[NPV]

Originally Posted by TheTeacher

BLR - Krishnagiri - Vellore - Cheyyar - Tindivanam - Pondy - Periyakattupalayam

BLR - Krishnagiri - Thiruvannamalai - Villupuram - Pondy - Periyakattupalayam

BLR - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Salem - Attur - Cuddalore - Periyakattupalayam

#1 is the preferred route to Pondicherry these days.
#2 has been bad since ages, avoid it
#3 Not sure beyond Salem but possibly good as it will get you back on the Chennai-Pondicherry route which is good.
Weather today is again hinting at more rain in Bangalore and along the south eastern coast but since you're traveling only 3 weeks later, you still have the time to decide to go by road.
Safe bet would be to book train tickets and cancel if weather is good and you decide to go by road.

[ravib]

After recent heavy rains, anyone recently travelled to Pondy via Vellore-Cheyyar-Tindivanam route or Or is it better to go via Arani?

BLR - Krishnagiri - Vellore - Cheyyar - Tindivanam - Pondy
OR
BLR - Krishnagiri - Vellore - Arani - Tindivanam - Pondy

I know Bangalore to Vellore and Tindivanam to Pondy are excellent roads.

Not sure about the intermediate stretch. Any update on Vellor-Cheyyar-Tindivanam OR Vellore-Arani-Tindivanam stretches?


-Ravi

[nfsfreak]

Friends,
From Bangalore, we are planning to go to Cuddalore tomorrow for relief activities.
please share if you have any updates on the below route conditions.
BLR - Krishnagiri - Vellore - Cheyyar - Tindivanam
or
BLR - Krishnagiri - Vellore - Arani - Tindivanam

[ampere]

Originally Posted by nfsfreak

Friends,
BLR - Krishnagiri - Vellore - Cheyyar - Tindivanam

Cheyyar should be decent. Check with locals if possible on condition of Palar at Arcot.

[razeetg]

Any route updates? Planning a road trip to Pondy this weekend. Thinking of Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Vellore - Cheyyar - Tindivanam - Pondy route. TIA

--
Razee

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by razeetg

Any route updates? Planning a road trip to Pondy this weekend. Thinking of Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Vellore - Cheyyar - Tindivanam - Pondy route. TIA

--
Razee

This is the trusted and proven route. Refer to the previous posts in this thread as to the bypass directions for each of the towns mentioned above.

[sumannandy]

Traveling today to Pondicherry from bangalore for an unplanned trip. Kindly suggest best route

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by sumannandy

Traveling today to Pondicherry from bangalore for an unplanned trip. Kindly suggest best route

No second thoughts on the route mentioned below

Via Hosur, Krishnagiri, Vellore, Arcot, Cheyyar, Vandavasi and Tindivanam.

[sumannandy]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

No second thoughts on the route mentioned below

Via Hosur, Krishnagiri, Vellore, Arcot, Cheyyar, Vandavasi and Tindivanam.

Just came to Pondicherry. Took the route Krishnagiri-Vellore-Kanchipuram-Melavelampattai Nelvoy road-NH45-Pondicherry. Road is mostly 4 lane except for 40ish kms of state highway which is ok to good (few potholes). This route is slightly longer but you get to drive in excellent 4 lane roads most of it. It took us about 7.5 hours to reach here.

Will try the Arcot route on return

[sumannandy]

How is NH68 from ulundurpet to Salem? Is it 4 lane? Also what is the condition of NH45A from Pondicherry to Villupuram? Is it 4 lane?

Originally Posted by sumannandy

How is NH68 from ulundurpet to Salem? Is it 4 lane?

It is a 4-lane road except for the bypasses, where it narrows to 2-lane.

Also what is the condition of NH45A from Pondicherry to Villupuram? Is it 4 lane?

No, it is a 2-lane road. I don't know the present condition of both the sections after the recent rains.

[sumannandy]

On the way back drove on Pondicherry-Villupuram (good 2 lane) - Ulundurpet-Salem-Bangalore, drive time 6 hours in excellent roads. Villupuram-Ulundurpet is 4 lane. Till Salem it is 4 lane and excellent 2 lane, Salem to Bangalore is 4 lane

[drhoneycake]

Did a round trip to Chennai and Pondicherry from Bengaluru on Dec 6-Dec 10.

Bengaluru (NICE Road) - Electronic City - Hosur - Krishnagiri (NH7) - Salem - (NH68) - Ullundurpet - (NH45) - Villupuram (excellent roads all throughout. 6 lane upto Krishnagiri and 4 lane then on.

Tindivanam - Cuddalore via Panruti. 2 lane non existent road.
Had to pick up a friend in Tindivanam and drive to Cuddalore for lunch. Drove via Panruti. The road is seriously for off-roading only. My Verna took a serious beating.

Cuddalore to Pondicherry is an excellent 2 lane road with heavy town traffic throughout.

Left JP Nagar at 8 am, lunch at Cuddalore at 2 pm.

Pondicherry - Tindivanam is a 4 lane excellent road, barely any traffic.

Tindivanam - Chenglepet - Tambaram - Porur (NH45 excellent all through). Crazy Chennai city Traffic from Chenglepet onwards.

Attended a function in Tondiarpet, stayed near Egmore.

Left Chennai Egmore, visited a friend in Vadapalani. Left Vadapalani at 3:45 pm and home by 9:00 pm with heavy rains till Vellore. Return via standard Krishnagiri route. High volume traffic from Hosur till NICE junction.

Overall I feel Salem Ullundurpet Villupuram Route is a much faster and stress free drive to reach Pondicherry from Bengaluru.

Regards,
Aniketh


Sent from my iPhone 6 using Team-BHP

[virgopal]

@ampere, I have recently bought Garmin Nuvi 42LM(india Maps) and want to try out Mysore-Pondy trip via the route you suggested sometime back. It is via Chamrajnagar/Satyamangalam and you were helpful in providing route on Google map,which avoids Mysore-Bangalore route.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3612902
Now,is there a procedure to plot this route on Garmin before trip start?
Thanks

[ampere]

Originally Posted by virgopal

Now,is there a procedure to plot this route on Garmin before trip start?
Thanks

@Gopal, 42 Series does not support trip planner and routes. I could have provided a GPX which includes a route from way points. But that wont help for 42LM.

So what you need to do is create a route to destination, and use the via point feature. so that the GPS understands that it needs to route your through the one you desire and not the default.