[creative420]

So we will be driving down in a Voler Car to Chennai. Any update on tax and toll payments?

Also, please suggest as many good options on the Krishnagiri-Vellore route towards Chennai and on way back. Give me as many food options. We have a lot of time to explore as all four of us in the car are big foodies.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by creative420

So we will be driving down in a Voler Car to Chennai. Any update on tax and toll payments?

Also, please suggest as many good options on the Krishnagiri-Vellore route towards Chennai and on way back. Give me as many food options. We have a lot of time to explore as all four of us in the car are big foodies.

The thread so far has no shortage of options but mostly vegetarian ones. Non veg restaurants that won't give you food poisoning are few and far between (of course there's Vaniyambadi for that).

Tax and toll - stop at the RTO checkpost before Hosur and pay it or you'll get chased and challaned.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by creative420

Also, please suggest as many good options on the Krishnagiri-Vellore route towards Chennai and on way back. Give me as many food options.

Some places (bang on the highway) we've tried (Veg) and found to be good:
Bangalore-Chennai direction, on left side
1. Sai Sangeet, Vaniyambadi
2. A2B, Arcot
3. Sangeethas, Thirumazhisai (very close to Chennai city entry)

Chennai-Bangalore direction (on left side)
Sai Sangeet near Chennasanudram (Walajahpet) toll, but it is nowhere close to the one at Vaniyambadi.

I've heard these are good, but haven't tried any of them:
1. Murugan Idly, Kancheepuram bypass
2. Hotel Saravana Bhavan, Kancheepuram bypass
3. Sri Adhith Bhavan, Krishnagiri (6.5 Km after the toll in the direction towards Bangalore). This one is quite new.

[vinodh_eee]

Originally Posted by creative420

So we will be driving down in a Voler Car to Chennai. Any update on tax and toll payments?

Also, please suggest as many good options on the Krishnagiri-Vellore route towards Chennai and on way back. Give me as many food options. We have a lot of time to explore as all four of us in the car are big foodies. 🙂

There is a "namma veedu" just after the walajah exit and before the chennasamudram toll gate on the left when you go towards Chennai. Serves decent non-veg food.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by vinodh_eee

There is a "namma veedu" just after the walajah exit and before the chennasamudram toll gate on the left when you go towards Chennai. Serves decent non-veg food.

"decent food" - whether veg or non veg - is the best you can hope for along this route. Nothing outright famous or anything, except possibly Sai Sangeet, which is genuinely good. Nothing for foodies anyway.

Get breakfast at either of the two Sai Sangeets (after the Walajah toll, or between Ambur and Vaniyambadi), and eat lunch at your choice of much nicer places in Chennai or Bangalore depending on where you are going.

[srvm]

Originally Posted by NPV

Some places (bang on the highway) we've tried (Veg) and found to be good:
Bangalore-Chennai direction, on left side
1. Sai Sangeet, Vaniyambadi
2. A2B, Arcot
3. Sangeethas, Thirumazhisai (very close to Chennai city entry)

Chennai-Bangalore direction (on left side)
Sai Sangeet near Chennasanudram (Walajahpet) toll, but it is nowhere close to the one at Vaniyambadi.

I've heard these are good, but haven't tried any of them:
1. Murugan Idly, Kancheepuram bypass
2. Hotel Saravana Bhavan, Kancheepuram bypass
3. Sri Adhith Bhavan, Krishnagiri (6.5 Km after the toll in the direction towards Bangalore). This one is quite new.

Adding to NPV's post:

Just drove last evening from Chennai to Bangalore. Did 2 food stops on the way. 1st stop at Murugan Idly shop at Kaveripakkam (between Kanchi bypass and Chennsamudram toll plaza). Good food with ample parking space. Idly was very soft

2nd stop at Hotel Grand Preethi (pure veg) just after Vaniyambadi toll plaza. My first time here. Must admit that food and ambiance both were above my expectations. Some SETC buses stop here too for food break. Toilets were also clean.

[sbkumar]

There is also an original Hotel Saravana Bhavan around Kanchipuram, before the Murugan Idly. Stopped there for my last two trips. Expensive as expected, but good.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by creative420

So we will be driving down in a Voler Car to Chennai. Any update on tax and toll payments?

Also, please suggest as many good options on the Krishnagiri-Vellore route towards Chennai and on way back. Give me as many food options. We have a lot of time to explore as all four of us in the car are big foodies.

All our Team BHP friends gave you lot of food options as you wished

Let me provide you details on TN State entry permit tax. A month back i drove Self drive Rental car from Revv to TN. It is super simple process and it took just 5 minutes for me. Here is what you need to do.

1) Stop at TN Check post which is right opposite to GRB Ghee factory/Diary foods. This is about less than 3 kms after Attibelle Toll. As soon as you enter TN border, when the road inclines steep, keep left / watch out for check post.
Location here. https://goo.gl/maps/ComjG3gK6U22
Please note there are two stops when you enter TN. The first one is for Trucks called as RTO check post, so ignore that, drive slowly and in few meters stop at above 2nd location which is for cars/other vehicles.

