[binand]

Originally Posted by maheshramaling

Thanks! Is the Kelamangalam route through Attibele - Rayakottai road, not recommended?

The quality of Attibele-Rayakottai via Hosur is a notch higher than the one via Kelamangalam.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by maheshramaling

Thanks! Is the Kelamangalam route through Attibele - Rayakottai road, not recommended?

I have travelled on both the routes in the past. I would strongly recommend you to take the Hosur-Rayakottai road. In the Attibele-Rayakottai route, there is the waiting time at the Kelamangalam level crossing. On one occasion, I had to wait for nearly 20 min as 2 trains had to cross.

[babu.sundaram]

Originally Posted by maheshramaling

Planning to drive down to Chennai on Friday morning and considering the vacation time - guess, there will lot of traffic in Attibele and Krishnagiri toll. ...

By travelling so much on two lane highway, you would lose the advantage of GQ.OMR (via Chittoor) a much better option IMHO, unless you have some reason to incline to Krishnagiri route.

[maheshramaling]

Originally Posted by babu.sundaram

By travelling so much on two lane highway, you would lose the advantage of GQ.OMR (via Chittoor) a much better option IMHO, unless you have some reason to incline to Krishnagiri route.

Thanks! Yes - but traffic snarls in these two tolls can even last 30 mins to 45 mins (both put together). So - instead taking two lane roads will help save that and also you get the pleasure of driving through scenic roads.

WRT taking Krishnagiri route, because I stay on Sarjapur road and the Chitoor road is not a full 4 Lane yet. And the truck traffic on the two lane is also high.

BTW - I have taken the GQ this time since there was not much of traffic build up. May be some other day.

[ravib]

Did a Bangalore-Madras-Bangalore trip last weekend via Chittoor route though.

Looks like significant land acquisitions are in progress for 6L conversion between Walajah Toll to Sriperumbudur . I saw roads were dug up in both sides for several kilometers except for intersections/bridges.

I hope it will take another 3 to 4 years to complete 6L conversion in this section. Already the road conditions are pathetic now in this 100 kms stretch between Walajah Toll to Madras city. Once the road construction work begins actively, its going to be a nightmare to drive in this route, especially after dark.

-Ravi

[binand]

Originally Posted by ravib

Looks like significant land acquisitions are in progress for 6L conversion between Walajah Toll to Sriperumbudur.

I hope it will take another 3 to 4 years to complete 6L conversion in this section.

Thanks for this update. I hope it will not take that long - this stretch badly needs the upgrade. I think NHAI did manage Pallikonda-Krishnagiri (approx. 100 km) in about a year. Apart from locations where bridges were widened or overpasses were constructed, the process was rather painless IIRC.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by ravib

Did a Bangalore-Madras-Bangalore trip last weekend via Chittoor route though.

Looks like significant land acquisitions are in progress for 6L conversion between Walajah Toll to Sriperumbudur . I saw roads were dug up in both sides for several kilometers except for intersections/bridges.

I hope it will take another 3 to 4 years to complete 6L conversion in this section. Already the road conditions are pathetic now in this 100 kms stretch between Walajah Toll to Madras city. Once the road construction work begins actively, its going to be a nightmare to drive in this route, especially after dark.

-Ravi

Thanks for the update Ravi. Apart from the 6 lane work, wont it be better if NHAI cosntruct a flyover before Sriperumbudur (Sunguvarchatram) to the Motel highway- Tiruvallur road junction. The reason being even if the NH post Walajah toll is converted to 6 lane, the traffic on this stretch will still be high courtesy the factory buses and lorries.
Just a thought.

[Rajeevraj]

Had been to Chennai for a function couple of weeks back. The function was at EVM Palace near Porur. After the function, google plotted the below route to touch the Bangalore Highway at Sriperumbadur. Decided to try it out and was a good decision. After the initial part from Porur Jn bus stop, not much traffic. Post Kunrdathur, lovely road with almost nil traffic all the way to Sriperumbadur. Joins the road coming from Tambaram just before reaching the NH.

