[anandhsub]

Did a round trip this weekend and finally lane markings have been put on the stretch between Attibele and Electronic City. This used to be a huge pain late last year with trucks treating it as a 2 lane while cars would make it a 4 lane. Also had my share of near misses with medians ending abruptly. This stretch is now a breeze especially given the elevated highway is also open through the night.

On the other hand entering/exiting Chennai continues to remain bad despite the junction near Motel Highway getting relaid. Extremely heavy truck traffic and I guess the Chennai bypass roadwork is not complete yet. Google maps routed me through Poonamallee both while entering around 2AM and exiting around 10 PM

[ampere]

Originally Posted by anandhsub

On the other hand entering/exiting Chennai continues to remain bad despite the junction near Motel Highway getting relaid. Extremely heavy truck traffic and I guess the Chennai bypass roadwork is not complete yet. Google maps routed me through Poonamallee both while entering around 2AM and exiting around 10 PM

Are you referring to the outer ring road? I notice on Google that the bypass work at Red Hills still needs to be completed.

Is that the current status?

Even other wise, it is still a better option to bypass Chennai I think. (link)

[binand]

Originally Posted by ampere

Are you referring to the outer ring road?

I think he's referring to this detour:

https://goo.gl/maps/i1xTmT8vaRays5z36

When I went to Chennai last (9/2) that detour cost me nearly 20 minutes of delay (during mid-afternoon).

[Marine10]

Back from a round trip between Chennai and Bangalore via chitoor over the weekend. Thank to this thread for even small infos which helped me a great deal during this drive.
Here are few info from my side which might be helpful :
1. Started at 7 in the morning from chennai, and so had to endure some traffic in Mudichur road (being a single lane) till it joined NH after Sriperumbudur. Post that, it was a breeze till Ranipet
2. Road from Ranipet till Chitoor (especially after the border between TN and Andhra) is under construction and requires some patience to cross
3. Post Chitoor, the road was amazing to drive
4. There is an additional toll at Nangli (not sure if it was already there). Charge for cars : Rs.25/-
5. Fast tag experience was quick and seamless at all tolls

[binand]

Originally Posted by Marine10

4. There is an additional toll at Nangli (not sure if it was already there). Charge for cars : Rs.25/-

This is curious. I looked it up; in Google Maps they are marked as "JSR Mulbagal Toll Plaza" and "Mulbagal Toll Plaza" with 30 km separating them.

https://goo.gl/maps/ftf1cSsHSBhaNzRD7

As far as I know they have to leave a minimum of 50 km between toll plazas. Also the former is not listed in NHAI's TIS website (it shows Rs. 70 one-way toll at the latter). How much did you pay at these two toll booths?

[Marine10]

Originally Posted by binand

This is curious. I looked it up; in Google Maps they are marked as "JSR Mulbagal Toll Plaza" and "Mulbagal Toll Plaza" with 30 km separating them.

https://goo.gl/maps/ftf1cSsHSBhaNzRD7

As far as I know they have to leave a minimum of 50 km between toll plazas. Also the former is not listed in NHAI's TIS website (it shows Rs. 70 one-way toll at the latter). How much did you pay at these two toll booths?

True that. I could not find the said Toll too in the above site.
Below are the toll fares between Chennasamudram and Bangalore :
Chennasamudram Rs.45/-
Nangli Rs.25/-
Mulbagal Rs.70/-
Hoskote Rs.20/-

[mpksuhas]

Did Bangalore - Chennai - Bangalore last weekend.

Onward 21 Feb.

Started from near HSR at 04.10 AM, Attibele toll was surprisingly empty. I think this the most deserted I saw this toll booth as far as I remember. An empty fastag lane, smooth tag detection.

Also, road from EC till Attibele has been relaid for most sections. Lane markings are done only for one lane, however better than non existent markings earlier.

Krishnagiri again was smooth sailing, traffic till here was thin and even less after taking right turn to Chennai.

Vaniyambadi & Walajpet tolls, which had well managed Fastag lanes earlier has gone one step ahead in implementation of dedicated lane now.

Some half KM ahead of the toll, they have divided the road in to two with a temporary median. The cash lane on the left merges to cash only lane at toll booth, while the right lane splits to multiple fastag lanes.

I guess this helps when traffic is high and avoids those doing cash payments from blocking Fastag lanes. However, during my onward and return trip, traffic at this toll was thin. This means, you are stuck behind a slow moving truck till you reach the toll. However, that aside, full marks to them for trying.


Chennasamudram & Sriperumendur also was smooth comparatively. Wont say the ideal Fastag experience, however much better than the regular commute even compared to when I used to take dedicated Fastag lane.

Road condition between Chennasamudram & Sriperumendur has improved, also compared to my previous trip in Nov, there is visible road widening work in progress.

Luckily, traffic was thin and I was able to reach Saligramam by 08.15 AM. One of the fastest, if not the fastest drive for me. I guess I saved at least some 20 minutes just due to smoother toll booths.

All throughout, I was driving in ~110 KMPH range only.


