[csateesh]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Depends on when you drove.

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.

Typically I enter Chennai just post noon

Late night drives are ruled out with my parents. Shall keep finding new routes and update the thread if and when I find a work around as solution isn't visible

[djjebs]

Hi guys!

I need to travel to Chennai this weekend. The destination is Anakaputhur, Chennai. I will be driving down from Hennur, Bangalore. Google maps suggests I take the Kolar, Chitoor route. Are the roads good or do you suggest the normal Hosur, Ambur, Vellore route? Will be driving down in an i20.

Also I do not have a FastTag yet. Is that going to be an issue?

[srvm]

Originally Posted by djjebs

Hi guys!
I need to travel to Chennai this weekend. The destination is Anakaputhur, Chennai. I will be driving down from Hennur, Bangalore. Google maps suggests I take the Kolar, Chitoor route. Are the roads good or do you suggest the normal Hosur, Ambur, Vellore route? Will be driving down in an i20.
Also I do not have a FastTag yet. Is that going to be an issue?

If the drive is during daytime, then you can take the Chitoor route. Roads are good upto Chitoor bypass also with sparse traffic. A section of about 25kms is patchy/rough (definitely doable in an i20) with construction/widening happening between Chitoor bypass and AP-TN border (Zion Hill church). After which roads are 2-laned but wide and smooth.

If the drive involves night-time, there stick to Krishnagiri route. No doubts about it.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by djjebs

Google maps suggests I take the Kolar, Chitoor route. Are the roads good or do you suggest the normal Hosur, Ambur, Vellore route? Will be driving down in an i20

Rode from Chennai to Hosur in 193 min recent Sunday; took the usual NH4-NH46-NH7 route. I bet Chitoor route can never beat this timing no matter any time of the day or night.

Originally Posted by djjebs

Also I do not have a FastTag yet. Is that going to be an issue?

Depends; if you view queuing cash lane as a problem

[Mnjdnght]

A short update from my recent Chennai - Bangalore trip on March 4.

• Took the highway via Krishnagiri.
• This time I could start only at 11 AM from Anna Nagar and hence got caught in the Poonamalee road traffic until way after the Chennai ORR intersection.
• Poonamalee - Sriperumbudur - Walajapet sector is pothole free but the patches are uneven and ride a bit bumpy, though shouldn't cause any concern for vehicle or passenger except for the added bobbing motion.
• Saw good action on the 6-Laning work on this sector which has been idling for a long while.
• There was some pile up blocking the Bangalore bound section after the Vaniambadi toll (near Bargur). I couldn't figure out the reason, but almost all cars were turning back and going in the opposite direction getting onto the Chennai bound section driving again in the opposite direction (basically the wrong way) and joining the Bangalore bound side much later. I am guilty of following the crowd and doing the wrong side driving too. Later I realised that the jam was only for a short distance and created by some truckers who had some grouse. It was going on for some time and don't know when things cleared up.
• There was also some big political event after Krishnagiri which had huge crowds managed by a large police contingent slowing down traffic to a crawl for 4 - 5 KMs.
• Nice road toll still has not implemented FastTag!

[arun_josie]

Any bhpians or your friends entered Karnataka from Tamil Nadu today? If so, were you able to cross without a KA pass as per the latest guidelines?

[Vin@y]

Anyone travelled on Chennai <-> Bangalore route via Vellore, Krishnagiri recently? Are the restaurants open along the highway?

I might hit this route at Arcot/Pallikonda to travel towards Bangalore this Saturday. Though I may not take a lunch break at the restaurant due to COVID-19 risk, I still would like to take a small bio/coffee break. Please reply.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by Vin@y

Anyone travelled on Chennai <-> Bangalore route via Vellore, Krishnagiri recently? Are the restaurants open along the highway?

I might hit this route at Arcot/Pallikonda to travel towards Bangalore this Saturday. Though I may not take a lunch break at the restaurant due to COVID-19 risk, I still would like to take a small bio/coffee break. Please reply.

The petrol pumps have much cleaner bathrooms than the restaurants in general, especially if you spot a Shell or Essar bunk. Even if the restaurants aren't open, there are likely to be several small pushcarts selling "koozhu" or dosa / idly near Ranipet.

[anandhsub]

Originally Posted by Vin@y

Anyone travelled on Chennai <-> Bangalore route via Vellore, Krishnagiri recently? Are the restaurants open along the highway?

I might hit this route at Arcot/Pallikonda to travel towards Bangalore this Saturday. Though I may not take a lunch break at the restaurant due to COVID-19 risk, I still would like to take a small bio/coffee break. Please reply.

Not sure if it is still open, but if it is only for a bio break can check Lavato out.

Was discussed on the forum as well here (Lavato: Premium & hygienic toilets on Indian highways)

Should be far more hygenic than a restaurant

[mvadg]

Originally Posted by Vin@y

Anyone travelled on Chennai <-> Bangalore route via Vellore, Krishnagiri recently? Are the restaurants open along the highway?

