[NPV]

Originally Posted by bdutta

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!

I think the route is pretty much bad except for a small stretch where some work seems to have been completed (remember reading this in an NHAI update somewhere). Look up recent posts on last 2 or 3 pages, there are few updates for the alternative route with very detailed directions/landmarks for the bypasses of smaller towns as well.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by bdutta

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!

Its still worth it.

In case you want the NH66 option, you can reduce the pain by taking Krishnagiri-Morappur-Harur-Tiruvannamalai option. But you still take on the pain in NH66 beyond, till Tindivanam.

[bdutta]

Originally Posted by ampere

Its still worth it.

Thanks @ampere. It's "worth it" in what sense ? Significantly less distance, less time taken, more scenic etc. -- which one(s) ?

Last december when I took it... NH66 all through, no byepass/detours, I could do an average of 60kmph at best, that too putting the car through a lot of pain. Didn't result in savings in terms of time, higher comfort, except that the route was mostly deserted, and passed through sleepy little hamlets and towns (thanks to little commercial traffic).

[NPV]

Originally Posted by bdutta

It's "worth it" in what sense ? Significantly less distance, less time taken, more scenic etc. -- which one(s) ?

I would say "none of the above" and add - 1) no bone jarring journey for the passengers; 2) no stress test for the car.
If you value both these, stick to the longer route, it will be "worth it"

[bdutta]

Originally Posted by NPV

I would say "none of the above" and add - 1) no bone jarring journey for the passengers; 2) no stress test for the car.
If you value both these, stick to the longer route, it will be "worth it"

Thanks for clarifying. I guess, I misunderstood @ampere's remark about "worth it"

I wish they mend the NH66 sometime soon. It is so much shorter, only if it were motorable. So, will stick to the recommended route.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by bdutta

Thanks for clarifying. I guess, I misunderstood @ampere's remark about "worth it"

I wish they mend the NH66 sometime soon. It is so much shorter, only if it were motorable. So, will stick to the recommended route.

@NPV answered it for me. NH66 is really beyond salvation at this stage between Krishnagiri and Tindivanam. I dont know when they would actually complete the repair on this stretch. It though forms a part of NHAI's plan for resurrection. But when would that see the light of the day is some thing which I think not even NHAI would not know! I sincerely hope that day comes faster. Because NH66 is actually a fun 2-lane road to drive with trees lined up on both sides.

[A.R]

Second trip update from last week:

We did Bangalore - Pondicherry via Arcot route.

Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Vellore - Arcot - Cheyyar - Vandavasi - Tindivanam - Pondicheery.
All bypasses used. Same route in reverse for turn journey.

This route is longed than the NH66 route but the roads are very good. I did the route in 6 hrs flat/

[Jeash.vk]

Thanks to all the travel/route gurus on this thread - especially 'ampere'. I did the BLR-Pondi-BLR trip last week (28th Nov - 1st Dec). The alternate route mentioned here is just too good.

With 6 lane highway all the way till Arcot it was a breeze, but what I loved more than the monotonous highway was the two lane highway from Arcot-Cheyyar-Vandavasi-Tindivanam-Pondi. Sheer driving pleasure. The traffic was non existent. I did the BLR - Pondi in about 7:30 hours (includes a luxurious 1 hour breakfast stop at A2B Shoolagiri). On the way back, did the same route in 6:30 hours which includes a 40 minutes lunch stop to down some famed Star Briyani in Ambur.

Thanks to each one of you who contributed to this route thread. I am not sure how much of a trouble the tiruvannamalai route is, but I suggest the alternate route to anyone who is wishing to do the BLR-Pondi trip.

And as against what it feels when you read all these route discussions, the route is very straightforward if you have an android/google map enabled phone. For those stuck with Blackberries and Windows Phones - there are very kind human-GPS's out there... all you need is to ask someone at a junction and you would see 5 -6 kind souls springing into action. Bless you all those kind ones who helped me when I got confused!

[prabhuferrari]

Just came back from Pondicherry. Took the dindivanam sothupakkam vandavasi cheyyar arcot route. Could reach KA border in 5 hours from Pondicherry. Except for few patches between sothupakkam to vandavasi good roads all through. Is there any other way from vandavasi to dindivanam? Also is Pondicherry ulundurpet attur Salem Bangalore worth considering since it is just 20 Kms more than arcot route?

[acurafan]

Originally Posted by Jeash.vk

And as against what it feels when you read all these route discussions, the route is very straightforward if you have an android/google map enabled phone. For those stuck with Blackberries and Windows Phones - there are very kind human-GPS's out there... all you need is to ask someone at a junction and you would see 5 -6 kind souls springing into action. Bless you all those kind ones who helped me when I got confused!

Well what Android can do in mapping, Nokia/Windows can do better . Jokes aside just follow the detailed route discussion and it is a breeze to reach Pondicherry. Actually I was more surprised on how fast each steps were arriving. I had to double check when the Nokia Nav asked me to take the bridge U-turn at Arcot few minutes after crossing Vellore.
On average it took me 6.0-5.5 hours. The only bottle neck is Tindivanum which feels really slow compared to the road you will encounter everywhere else. Though it takes may be 15 minutes to get on to NH-66 to Pondicherry from SH-5 through Tindivanum. The GPS was screaming at me to take the bypass road and join the Chennai highway before I reached Tindivanum and on the hind sight it was the only mistake in the entire route I made.

Instead of this


Take this

[carpacman]

Originally Posted by prabhuferrari

Just came back from Pondicherry. Took the dindivanam sothupakkam vandavasi cheyyar arcot route. Could reach KA border in 5 hours from Pondicherry. Except for few patches between sothupakkam to vandavasi good roads all through. Is there any other way from vandavasi to dindivanam? Also is Pondicherry ulundurpet attur Salem Bangalore worth considering since it is just 20 Kms more than arcot route?

I took the Salem route to Villupuram in September this year and was amazed by how good it is. Took me little more than 5 hours to reach Electronics city from villupuram. Thinking of taking the arcot route one way, next week, when I am travelling to Villupuram
btw, Pondy is approx. 35 kms from villupuram

[jaganm]

Urgent SOS.

Is anyone travelling from Bangalore to pondicherry tomorrow? I lost my car key in Pondicherry and the duplicate is in Bangalore. If someone can pick the key up and bring it to Pondicherry, please let me know by PM. I will coordinate to pick it up there

[chitbhanu]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

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

Hi - @ Fillmore - Is this new route intuitive and easy to follow? Google maps show that we need to take the "right" diversion from the Y junction, go little ahead and take a "U" turn and then take the left turn which takes us on the road parallel to the dry river bed.

Is my understanding right here? Any specific pointers you can share which might be helpful in searching the exact place for the U turn?

[jaganm]

Hi everyone,

Thank you for the kind offer of help. My folks in Bangalore were able to hand over the key to the driver of the KPN bus last night and I picked it up today. To add to the good news, the staff at Paradise Island were able to find my original keys, so saved a huge sum of money in making a duplicate key.

Regards
Jagan

[sridhar24]

Hey guys i'm not sure if anybody has mentioned about this route recently, but just wanted information on the NH66 route via Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Tiruvannamalai - Thindivanam - Pondi (325KM). Which is lesser by about 50KM than Arcot route.
This seems to be the shortest route of all. It would be helpful if anybody who has done this route can give information on the road conditions if i take NH66.