[ampere]

Originally Posted by hyper-VTEC

I stay in ECR and destination would be near K R Puram in Bangalore. Would ECR - Tambaram - Manimangala - Sri'dur - Pallikonda - Gudiyattam - Palmaner - Kolar - KR Puram the best and safest route even now?

The Tambaram-Manimangalam-Sruperumbudur route is definitely worth if you start from ECR. Have been using it for a couple of times now. At least what I have noticed is that the timing on this route for matches to the fastest time on Porur route. That basically means, if I get stuck on Porur/Poonamalle, I would definitely gain by this route. But yes, many trucks on this section too. Not to mention the blind turns. A GPS would be definitely handy.

Mulbagal-Kolar-KR Puram is also worth the drive. Beautiful 4-lane. Now the mid section between Gudiyattam-Palamaner : No idea on the current condition. If they have no worsened, then I think its still worth it.

[parik_ind]

Just returned from Chennai this afternoon. Left Chennai (Little Mount) at 5:45 AM and was at home in Bangalore (Banaswadi) at 12:00 Noon. Took a 45 min break at Vellore Sarvana Bhavan for breakfast.

The journey from Sriperubadur to Ranipet was a little uncomfortable because of the patchwork on the highway. One we hit the six lane highway after the Ranipet toll, it was a breeze till Hosur. We lost a lot of time in Hosur as the town was getting busy at 10:30 AM and I guess the average speed till Electronic City was about 50-60 kmph. The infrastructure upgradation at Hosur seems to be taking a while and I don't think it will be done for at least another 18 months.

Really missed driving on the highway as its been over a year since I drove to Chennai and our last road trip to Coonoor was October 2013.

Parik

[binand]

Originally Posted by hyper-VTEC

I stay in ECR and destination would be near K R Puram in Bangalore. Would ECR - Tambaram - Manimangala - Sri'dur - Pallikonda - Gudiyattam - Palmaner - Kolar - KR Puram the best and safest route even now?

Depends on where you are starting from on the ECR, and your start time. I stay at Kottivakkam and my technique is to take Madhya Kailas > Kathipara > Porur > Poonamallee Bypass > NH4 if I start at off-peak hours (read early mornings). I then reach the Sriperumbudur toll in 1 hour.

At other times I have tried multiple options: Injambakkam > Sholinganallur > Medavakkam > Tambaram > Chennai bypass > Maduravoyal > NH4 is one, and Kovalam > Kelambakkam > Vandalur > Oragadam > Sriperumbudur is another. These are typically longer for me, but during daytime they end up taking much less time (75 minutes is probably the average).

As for the rest of your route: Gudiyattam > Palamneru is not for the faint of heart. It is lonely, narrow (but decent) road with zero amenities and adds to the overall distance. Plus Gudiyattam town can delay you during daytime. If you are OK with undivided roads perhaps you should simply continue on the regular NH4 via Ranipet > Chittoor > Palamneru. An early morning start can see you through Walajah, the only bottleneck town, before 8 AM and traffic buildup.

Since May 1 is a holiday, you wouldn't have much trouble on the regular GQ route via Krishnagiri > Hosur > Silk Board > ORR > Krishnarajapuram either. You can consider this route too. The road between Pallikonda and Krishnagiri has been fully (nearly?) 6-laned and can be covered in a lot less time than it used to take.

[hyper-VTEC]

i will start around 7AM from Palavakkam. I'll try the Injambakkam > Sholinganallur > Medavakkam > Tambaram > Chennai bypass > Maduravoyal > NH4 this time.

May 1 being a holiday, i am more worried ON the Krishnagiri > Hosur route. People trying to beat the heat and traveling to Yercaud, Ooty, Munnar etc. will throng this route. This being a long weekend with May 2 as a leave

[binand]

Originally Posted by hyper-VTEC

May 1 being a holiday, i am more worried ON the Krishnagiri > Hosur route. People trying to beat the heat and traveling to Yercaud, Ooty, Munnar etc. will throng this route. This being a long weekend with May 2 as a leave

Don't worry about it. That traffic will be headed out of Bangalore (and will be mostly over by 9 AM or so). You are coming into Bangalore. Different carriageways.

Bangalore to Ooty is a different route altogether.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by hyper-VTEC

i will start around 7AM from Palavakkam. I'll try the Injambakkam > Sholinganallur > Medavakkam > Tambaram > Chennai bypass > Maduravoyal > NH4 this time.

May 1 being a holiday, i am more worried ON the Krishnagiri > Hosur route. People trying to beat the heat and traveling to Yercaud, Ooty, Munnar etc. will throng this route. This being a long weekend with May 2 as a leave

And to add: the Krishnagiri-Hosur-Bangalore is almost clean route with very few diversions as compared to Bangalore -> Hosur -> Krishnagiri. On weekend even evening, in spite of queues at Krishnagiri and Attibele, I found it quite easy to drive. Thanks to the Krishnagiri-Vellore 6-lane one can easily manage Silkboard to Kathipara in 5:30 hours.