I might hit this route at Arcot/Pallikonda to travel towards Bangalore this Saturday...

Do post the details as soon as you finish the trip, someone I know wants to do the same trip, but is worried about the issues due to Covid19. TIA.

[ravib]

Friends, update on Madras to Bangalore trip today 04th July 2020.

My parents traveled from Madras to Bangalore today. I applied for their TN ePass and KA entry permission in Seva sindhu portal on 28th June, even before TN lockdown was extended in Madras and surrounding 3 districts. They got approved on 29th June without issues. But we were keeping fingers crossed as there were several flip flops in Quarantine orders in KA, so waited till yesterday. We planned to cancel the trip , in case if institutional quarantine was reintroduced. Fortunately no changes were announced, so everything was good to go.

Today morning, my parents started from Vadapalani at 5 am in hired taxi and reached Attibelle at 10 am. TN ePass was scanned near Sriperumbudur/Chennai exit. Between Kanchipuram to Attibelle, couple of random spot checks were made but it was pretty smooth and no one stopped. Throughout there was negligible traffic so the cruise was fast.

After reaching Attibelle, they asked the driver to park the car in opposite side (towards TN) by cutting across the NH.

After TN-KA border arch, they segregated the traffic. All trucks/goods vehicles were allowed to far right high speed lane and were allowed without checking. However, Cars and Two Wheelers were asked to keep left for scanning and checking.

There is a tent setup just before the Attibelle Toll Plaza. I took few pictures by standing in Toll Plaza (see below).
There were 4 to 5 queues. One for transit traveler, one for Home Quarantine, one for helpdesk and so on.
At 10 am today, there were not much cars, so the queue was very less. Only about 10 to 20 people were in the queue. My parents went to "Home Quarantine" queue. They asked to show KA Seva sindhu ePass and asked if they are fine/healthy. They took one copy of the KA ePass with themselves, so those who are traveling to KA, please keep 2 copies of KA ePass. After that, they just did hand stamping for 14 days Home Quarantine and that's it.
It was pretty quick and they were out in 5 minutes.
No checks/stamping for taxi drivers.
Taxi driver took the car from other side, crossed the NH again cutting across vehicles towards TN and then joined back NH towards Bangalore. Crossed the Toll Plaza after paying the toll fee. Toll queue was also quite free.

Overall, the parking arrangement was little chaotic, but otherwise, there was not much trouble.

I was waiting in other side of Attibelle toll in my car, so the taxi driver dropped them immediately after the toll where i parked the car in left side. My parents shifted to my car with luggage and after paying the taxi driver, he took U turn in the toll and drove back to Madras

We reached home and started our Home Quarantine for 14 days. Though Myself and my wife, kid are perfectly fine, we also started Home quarantine along with my parents as a safety precaution and don't step out of flat.

Hope the above information is helpful for those who are traveling from TN to KA.

-Ravi

[Bibendum90949]

For people entering via Walayar, the only mandate is to have your travel details updated in jagratha portal. The allocated date of journey is not an issue and need not be adhered to as per a circular issued by Palakkad district administration. They're still allowing people to enter Kerala after collecting the requisite details at the border for those who are reaching there without updating in Jagratha.

Mods, I'm not sure if a notification in vernacular is allowed to update as per forum rules. If so, you may please remove the same.

[Vin@y]

Originally Posted by mvadg

Do post the details as soon as you finish the trip, someone I know wants to do the same trip, but is worried about the issues due to Covid19. TIA.

I have posted the details of our yesterday's trip from PY-KA in another thread as follows.

Epass and checking info:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post4837748 (Interstate travel with the Covid-19 restrictions)

Restaurant and traffic status:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post4837766 (Interstate travel with the Covid-19 restrictions)

[Vin@y]

Originally Posted by ravib

Friends, update on Madras to Bangalore trip today 04th July 2020.

We had a very similar experience in our yesterday's trip from Puducherry to Bangalore via Pallikonda. Your post captures the details accurately and would be useful for future travellers on this route

Originally Posted by ravib

We reached home and started our Home Quarantine for 14 days. Though Myself and my wife, kid are perfectly fine, we also started Home quarantine along with my parents as a safety precaution and don't step out of flat.

Hats Off to you If everyone starts taking care of their own safety and starts showing concern towards safety of others like this, the COVID-19 count would definitely reduce. IMHO, such individual measures will be more effective than lockdowns!

[ravib]

Cross posting my friend's experience yesterday from Madras to Bangalore drive.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post4838370 (Interstate travel with the Covid-19 restrictions)

In short, those are planning to enter KA from next weekend onwards, PLEASE AVOID. Recommended to Travel and enter KA between Monday morning to Saturday evening only.

-Ravi