I stayed at Zest in Aug. Was lucky enough to get a room. It was crowded. Although it's close to the beach, you wont be able to get the view. The beach is accessible and clean. But I think it's sold out this weekend, infact most resorts are. My sister tried most of the resorts and finally got a reservation at Le Pondy.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by creative420

if one wants to avoid the tipper-laden Hosur Road in the morning say at about 5:30-6:00am?

Ah, So you decided to tank up at Shell Bellandur

A good option, not because of the truck traffic on Hosur road but because you are hitting the road during start of a long weekend.

Last I traveled through this route was around 3 months back, the only issue was with Sarjapur town 'bye-pass'. There was some work going on which forced you to take the narrow town bye-lanes. As per update on another thread the road work is still not completed, but the road is open. Anyways, it will not be an issue to take the route through town since you are starting early in morning.

I am traveling to Chennai today evening and planning to take this route, will update based on that.

[creative420]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Ah, So you decided to tank up at Shell Bellandur

A good option, not because of the truck traffic on Hosur road but because you are hitting the road during start of a long weekend.

Last I traveled through this route was around 3 months back, the only issue was with Sarjapur town 'bye-pass'. There was some work going on which forced you to take the narrow town bye-lanes. As per update on another thread the road work is still not completed, but the road is open. Anyways, it will not be an issue to take the route through town since you are starting early in morning.

I am traveling to Chennai today evening and planning to take this route, will update based on that.

Yep. Shell Belandur it is. Thanks for suggesting it.

Also, it'll be awesome if you can update the thread once you've crossed this stretch. Have a happy trip

[creative420]

Hey guys. Heading back to Bangalore from Pondi. Should I take the same Tindivanam-Vandavasi-Cheyar-Arcot-Vellore- Bangalore route or some other route? Last year a friend got stuck in Cheyar due to republic celebration. Anyone who is already taken this route...please update.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by creative420

Hey guys. Heading back to Bangalore from Pondi. Should I take the same Tindivanam-Vandavasi-Cheyar-Arcot-Vellore- Bangalore route or some other route? Last year a friend got stuck in Cheyar due to republic celebration. Anyone who is already taken this route...please update.

I think there is a bypass for Cheyyar, do check earlier posts. That should help avoid the town.

Link to one of the earlier posts - Here

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by creative420

Hey guys. Heading back to Bangalore from Pondi. Should I take the same Tindivanam-Vandavasi-Cheyar-Arcot-Vellore- Bangalore route or some other route? Last year a friend got stuck in Cheyar due to republic celebration. Anyone who is already taken this route...please update.

There is one more option but a slightly longer one. Tindivanam-Chengelpet-Kanchipuram-Vellore-Ambur-Krishnagiri and Hosur to bangalore. Except for the Kanchipuram-Chengelpet stretch which is a 2 lane road but a good one, rest of the tarmac is a 4/6 lane road.

[creative420]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

There is one more option but a slightly longer one. Tindivanam-Chengelpet-Kanchipuram-Vellore-Ambur-Krishnagiri and Hosur to bangalore. Except for the Kanchipuram-Chengelpet stretch which is a 2 lane road but a good one, rest of the tarmac is a 4/6 lane road.

Hey. Thanks for this but I reached home last night. Should have mentioned the time I guess. Google suggested a route via Chitoor which was about 20 minutes faster, but I didn't pay any heed to it. Took about 9 hours to reach Bangalore even when I was feeling road-sick and there was no one else with me who could drive the car.

Anyway. I got stuck at Krishnagiri Toll for about 45 mins and Hosur toll for about 20 mins. Also witnessed a horrible pile-up on Krishnagiri Flyover. 6 to 7 cars were involved in it. But looked like one Polo suffered the most. And before Hosur I saw a totaled Maroon Mobilio. I hope no one lost their near and dear one in this.