[arvind71181]

Originally Posted by sourav9385

Hey there!

Are you saying that FASTag works on the Chennai Bangalore highway?

Yes, I think so. When I had gone for the new year, I saw lanes earmarked only for FASTag and they were also not allowing other vehicles as well. Not sure if it was there for all the tolls though.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by sourav9385

Hey there!

Are you saying that FASTag works on the Chennai Bangalore highway?

Originally Posted by arvind71181

Yes, I think so. When I had gone for the new year, I saw lanes earmarked only for FASTag and they were also not allowing other vehicles as well. Not sure if it was there for all the tolls though.

Yes, Bangalore-Chennai-Bangalore route is enabled with FASTag and works well (except for Krishnagiri toll).

However, in some of the tolls they do allow other vehicles as well, because the FASTag enabled vehicles % is currently very less. The good part is, Electronic city, Attibelle and Vaniyambadi tolls they don't allow other vehicles and is fully dedicated for FASTag enabled cars only.

I think this is the first NH route in South India now FASTag is activated. In every toll in Tamil Nadu in other NHs, a dedicated FASTag lanes are being built since July 2015, although the readers are not setup yet.

-Ravi

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by hserus

You had mentioned some washed away culvert with a temporary mud road and other issues on the palamner to Pallikonda stretch.

That is manageable though you're saying, compared to nemmili toll to chennai?

thanks!

He refers the Palamaner-Gudiyattam stretch which is not the direct route via Chittoor. If you follow GMaps, it'll direct you via Chittoor-Ranipet, in which case the roads are good.

https://goo.gl/maps/yMMM5ASh9Zy

Originally Posted by PatchyBoy

You might want to try this route.

ITPL - Hope farm - Chikka Tirupathi - Bagalur - Berigai - Shoolagiri - Krishnagiri.

Map Link

There are some huge potholes in this stretch between Hope Farm and Chikka Tirupati with plenty of blind twists and small villages. Add to it the truck traffic. Better to avoid.

Alternatively, the Varthur-Gunjur road is now freshly laid in the last couple of days and hence remains the best bet for you to latch onto Attibele. (WFD/Borewell Road-Varthur-Dommasandra-Sarjapura-Attibele).

https://goo.gl/maps/DH9juPByV1P2

[sourav9385]

Originally Posted by arvind71181

Yes, I think so. When I had gone for the new year, I saw lanes earmarked only for FASTag and they were also not allowing other vehicles as well. Not sure if it was there for all the tolls though.

Originally Posted by ravib

Yes, Bangalore-Chennai-Bangalore route is enabled with FASTag and works well (except for Krishnagiri toll).

However, in some of the tolls they do allow other vehicles as well, because the FASTag enabled vehicles % is currently very less. The good part is, Electronic city, Attibelle and Vaniyambadi tolls they don't allow other vehicles and is fully dedicated for FASTag enabled cars only.

I think this is the first NH route in South India now FASTag is activated. In every toll in Tamil Nadu in other NHs, a dedicated FASTag lanes are being built since July 2015, although the readers are not setup yet.

-Ravi

Thanks guys! I tried registering on the ICICI website for the FASTag, however it seems it is only available for purchase in select branches & states.

How did you guys manage to get FASTag's? Please PM if this is going too off topic. I'm quite interested in getting them immediately.

Originally Posted by sourav9385

How did you guys manage to get FASTag's?

This is how I got FASTag for my XUV 500. The contact details are here. My first experience, which was a total anti-climax, is here. I hope to use my FASTag successfully during my next Chennai-Bangalore drive in another coupla weeks, if not, I was assured that my XUV 500's FASTag would be replaced with a new one. I understand, ICICI Bank, Ambattur, deals with FASTag. Also, the Nemili [Sriperumpudur] toll plaza also issues and accepts the application and documentation for FASTag. Since I do the Bangalore-Chennai-Bangalore drives at night, I preferred to get it done at Bangalore, Bommanahalli, Hosur Road.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

This

Quite weird - it lists various US models for the honda, such as the honda fit, but doesn't list the amaze, jazz etc. I don't know who their web designer was, but definitely lazy. And I chose a white honda fit instead of a white honda amaze just to get the form submitted, it made it a yellow honda fit instead.

And now I've submitted my details for a fastag, I am sure ICICI will be along with offers for everything else (credit cards, personal loans etc) that I absolutely don't need from them. I wish there was some other way to get a fastag than ICICI :(

[rajinibm]

Did a blr - che - blr trip on 14 Jan night.Started from Yelahanka around 10 30 pm. Took the usual Mulbagal-Palamaner route. Was expecting traffic being Pongal holidays but encountered very less traffic. Also found the road from Ranipet onwards towards chennai to be ' tarred' up in patches where ever the craters were before and to my surprise i was able to maintain 80 to 100 speeds in this road maybe for the first time in my knowledge.
I don't think there would have been more than maybe around two dozen places where the roads were bumpy with craters.
Reached home at Velachery at 2:45 am with no stops in between.
Return trip was on 18 morning.Started from home at 1 am and reached Yelahanka at 5 30 am.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by luvurride

Alternatively, the Varthur-Gunjur road is now freshly laid in the last couple of days and hence remains the best bet for you to latch onto Attibele. (WFD/Borewell Road-Varthur-Dommasandra-Sarjapura-Attibele).

https://goo.gl/maps/DH9juPByV1P2

This is a very nice route - and early in the morning it was entirely congestion free, though god help you if you run low on gas and forget to top up before you leave.