[red.devil_19]

Hi everyone! I'll be driving down from Bangalore to Chennai on the 17th of May (Saturday). My destination is KEK Accommodation, Pallavaram. I plan to start at 12 noon from Bangalore. Since I'll be travelling alone (and its also my first solo long drive), I plan to stick to the GQ.

Just wanted to know if anyone has done this section during the afternoons recently. If so could someone please give me an update on the kind of traffic to expect?

Also, I was planning a couple of quick stop overs- 1. CCD Krishnagiri 2. CCD Erangadu
Would there be any better options?

Thanks!

[Secretariat]

Originally Posted by red.devil_19

I plan to start at 12 noon from Bangalore. If so could someone please give me an update on the kind of traffic to expect?

Thanks!

That might be a bad time to start from Bangalore as you will hit Chennai at the start of the peak hour. A little earlier (even an hour earlier) or much later would be better.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by red.devil_19

Hi everyone! I'll be driving down from Bangalore to Chennai on the 17th of May (Saturday). My destination is KEK Accommodation, Pallavaram. I plan to start at 12 noon from Bangalore. Since I'll be travelling alone (and its also my first solo long drive), I plan to stick to the GQ.

Since you are heading to Pallavaram, I would suggest you take the Sriperumbudur-Manimangalam-Tambararam road. Helps reduce travel time quite a bit.

Just wanted to know if anyone has done this section during the afternoons recently. If so could someone please give me an update on the kind of traffic to expect?

Till 6 its fine. Beyond 6, on weekdays traffic would catch up.

Also, I was planning a couple of quick stop overs- 1. CCD Krishnagiri 2. CCD Erangadu
Would there be any better options?

- CCD at Pallikonda
- CCD at Kachi bypass
- Arya Bhavan after Ranipet.

And also there are many more on the way. I also see a Sai Sangeet under construction around Vanyambadi. Going by the looks of its construction, looks like a decent place which should be up soon.

[red.devil_19]

Thanks a lot for that info Secretariat & ampere. So ideally I should be looking to start around 10.30-11am from Bangalore & enter Chennai by 5-5.30pm.

I hope the traffic in general on the highway wouldn't be too bad on a Saturday afternoon!

Originally Posted by ampere

Since you are heading to Pallavaram, I would suggest you take the Sriperumbudur-Manimangalam-Tambararam road. Helps reduce travel time quite a bit.

Yes, google maps showed this as the default route.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by red.devil_19

Thanks a lot for that info Secretariat & ampere. So ideally I should be looking to start around 10.30-11am from Bangalore & enter Chennai by 5-5.30pm.

I hope the traffic in general on the highway wouldn't be too bad on a Saturday afternoon!



Yes, google maps showed this as the default route.

Wont going via Old Madras Road be a better option than the GQ. Post Mulbagal we have 2 lane roads but since you plan to leave by 10:30 - 11 AM , may be you can think of this option.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by red.devil_19

T
Yes, google maps showed this as the default route.

I have been using that stretch for the last couple of times. Works quite well.

Just note:
- You cannot take a right at the exit directly to this SH.
- You need to go ahead, take a U; come back and then take a left.
- This SH has quite many blind turns. Hence take note.
- The SH directly leads to Tambaram station. You can avoid it by : Route Link

[red.devil_19]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

Wont going via Old Madras Road be a better option than the GQ. Post Mulbagal we have 2 lane roads but since you plan to leave by 10:30 - 11 AM , may be you can think of this option.

Well, I am not sure really which would be the better route. Since this is my first solo drive & that I also prefer wider roads, I thought of taking the GQ!

Originally Posted by ampere

I have been using that stretch for the last couple of times. Works quite well.

Just note:
- You cannot take a right at the exit directly to this SH.
- You need to go ahead, take a U; come back and then take a left.
- This SH has quite many blind turns. Hence take note.

That's a useful info! I'll keep that in mind, thanks!

Originally Posted by ampere

- The SH directly leads to Tambaram station. You can avoid it by : Route Link

I know that area quite well actually. Studied at SRM University, Potheri for 4 years. Would have gone past/visited Tambaram a million times!

[rajinibm]

Hi

I am currently at Rajanukunte on the Yelahanka to Doddaballapur Road and would be driving to Chennai on Wednesday.

Is there any alternate route I could take from here instead of going back to Hebbal -> Silk Board -> Hosur Road?

Is the Kolar route to Chennai near from here? Any pointers on route from Rajanukunte would be very helpful.

Thanks

[D4D]

You can try going to Hesserghatta and then on NICE road and your drive will be a breeze from there. I'm not sure of the distance this route will add, but I'm sure it will be more convenient than going through the city.