2) There are two counters. Usually there won't be much queue.
Give the file with all car documents/papers given to you by Car rental Agency to the clerk in the counter. Tell him explicitly that it is a Black board car because they usually assume for yellow board.

3) Pay just Rs. 100/- (yes, just one hundred rupees only) for which they will give you permit receipt which is valid for 1 week. I hope there are no changes in the fee due to GST.


Thats it. You are done. Pay the tolls as usual.

Drive safe! And of course needless to say - Wear Seat Belts for everyone in the car.

-Ravi

[slakhs]

Originally Posted by NPV

Some places (bang on the highway) we've tried (Veg) and found to be good:

The best IMO for veg food in this route is Hotel Alankar near Vellore, opposite to Ratnagiri Murugan temple. Hadn't heard of it until now but found it in a Google search recently. Came with very high ratings in Google and TripAdvisor. Food and ambience was excellent and service too was.

[maheshramaling]

Speed guns before krishnagiri toll Plaza: Looks like krishnagiri RTO have found a new way to earn money post GST. They have installed speed gun in a scorpio it seems 2 odd km before krishnagiri toll Plaza. Whichever vehicle is going beyond the speed limit - they immediately pass the message to the RTO team in toll Plaza (guess via whatsapp). They have 1 RTO person in each toll booths lane and ask those vehicles to stop. Spot fine is Rs. 400. Scores of cars and bus's were stopped. This happened around 4.30 pm on 3rd Aug.

I am not sure if this is new thing just today or they plan to continue.

Just be cautious and keep your speed under 80 for those few kms before krishnagiri toll Plaza.

Rest of the toll plaza until Chennai didn't have any such thing.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by slakhs

The best IMO for veg food in this route is Hotel Alankar near Vellore, opposite to Ratnagiri Murugan temple. Hadn't heard of it until now but found it in a Google search recently. Came with very high ratings in Google and TripAdvisor. Food and ambience was excellent and service too was.

I noticed this place. Some how it looked new to me and fresh. Great to hear that its good. Nice location too!

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by maheshramaling

Speed guns before krishnagiri toll Plaza: Looks like krishnagiri RTO have found a new way to earn money post GST

This was started after the bus accident last year which killed around 10 people.
Had noticed speed gun (?) the road side mounted one with two cables placed across the road during my drive in Feb. This was near to Hosur town though, during later drives, didn't notice this nor the speed guns mentioned above. Hence was thinking the same is stopped.

Any idea what is the speed limit here? Hope it is not the usual money making 30 / 40 KMPH

[maheshramaling]

As per few bus drivers the speed gun in mounted on a scorpio about 2 to 3 kms before krishnagiri toll plaza.

Per the challan I got - it says 100 is the limit.

I have never noticed this earlier, guess this is not a regular affair.

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

This was started after the bus accident last year which killed around 10 people.
Had noticed speed gun (?) the road side mounted one with two cables placed across the road during my drive in Feb. This was near to Hosur town though, during later drives, didn't notice this nor the speed guns mentioned above. Hence was thinking the same is stopped.

Any idea what is the speed limit here? Hope it is not the usual money making 30 / 40 KMPH

[keshav1426]

Hello Guys, I plan to drive from Chennai ( Tambaram) to Coorg ( Polibetta) with a stop over in Mysore . Obviously I would prefer to use the Vellore - Krishnagiri stretch. My last trip was a year back to bangalore and I found the roads to be patchy and not smooth at all . Has the situation changed or still the same ? Onward i take manimangalam and return i cut in from Sriperambattur and come through the empty stretch into Tambaram. I plan to leave chennai by 4AM-5AM so that i can get to Mysore by afternoon . Kindly let me know your views on this ( or if there is a better plan) - Travelling with kids so Chennai-Coorg in 1 day will not work out. TIA

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by keshav1426

Hello Guys, I plan to drive from Chennai ( Tambaram) to Coorg ( Polibetta) with a stop over in Mysore . Obviously I would prefer to use the Vellore - Krishnagiri stretch. My last trip was a year back to bangalore and I found the roads to be patchy and not smooth at all . Has the situation changed or still the same ? Onward i take manimangalam and return i cut in from Sriperambattur and come through the empty stretch into Tambaram. I plan to leave chennai by 4AM-5AM so that i can get to Mysore by afternoon . Kindly let me know your views on this ( or if there is a better plan) - Travelling with kids so Chennai-Coorg in 1 day will not work out. TIA

Well things are a tad bit better but still far from being the best. However, what other choice do you have to get to Mysore as everything else is too far. As proposed by you, Manimangalam is a saving grace till Sriperumbudur. But you'll still have to bear the patches until at least you pass Kanchipuram.

Also to note is that Pollibetta is just under 2 hours from Mysore through good but undivided roads. Halting at Mysore doesn't make much sense unless you break for sightseeing.