[crisscross]

Am planning to start early morning, hopefully by 6 or 7 latest.

Is the Walajahpet-Ranipet-Chittoor route 2l or 4l highway? How good are the roads on this route?

[kala]

Originally Posted by crisscross

Am planning to start early morning, hopefully by 6 or 7 latest.

Is the Walajahpet-Ranipet-Chittoor route 2l or 4l highway? How good are the roads on this route?

It's a 2 lane road except for the last 100-120 kms (when coming from Chennai side). The tolled 4 lane section starts somewhere between Palamner and Mulbagal (closer to Mulbagal I think), but 4 laning work is still ongoing, so you'll find some diversions off and on. The road conditions of the 2 lane section is also generally very good, but some of those sections can be quite slow because of high truck traffic and difficulty in overtaking because of the curvy roads - especially in the Chittoor Palamner sector.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by kala

The tolled 4 lane section starts somewhere between Palamner and Mulbagal (closer to Mulbagal I think), but 4 laning work is still ongoing, so you'll find some diversions off and on.

There was only 1 diversion if I remember correctly for a bridge construction, rest was excellent - this was during my trip in Jan this year.
See these earlier posts on this page. The new tolls were not effective when I traveled but later, they've begun toll collection also. 4 lane section now ends at the Karnataka border and becomes 2 laned as you enter Andhra Pradesh.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by crisscross

Am planning to start early morning, hopefully by 6 or 7 latest.

Is the Walajahpet-Ranipet-Chittoor route 2l or 4l highway? How good are the roads on this route?

Is your destination in bangalore close to K R Puram/Indiranagar or somewhere close to Electronic City.
If it is the former, coming via Old Madras Road is the best option otherwise come via Hosur road.
Instead of leaving chennai by 6 or 7 AM, i would suggest 4 30 or 5 AM start. If it is 6 AM you may encounter I shift factory buses. This can slow you down.

[Grand Drive]

Chennai to Walajapet - This one used to be very good but this stretch has become bad with lot of patch works been done.

Walajapet to Chittoor - Good 2 lane roads with less/moderate traffic.

Chittoor to Palmaner - Again 2 lane good roads but not excellent and few speed humps which you need to be very careful and expect a traffic in RTO checkpost. Beware of local traffic at Palmaner. This stretch will slow you down.

Palmaner to Mulbagal - Two lane excellent roads with lot of blind curves and you need to watch out while overtaking and also, the overtaking vehicles coming in the opposite direction.

Mulbagal to Bangalore - Excellent 4 lane roads with three tolls ( Rs 30, Rs 64 and Rs 16) with only one diversion ( hardly lasts less than 1 km).

This route has less tolls but not much refreshment options compared to Chennai - Vellore - Krishnagiri - Bangalore route. If you are starting on sunday, I prefer Vellore - Krishnagiri route.

[crisscross]

Thanks Everyone. @Suresh - My destination is Cambridge Layout.

Considering that it is a Sunday - hopefully Vellore-Krishnagiri Route shouldnt be too bad w.r.t traffic when entering BLR.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by crisscross

Thanks Everyone. @Suresh - My destination is Cambridge Layout.

Considering that it is a Sunday - hopefully Vellore-Krishnagiri Route shouldnt be too bad w.r.t traffic when entering BLR.

Since it is a Sunday morning, you will not run into the regular college/factory buses with a 6 am start. Otherwise this is a bit of a nightmare- Having to weave in and out of these buses driven pretty fast and sometimes rashly.

With a 6am start you should reach Bangalore by early noon latest. At that time there should not be much traffic when entering Bangalore. Towards evening the tolls can get crowded.

[Vizay]

Anyone used this?

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...w/48227331.cms

Is it like the device they give for BETL? Is there any POS in blr side?

[Landkruzer]

Originally Posted by Vizay

Anyone used this?

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...w/48227331.cms

Is it like the device they give for BETL? Is there any POS in blr side?

Not many options to buy the tag in the south still. Refer to this thread for more details.

[suresh_gs]

Hi all
My friend will be travelling to Chennai tomorrow. He intend to leave Bommanahalli by 4 PM and go via Hosur. His destination in Chennai is Velachery.
Should I ask him to go Via Manimangalam, Tambaram to Velachery??

How are the road conditions post Kanchi by pass. The last time when i went on this route, the road was patched up at many places.

[raju2512]

If he leaves by 4 pm , better to take Poonamalle, Porur, Guindy route. From Kathipara either via Guindy or the ring road via TG Nagar subway and Velacherry MRTS station.

I traveled on Tuesday and the road from Kanchipuram to Poonamalle is not up to the mark with bumps and patch works.

[ravib]

More details about RFID FASTag is available in below link.

http://www.icicibank.com/Personal-Ba...tag/index.page

I called up their Customer care and currently the POS is at Sriperumbudur Toll only. No tolls near Bangalore side.

I guess the FASTag could be possibly available at MG Road ICICI Branch, but am not sure.

Alternate option is to call up the Customer care and they said their sales team will contact back to get the RFID fixed in Car windshield.

Please do go through the FAQ section and the required documentation in the above link.

-Ravi

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by ravib

More details about RFID FASTag is available in below link.

http://www.icicibank.com/Personal-Ba...tag/index.page

I called up their Customer care and currently the POS is at Sriperumbudur Toll only. No tolls near Bangalore side.

I guess the FASTag could be possibly available at MG Road ICICI Branch, but am not sure.

Alternate option is to call up the Customer care and they said their sales team will contact back to get the RFID fixed in Car windshield.

Please do go through the FAQ section and the required documentation in the above link.

-Ravi

I checked on the link you provided with regard to the existing toll plazas covered by this. Surprisingly the bangalore chennai route via Hosur is not mentioned. Are you sure the above said route falls under FASTag

Last night while paying toll at Vaniyambadi and Krishnagiri toll plazas, I enquired about the sale of FASTag. Both the toll collectors informed me that it was not available for sale at these toll plazas and I had to contact ICICI Bank only. When I asked, which branch, they did not have any clue.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

I checked on the link you provided with regard to the existing toll plazas covered by this. Surprisingly the bangalore chennai route via Hosur is not mentioned. Are you sure the above said route falls under FASTag

Yes, it falls under FASTag. ICICI Bank website is not updated. I have travelled throughout NH7 (Bangalore to Nagercoil) last week and also Bangalore to Madras routes earlier in July, the dedicated lanes for FASTag are ready and are clearly marked in Orange color. The FASTag Lane number is also indicated well ahead before 500 metres or so in every toll both.

Most of the tolls have not yet activated the FASTag and some have told it will be launched post Independence day or end of August. I am hoping it will be ready throughout Tamil Nadu by end of August or early September definitely.
Guess they are still working out the modalities of amount credit to the contractors with ICICI/AXIS banks.

For now, the current information we have is to get FASTag either at Sriperumbudur Toll (which is where it is launched) or at ICICI Bank main branches in big cities. If someone who travelled to Sriperumbudur can confirm, if they are indeed selling FASTag RFID tags at the toll plaza itself.

-Ravi