Return was on Sunday, 23 Feb.

Started from Saligramam by around 1.30 PM, took Chennai bye-pass (Madhuravayol - Poonamalle route). The broken sections on this road are mostly fixed by now. With couple of junctions getting concrete roads too.

Past that, it was smooth sailing and was able to cross Vellore in just over 2 hours.

At Krishnagiri toll, there was slight delay due to cash lanes overflowing to Fastag lane entry causing jam. Reached home around 06.15 PM.

Overall, much better road conditions and toll booths.

[anandhsub]

Originally Posted by ampere

Are you referring to the outer ring road? I notice on Google that the bypass work at Red Hills still needs to be completed.

Is that the current status?

Even other wise, it is still a better option to bypass Chennai I think. (link)

Originally Posted by binand

I think he's referring to this detour:

https://goo.gl/maps/i1xTmT8vaRays5z36

When I went to Chennai last (9/2) that detour cost me nearly 20 minutes of delay (during mid-afternoon).

My destination is Arcot Road near Valasaravakkam. Hence I generally take this route https://goo.gl/maps/2Nzuuur2jqfeh2Ax6

Chennai bypass to katupakkam-> mount poonamallee road to Porur-> arcot road to Valasaravakkam.

Sometimes I go all the way to Maduravoyal and use some inner streets to get to Arcot Road.

https://goo.gl/maps/VuyYZpQbzbkeHLcz9

However last couple of times Google maps has diverted me away from the Bypass and routed via the Poonamallee bus stand

https://goo.gl/maps/KTj37YyT3gaSX2ea7

As Suhas says, if the roadwork is complete am not sure why Google Maps routed me through the bus stand.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by anandhsub

However last couple of times Google maps has diverted me away from the Bypass and routed via the Poonamallee bus stand

For quite some time I stopped taking the Sriperumbudur-Poonamalle section of the highway. I always use the Manimangalam-Tambaram route.

But for return to Bangalore, I use Poonamallee and the bypass. I was there in Jan. However I dont remember seeing any break in highway. Maybe I missed it? (I dont know)

[binand]

Originally Posted by ampere

I always use the Manimangalam-Tambaram route.

I also detour from Sriperumbudur, but I take Oragadam-Vandalur-Kelambakkam (my destination is usually Padur there, or even when I'm visiting my in-laws' place at Kottivakkam I prefer this route).

Originally Posted by anandhsub

My destination is Arcot Road near Valasaravakkam.

This time I was booked into a hotel on GN Chetty road so I went straight ahead at Sriperumbudur and exited at the interchange at Arumbakkam (then Loyola College-T Nagar). It was a miserable ~90 minutes from a bit before Sriperumbudur till my hotel. I don't think for the foreseeable future, entering Chennai via Poonamallee/Porur is worth the pain it causes.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by binand

I also detour from Sriperumbudur, but I take Oragadam-Vandalur-Kelambakkam (my destination is usually Padur there, or even when I'm visiting my in-laws' place at Kottivakkam I prefer this route).

One reason suggested on this forum to take the route which I prefer was I get to bypass Tambaram bus stand on the GST. I am told it can be a mess.

While I would love to take the Oragadam/Vandalur option, but then I need to cross Tambaram bus stand on GST.

I usually follow this : route

Has this situation changed?

[binand]

Originally Posted by ampere

One reason suggested on this forum to take the route which I prefer was I get to bypass Tambaram bus stand on the GST. I am told it can be a mess.

That's right. Your route hits the GST and proceeds northwards avoiding Tambaram. My route hits the GST and proceeds southwards (and then east towards Kelambakkam and the OMR/IT Expressway) avoiding Tambaram.

I could take your route and then onwards to Medavakkam-Sholinganallur, but I think via Vandalur is less stressful.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by anandhsub

However last couple of times Google maps has diverted me away from the Bypass and routed via the Poonamallee bus stand

My destination also is around the same area, Bhaskar colony to be precise. Last time, I guess in Nov it G Maps was showing route via Poonamalle - Porur. Maybe it was since I was arriving there around midnight and that time the Porur route would be faster. However, this time even G Maps was showing via bye-pass.

[csateesh]

Guess for destinations like Mogappair and Anna Nagar West there aren't many options other than endure the Poonamalle -> Koyambedu -> Annanagar West

Someone suggested recently that I should try Maduravoyal deviation to Ambattur Industrial Area and reach Mogappair

Shall try it one of these days and keep you posted

Hope it isn't as bad as the highway itself

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by anandhsub

My destination is Arcot Road near Valasaravakkam.

Depends on when you drove. I once drove through at 1015 pm and it took me through Poonamalee. Wasn't so bad. And since there were couple of broken sections on the bypass where vehicles tend to choke.

Originally Posted by csateesh

Guess for destinations like Mogappair and Anna Nagar

If you both are comfortable driving early nights (targeting 1100-200 am arrival) you can breeze through. Last summer I did a 830 pm start from CV Raman Nagar and reached home at 210 am.

Post midnight roads are free of all those shift buses.