[sandsun7]

Back at Bangalore after a 3 day vacation at Pondicherry. As decided, I drove Bangalore(vignan nagar)-Sarjapur-Bagalur-Hosur-Krishnagiri-Vellore-Arcot(bypass)-Cheyyar(bypass)-Vandavasi(bypass)-Thindivanam(college road bypass)-Pondicherry. Superb roads barring very few patches on the Arcot- Thindivanam highway. All bypasses are well marked even on this stretch. A special thanks to one and all who helped me in planning the routes Onward journey took a whopping 9 hours courtesy very heavy rush at Adyar ananda bhavan for breakfast + a huge pile up on Krishnagiri toll booth and the diversion after that. Lost full 2 hours there. My friend who started from E.city got stuck at Attibele toll gate for around 45 minutes. Return was through the same route, but entered Bangalore via Atibele-madiwala-Domlur.

While returning, there was an accident ahead of us a few kms before Krishnagiri. A villager on a TVS champ was killed by a bus. The bus it seems did not stop. Angry locals blocked the road and did not allow the body to be taken away. After an hour or so, large number of policemen arrived at the spot and resorted to lathicharge. The road was cleared, but as soon as we started moving, locals started throwing stones on the vehicles. I was driving my friend's Spark. Just as we were passing the accident spot, we saw a young guy aiming a stone at us, standing on the divider. The stone he threw hit the roof of the spark, narrowly missing the side. My Brother in law was driving my punto and was following us. A brick fell in front of the punto on the road, narrowly missing it. A seabird volvo bus moving ahead of us was hit on the windshield and a ritz behind us also had it's windshield broken. All in all, was a very scary experience! we were extremely lucky to have escaped without much damage. My friend's spark has few scratch marks left over by the stone on the roof.

The news item link here http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper...cle5311041.ece

[ampere]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

While returning, there was an accident ahead of us a few kms before Krishnagiri. A villager on a TVS champ was killed by a bus. The bus it seems did not stop. Angry locals blocked the road and did not allow the body to be taken away. After an hour or so, large number of policemen arrived at the spot and resorted to lathicharge. The road was cleared, but as soon as we started moving, locals started throwing stones on the vehicles. I was driving my friend's Spark. Just as we were passing the accident spot, we saw a young guy aiming a stone at us, standing on the divider. The stone he threw hit the roof of the spark, narrowly missing the side. My Brother in law was driving my punto and was following us. A brick fell in front of the punto on the road, narrowly missing it. A seabird volvo bus moving ahead of us was hit on the windshield and a ritz behind us also had it's windshield broken. All in all, was a very scary experience! we were extremely lucky to have escaped without much damage. My friend's spark has few scratch marks left over by the stone on the roof.

The news item link here http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper...cle5311041.ece

A2B should be avoided at all costs thanks to holiday traffic. A better place to break is at Aryas after Pallikonda toll. There is a CCD also in the same campus. But note its on the other side of the highway while driving towards Chennai. Food may not be as goos as A2B, but I would prefer it any day to the rush in there.

An alternative to beat the Krishnagiri-Hosur rush.

Route Link

- Take the road to Rayakottai and come down to Attibelle via Kelamangalam.
- Rough roads, but I think, for extreme situations it should pass.

[sandeepmohan]

Followed the much discussed and suggested route to Pondicherry, that is, Arcot - Vandavasi and so on. It is now coming to a point where the bigger challenge is to have a smooth exit and entry to Bangalore on holiday weekends.