There were very few and pretty shady petrol pumps before I reached Attibele, and so I picked the least shady looking one and just filled Rs.100 of petrol before I crossed e-city, and at / just before Hosur there was a pump with a fairly long queue of trucks. Seemed pretty popular so I tanked up there.

What are the reliable pumps on this route and on the chittoor route btw?

Originally Posted by hserus

What are the reliable pumps on this route and on the chittoor route btw?

There is one BP COCOO at Bangarupalyam, Andhra Pradesh, located LHS of the NH 4 while driving from Bangalore to Chennai. But, please note that the fuel prices in Andhra Pradesh are costlier than Tamil Nadu's. Here is an old photo from the archives.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

But, please note that the fuel prices in Andhra Pradesh are costlier than Tamil Nadu's.

Till 2012 (to the best of my knowledge), petrol price in Kerala was the cheapest among KA, KL, AP and TN. Today it is TN which is the cheapest. Petrol price in KL is costlier compared to KA.

[binand]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

Till 2012 (to the best of my knowledge), petrol price in Kerala was the cheapest among KA, KL, AP and TN. Today it is TN which is the cheapest. Petrol price in KL is costlier compared to KA.

It is not that simple. For example in December, I paid 63.90 in Bangalore (HP on OA Road, Murugeshpalya), 63.60 in Calicut (BP on mini bypass near MIMS hospital) and 62.92 in Channapatna (IOCL on BM Road). Calicut price was between the Bangalore price and non-Bangalore-but-in-KA price.

Even then, price in Calicut is usually a bit higher than the price in various pumps on NH 212 outside the city. Looking further back at my records, I see I have filled at 76.50 in Kalpetta on my way out and then 2 days later, at 76.66 on my return in Bathery.

Different firms have slightly different prices (BPCL & HPCL, for example). In Bangalore I think the price on either side of the ORR is slightly different (municipal taxes, probably). Dealers commission is also different based on location of pump I believe.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by binand

Different firms have slightly different prices (BPCL & HPCL, for example). In Bangalore I think the price on either side of the ORR is slightly different (municipal taxes, probably). Dealers commission is also different based on location of pump I believe.

Agree with what you have mentioned. For eg, In Bommanahalli we have a BP. The petrol price as of today is Rs 61.93 . Near Madiwala police station I think we have an Indian oil bunk. The petrol price is around Rs 62.4. Not sure about the second decimal.

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by hserus

This is a very nice route - and early in the morning it was entirely congestion free, though god help you if you run low on gas and forget to top up before you leave.

There were very few and pretty shady petrol pumps before I reached Attibele, and so I picked the least shady looking one and just filled Rs.100 of petrol before I crossed e-city, and at / just before Hosur there was a pump with a fairly long queue of trucks. Seemed pretty popular so I tanked up there.

What are the reliable pumps on this route and on the chittoor route btw?

The Chittoor route has a fair share of operational Reliance outlets and I always use them. There are also a few COCO outlets just when you exit Bangarupalyam.

The Hosur route has a Reliance too, which comes up just within 5kms of exiting Hosur. There is also the COCOs at the McDonalds and AAB.

Oh and those ones that you mentioned on the Attibele routes are quite regular local pumps and I have used them when in need and haven't had issues! But I agree they do look shady!

[Raaj*]

I came back from Bangalore yesterday night. While the road from Chennai to Bangalore is fantastic, faced hiccups while coming back.

1) The route/sign board before the left turn to Krishnagiri (towards Chennai) was not there. Expecting the board, i kept on driving and after approx 35 kms i had a doubt. Stopped and understood from a vendor that i crossed it long back Took a U turn and drove back 35 kms to take a right turn under the flyover. Came to know that it has been removed temporarily for repainting!
2) NH was good until Vellore. After Wallajah (or Kaverippakkam) the roads are pathetic with a lot of uneven patches (May be due to the recent flood) untill Poonamallee. Had to slow down to 60-70 to avoid spraining the back! Ideally they should not charge the toll fee.

Note. Hotel Sangeetha Drive-in is newly opened (yesterday) in the "T" junction opposite to KFC & Shri Motel in the Bangalore Trunk Road (where we turn right to Thiruvallur from Poonamallee after the toll). Nice location & good food.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by Raaj*

Came to know that it has been removed temporarily for repainting

They had installed a small signboard near the turn last time I traveled. May be this is the one they removed for painting.

However, there is no proper signage on the route for Chennai turn off. Unless you are lucky, there is a good chance that you would end up missing the turn if not familiar with the route.

Someone I know drove around 100 KM's towards Salem before they made out about the wrong route.

2) NH was good until Vellore. After Wallajah (or Kaverippakkam) the roads are pathetic with a lot of uneven patches (May be due to the recent flood)

This has nothing to do with the flood. It has been this way since a while.