[ravib]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Thanks! How much of an additional time does it add over the default Krishnagiri route? I was planning on taking that on the return journey.

Also I wonder if there is an (better) alternate route to reach Chennai without taking the Ranipet - Sripermbudur - Chennai option.

If you are staying in Bannerghatta Road, there is no point for you to take OMR via Ranipet-Chittoor route. Its best for those who stay in East/North Bangalore.

To answer your other question, Currently, the only decent option available is Ranipet-Chennasamudram-Sriperambudur road although it is undert construction. Other routes are even bad and not worth the detour.

-Ravi

[narayans80]

Did a Madras-Bangalore-Madras drive yesterday.

Destination was Kaggadasapura, so took Chittoor route onward. Had to drop someone at Hosur on return, so no choice.

Started 1015 am from T. Nagar, reached the destination at 420 pm. Was a near non-stop drive. Breaks lasted 15 mins at most, one for caffiene, one for the railway crossing at TN-AP border, another to stretch.

Started the return at 800 pm, Hosur at 940 pm with a refuel at Shell Chandapura. Reached home at 215 am with a coffee stop past Chennasamudram toll.

Now for the devil in the details

• The onward till Chennasamudram is not (2016 level) bad at all. It is definitely doable in a car with decent ride. It is stitched up and bumpy. If you are under 80 in daytime, it is manageable. You don't need to look for workarounds.
• Atleast 2 diversions around Kanchipuram aren't good. The first exit to Kanchipuram for sure. Another is after Vedal BPCL COCO.
• Now onto Chittoor route. The TN sections till Ponnai river bridge are an absolute misery. More than the roads, the traffic was an absolute pain in the rear. I was thinking if I made a mistake taking this route.
• After Ponnai river, its good road till the railway crossing at TN-AP border.
• Concrete 4-lane starts only on the AP side.
• There is a CMC between the border and Chittoor, where roads are bad for about 1/2 km either side.
• Chittoor bypass has bad sections about km either side of town entry.
• One well marked massive speed breaker at a 'YSR junction'.
• From Chittoor, there were no other real concerns. Restaurants are aplenty. Traffic was minimal until Hoskote.
• The initial stretch from Hosur to Krishnagiri is a bumpy ride. I guess this was there even before monsoon.
• Whatever little traffic was there till Krishnagiri totally thins down after. Trucks were doing decent 80-90 pace throughout. I too set cruise to 90 and was ambling around
• Hosur to Chennasamudram toll was dismissed in 2.5 hours at 90 kph.
• Not sure if its just surprise, it looked like Madras bound direction patching was a touch worser than the other side. Some of the diversions too were in bad shape.
• Please don't take Kattupakkam-Porur. I guess it is bad at day. It is awful at night. Took 15 minutes from Kattupakkam to Porur junction at 2am, took another 15 minutes from Porur junction to T. Nagar.

[Nimz]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Thanks! How much of an additional time does it add over the default Krishnagiri route? I was planning on taking that on the return journey.

Also I wonder if there is an (better) alternate route to reach Chennai without taking the Ranipet - Sripermbudur - Chennai option.

Actually I reached about 30 mins earlier than i normally do. I take 5.5 hours normally door to door and we did this a little over 5 hours.

I chose this route because Attibele becomes choked on Sunday evenings after a long holiday.

However do note that my destination is near Hope Farm signal so I don't have to face heavy Bangalore traffic.

Safe travels.

Nimz

[anandhsub]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Please don't take Kattupakkam-Porur. I guess it is bad at day. It is awful at night. Took 15 minutes from Kattupakkam to Porur junction at 2am, took another 15 minutes from Porur junction to T. Nagar.

For Porur junction the best route atleast during the day is via Kundrathur. Awesome road surface with little traffic and the only issue being the heavy cattle population.

I would say even during night it is doable despite very little lighting. Probably sticking to < 60 kmph and the cattle wont pose a danger.

I stopped using Chennai bypass about 3 months back when I got stuck at Ramachandra due to the metro construction for more than 15 mins. Covering 330 kms in 5 hours and the remaining 10 kms taking a hour doesnt make any sense.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by anandhsub

For Porur junction the best route atleast during the day is via Kundrathur. Awesome road surface with little traffic and the only issue being the heavy cattle population.

I used to be the anti-conventional route in this thread However I don't do it for odd time entry though.

Kundrathur is the only detour I've not tried.

I didn't know this metro work was such a pain, otherwise would have gone through Maduravoyal.

I would say even during night it is doable despite very little lighting. Probably sticking to < 60 kmph and the cattle wont pose a danger.

This cattle menace is allover, even slower speeds doesn't help. I just had a front fender damage a month back, took over 3 weeks to get the vehicle back.

[DRIVE_ADDICT]

100% agree, if your destination fall anywhere in South/East Chennai, from Sriperumbudur, take Sriperumbudur - Kundrathur road. For those who heads towards West Chennai continue further in NH48.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by anandhsub

For Porur junction the best route atleast during the day is via Kundrathur. Awesome road surface with little traffic and the only issue being the heavy cattle population.

I would say even during night it is doable despite very little lighting. Probably sticking to < 60 kmph and the cattle wont pose a danger.

I stopped using Chennai bypass about 3 months back when I got stuck at Ramachandra due to the metro construction for more than 15 mins. Covering 330 kms in 5 hours and the remaining 10 kms taking a hour doesnt make any sense.