I thought I'd beat the toll traffic after leaving home at 430am on Nov1. I was so wrong. Everyone was on the road. I did not take the elevated toll road to electronic city. Went below it. This turned out to be a good decision as the toll for this had some 7 cars waiting in line. I have not been on the Krishnagiri highway in a while. More diversions closer to Bangalore have come up and it is total chaos. I must have lost a good 20 minutes in total waiting at toll gates till Krishnagiri after which traffic thinned out a bit after the turn off to Chennai. Progress was fast after Kirshnagiri. Had a Honda City chap give me company for a good distance on the express way. I missed the turn off at Arcot. I recall reading to skip the first flyover after the long bridge over the dry river bed. The next opportunity to turn back was quite far off. On finally turning back towards Arcot, took the left by pass right after the long bridge over the river bed and this road was bliss all the way to Tindivanam outer. The Cheyyar - Vandavasi road is not a fast one. Safe balancing speeds are not over 80kmph. With traffic being thin and the road quality excellent for most of the distance, it is a comfortable and stress free drive. This alternate route to Pondicherry comes highly recommended. Time taken was six hours.

I used my phone GPS but did not plot the map to tell me where to turn. Kept an imagine of the route in mind and had the little blip on the map tell me where I was.

On the return, we followed the same Vandavasi road but turned right towards Chennai on reaching Arcot and headed to old madras road. I've not been on old madras road in ages. This turned out to be a good call and a very enjoyable drive. It works out better for me as I live in Cox Town. There is only one bad patch and that is the last 15 odd km leading to the expressway after Mulbagal. The remaining distance, Ranipet and beyond is very involving as the road is never straight. Time taken was 7 hours. I opted for this route as the toll traffic on the standard Krishnagiri road to Bangalore is always maddening after a long weekend.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

I recall reading to skip the first flyover after the long bridge over the dry river bed. The next opportunity to turn back was quite far off. On finally turning back towards Arcot, took the left by pass right after the long bridge over the river bed and this road was bliss all the way to Tindivanam outer.

I think you were referring to my point. I meant dont take first immediate exit. This comes just after the bridge where you would see a road on your left snaking through.

On the return, we followed the same Vandavasi road but turned right towards Chennai on reaching Arcot and headed to old madras road. I've not been on old madras road in ages. This turned out to be a good call and a very enjoyable drive. It works out better for me as I live in Cox Town. There is only one bad patch and that is the last 15 odd km leading to the expressway after Mulbagal. The remaining distance, Ranipet and beyond is very involving as the road is never straight. Time taken was 7 hours. I opted for this route as the toll traffic on the standard Krishnagiri road to Bangalore is always maddening after a long weekend.

It still works well, because you would be totally off the toll. Esp if you stay North Bangalore, this is a very good option.

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Everyone was on the road. I did not take the elevated toll road to electronic city.
I must have lost a good 20 minutes in total waiting at toll gates till Krishnagiri

Very true. Almost the whole of Bangalore seemed to be on the road that day morning!
I had taken the Sarjapur-Bagalur road to reach Hosur, and it proved to be a great decision. The entire stretch was a breeze with very sparse traffic and excellent roads all the way. I had to slow down as I approached Hosur due to thick fog. In fact I would say you were extremely lucky that it took only 20 minutes. It took almost 2 hours for me from a couple of KMs before Krishnagiri toll gate till the Chennai turn off - such was the pile up, first on the toll gate and then on the left turn towards Chennai.

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

I missed the turn off at Arcot. I recall reading to skip the first flyover after the long bridge over the dry river bed. The next opportunity to turn back was quite far off.

I was careful there and did not miss it. All you had to do was to take the exit from the highway immediately after the Arcot river bridge. I remember the exit is marked with a huge board which says 'Ranipet'. The exit takes you underneath the flyover where you can take a U turn and get back on to the bridge in the opposite direction.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

I was careful there and did not miss it. All you had to do was to take the exit from the highway immediately after the Arcot river bridge. I remember the exit is marked with a huge board which says 'Ranipet'. The exit takes you underneath the flyover where you can take a U turn and get back on to the bridge in the opposite direction.

Oops!
Thats was what I advised against. I thought that does NOT go below the flyover but leads to the town! My mistake. And thanks for bringing that out.

[hungrygamer]

First of all a big thanks to everybody on this thread and specially Ampere,
was able to reach Pondi and back without ever having to ask direction - just followed the map on my phone and made sure my blue arrow of a car stayed put on the map. The Arcot bridge was tricky and missed my 1st u turn as the place to turn was on left side of the the road, drove a good 5-6 km and found a cut in the road and took the turn there.