Not sure if this is a standard route, but felt it was a great option to by-pass the Chennai-Sriperumbadur mess especially from the area that I started from.

Route Link

[babu.sundaram]

Did a Bangalore CHennai Bangalore run last weekend, both via Chittoor.
Barring some irritant speed breakers, Walaja - Mulbagal is good by and large.

Walaja to Sriperumpudur retains the notorious credit of the pathetic stretch, with fractured surfaces even on what appeared to be newly laid stretches. High court, cases, Road Congress inspection, etc.. nothing seems to have impacted this toll operator!

PS: I take Manimangalam route, so no clue about route Sriperumpudur on!

[hserus]

Originally Posted by ampere

Here is one in Krishnagiri

http://alpshotelkrg.com/

I actually stayed here. They were very friendly - and the room was great. Very comfortable. Thanks, Ampere.

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Not sure if this is a standard route, but felt it was a great option to by-pass the Chennai-Sriperumbadur mess especially from the area that I started from.

Route Link

Yes this is also a standard route although not many frequent it! I must have done it almost a year ago. There were many speed breakers and you might get slowed down inside Kundrathur. Past Kundrathur, it is great.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

Thanks for the update Ravi. Apart from the 6 lane work, wont it be better if NHAI cosntruct a flyover before Sriperumbudur (Sunguvarchatram) to the Motel highway- Tiruvallur road junction. The reason being even if the NH post Walajah toll is converted to 6 lane, the traffic on this stretch will still be high courtesy the factory buses and lorries.
Just a thought.

Yes, it makes sense to construct a flyover but the kilometers are high. I really doubt if NHAI will attempt it IMO.

Originally Posted by binand

Thanks for this update. I hope it will not take that long - this stretch badly needs the upgrade. I think NHAI did manage Pallikonda-Krishnagiri (approx. 100 km) in about a year. Apart from locations where bridges were widened or overpasses were constructed, the process was rather painless IIRC.

Krishnagiri-Pallikonda is comparitively less in traffic, whereas Kanchipuram-Madras traffic density is very high, courtesy sand lorries and frequent buses and Industrial belt & their shift buses. Hence i think this will take more longer time to complete the conversion.

-Ravi

[Gokrish]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

Thanks for the update Ravi. Apart from the 6 lane work, wont it be better if NHAI cosntruct a flyover before Sriperumbudur (Sunguvarchatram) to the Motel highway- Tiruvallur road junction. The reason being even if the NH post Walajah toll is converted to 6 lane, the traffic on this stretch will still be high courtesy the factory buses and lorries.
Just a thought.

You are absolutely right. During the last week when I had taken this route, it took almost 45 minutes to cross the section between Motel Highway and Irungatukottai thanks to buses carrying employees of a factory there, leaving from the factory. It was a convoy of buses and no police to control the situation.

[neo45007]

I would be travelling from KADUGODI - Whitefield (Bangalore) to Kanchipuram next week.

Please suggest which is better (road condition & fastest). Start time early morning and same day return.

1) Hoskote - Chittoor - Ranipet - Kanchipuram
2) Hosur - Krishnagiri - Ambur - Vellore - Kanchipuram

Originally Posted by neo45007

Hosur - Krishnagiri - Ambur - Vellore - Kanchipuram

Time-wise, both the routes may take the same time. The first route is shorter by 25 km than the second one, but comprises 2-laned NH 4 from KA-AP border upto Ranipet with a ghat section, the balance being 4-laned NH 4. The second one is 6-laned NH 7/46 upto Ranipet, but longer and costlier too, toll-wise. Both the routes are good. Be prepared for some rough roads between Ranipet and Kanchipuram bypass, which is common to both. So, the choice is yours. But, I prefer the second one just because of 6 lanes.