+1, totally agree. this is exactly what i do as well.
When i drove before christmas to Madras, i took Sriperumbudur-Kundrathur-Porur route even in dark, it is much peaceful and less effort to drive, provided we keep the speed in control due to cattle. Otherwise, it is much better option than dealing with Sriperumbudur Toll-Hyundai-Poonamalle-Koyambedu route with too much traffic, signals and bad roads too.

For me also, i am able to do 320 kms door-to-door in 5 hours or at max 5.5 hours driving at 90 to 100 kmph max.

-Ravi

[concorde24]

Originally Posted by narayans80

I didn't know this metro work was such a pain, otherwise would have gone through Maduravoyal.

I agree on this part. I have done 3 bangalore trips in last 2 months and explored different routes to Sriperumbudur

1) TNagar-Porur-kundrathur-sriperumbudur : Heavy traffic for couple of km from Porur junction till after Kundrathur, it frees up after entering 4 lane (and cattle ). What ever time gained in going in 4 lane seems to be lost while entering NH due to bad roads and signal at NH service lane entry

2) TNagar-Porur-Ramachandra, Kattupakkam-Sriperumbudur : Metro work and just one lane available on each side.

3) TNagar-Anna arch-Madhuravoyal-Sriperumbudur: This route has traffic but more manageable due to broad roads and moving traffic.


Going forward planning to stick to (3) only.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by concorde24

2) TNagar-Porur-Ramachandra, Kattupakkam-Sriperumbudur : Metro work and just one lane available on each side.

This is worse at night. When all construction vehicles move and traffic moves only one side.

As much option 3 was least preferred in the past, its now become the prime route due to the metro construction.

For option 1: If you are joining at Sriperumbudur bypass. Its a pain for all, main highway gets stopped as well.

Its time to renew the 'relationship' with the Oragadam-SH120-Sunguvarchatram route for the next drive There was construction a year back, not sure its going on even now.

I know Walajabad-Military Road has taken a beating after the 2021 deluge.

[raju2512]

Need to drive to Hebbal from Chennai this weekend. Google shown Chitoor route to be faster by 30 mins and shorter by 16 kms. Is it worth taking this route or stick to Krishnagiri route.

I am planning to take Tambaram - Sriperumbudur road since I stay in Nanganallur.

Advices welcome

[NPV]

Originally Posted by raju2512

Need to drive to Hebbal from Chennai this weekend. Google shown Chitoor route to be faster by 30 mins and shorter by 16 kms. Is it worth taking this route or stick to Krishnagiri route.

Depends on the time.
If you take Krishnagiri route, to reach Hebbal you will need to traverse the city starting at Hosur Road (following directions to the Bangalore airport/Mekhri circle), whereas if you take Chittoor route, you enter Bangalore from Old Madras road via KR Puram and then you need to continue (simple exit) onto Outer ring road to reach Hebbal which is a much more straightforward route.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by raju2512

Need to drive to Hebbal from Chennai this weekend. Google shown Chitoor route to be faster by 30 mins and shorter by 16 kms. Is it worth taking this route or stick to Krishnagiri route.

I am planning to take Tambaram - Sriperumbudur road since I stay in Nanganallur.

Advices welcome

For Hebbal destination, eyes closed, take Chittoor route. Doesn't make sense to drive longer and burning more fuel, more driving effort and more time wading through city traffic.

That said, there are couple of kms (on & off) which are under construction between Ranipet to Chittoor, so watch out, if you are driving in night. The return direction Chittoor to Ranipet is much better than other side.

-Ravi

[Crow]

Can anyone please tell me about the best route from Chennai/Pondicherry (the plan is a bit flexible at the moment, so we may end up leaving from Pondicherry instead of Chennai) to Bangalore? I will be heading down this road sometime after February 20. Any updates on RT-PCR checks will also be appreciated. We are fully vaccinated.

Travelling in an MH registered Swift.

PS: I have never driven down this road, so I am unfamiliar with the conditions.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by Crow

Can anyone please tell me about the best route from Chennai/Pondicherry (the plan is a bit flexible at the moment, so we may end up leaving from Pondicherry instead of Chennai) to Bangalore? I will be heading down this road sometime after February 20. Any updates on RT-PCR checks will also be appreciated. We are fully vaccinated.

Travelling in an MH registered Swift.

PS: I have never driven down this road, so I am unfamiliar with the conditions.

If you are leaving from Chennai , then take NH route Chennai - Sriperumbudur - Kanchipuram-Arcot-Vellore-Ambur-Krishnagiri-Hosur-Attibelle-Bangalore route.

If you are leaving from Pondicherry, then Pondicherry-Tindivanam-Arcot-Vellore-Ambur-Krishnagiri-Hosur-Attibelle-Bangalore route.

Not sure where is your destination in Bangalore, but these are mostly NH and straightforward, so that you are not confused or lost.

AFAIK, no where in TN or in Pondy or entering KA, RTPCR checks are done. However, since you are driving MH registered car, it is possible that randomly they may stop you and ask for vaccination certificate or RT-PCR (very unlikely).

FYI- Attibelle is the border between TN & KA.

-Ravi

[narayans80]

There are no checks TN->KA->TN or TN->AP->KA. There is local body elections on 19th February, if at all that's the only checks that's likely to happen. The rare Covid checks, double vax is accepted.

There is no RT-PCR checks in any of the southern states except KA, that too is for MH and KL entries only.