The onwards journey on Friday morning - toll traffic was a nightmare , spent close to an hour n half at the toll gate after the expressway toll (spent half an hour on the expressway toll ) . Return journey was a breeze.

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[Fillmore]

Originally Posted by ampere

Oops!
Thats was what I advised against. I thought that does NOT go below the flyover but leads to the town! My mistake. And thanks for bringing that out.

I need to drive down Blr > Pondicherry on Fri. Went through this thread for all the directions. However 1 doubt.

What is the benefit of going over the bridge ?

Route 1


Vs

Route 2

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

I need to drive down Blr > Pondicherry on Fri. Went through this thread for all the directions. However 1 doubt.

What is the benefit of going over the bridge ?

Helps you avoid the crowded Arcot town. This is like a bypass. You have to go over the bridge and come back because there is no direct right towards the bypass before the bridge.

[mpksuhas]

^^
Is it possible to take this road which as per map pass near to bus stand and join SH 5 further ahead, or this road only for bus traffic?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

I need to drive down Blr > Pondicherry on Fri. Went through this thread for all the directions. However 1 doubt.
What is the benefit of going over the bridge ?

+1 to what Sandsun said. Helps you avoid Arcot town.

@mpk I think that road actually does not exist to take you to the other side.

[bdutta]

Planning a trip to Pondicherry (from Bangalore) on 29th Nov (Friday), to return on Sunday. On my last trip to Pondicherry in Dec 2012, I had taken the shortest route i.e. NH66 - regretting the decision for the onward journey. Due to extensive work, the avergage speed was slow, and car had to endure some serious road-strain. For the return journey I had used the recommended route (Tindivanam > Vandavasi > Vellore > K'giri...) but had taken almost 8.5 hours -- with only excuse being a short detour near Vellore, where I was forced to go through the city. Never figured out why it took so long, in spite of only 2 short breaks (15 mins and 10mins each).

I see that the recommendation still continues to be the alternatives which are almost 100Kms extra. Is the NH66 status still as bad as it was ? With the elections approaching, I was thinking there'd be some faster development!

Does anyone have a recent Google Earth kml file for the onward / return journey of the recommended route ?

[condor]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

^^
Is it possible to take this road which as per map pass near to bus stand and join SH 5 further ahead, or this road only for bus traffic?

Originally Posted by ampere

@mpk I think that road actually does not exist to take you to the other side.

Suhas, if you noticed the marking of direction of traffic, then the road you mentioned would go into the on-coming traffic (traffic coming from the other side of the river).
( the two bridges look to be one-way's)

[Fillmore]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

Helps you avoid the crowded Arcot town. This is like a bypass. You have to go over the bridge and come back because there is no direct right towards the bypass before the bridge.

Meant to update this thread after I returned.
Just a quick update , there now is a direct turning which does not require you to go over the Arcot bridge and come back.
Proper tar road.

i.e. connecting point B and D in the map above

[bdutta]

Originally Posted by bdutta

Planning a trip to Pondicherry (from Bangalore) on 29th Nov (Friday), to return on Sunday. On my last trip to Pondicherry in Dec 2012, I had taken the shortest route i.e. NH66 - regretting the decision for the onward journey. Due to extensive work, the avergage speed was slow, and car had to endure some serious road-strain. For the return journey I had used the recommended route (Tindivanam > Vandavasi > Vellore > K'giri...) but had taken almost 8.5 hours -- with only excuse being a short detour near Vellore, where I was forced to go through the city. Never figured out why it took so long, in spite of only 2 short breaks (15 mins and 10mins each).

I see that the recommendation still continues to be the alternatives which are almost 100Kms extra. Is the NH66 status still as bad as it was ? With the elections approaching, I was thinking there'd be some faster development!

Does anyone have a recent Google Earth kml file for the onward / return journey of the recommended route ?

bump (if permitted)... anyone ?