[MadBiker]

I did a quick Chennai - Bangalore - Chennai day round trip (on a Motorcycle). Overall some 680+ kms in 21 hours.

Onward:

SRP Tools (OMR) by 6 AM, Poonamalee bypass (6 30 AM), Kanchipuram (7AM), Vellore, Pallikonda (8 AM) - Gudiyatham - Palamaner (9 AM) - Kolar (10 15 AM) - Hoskote - KR Puram (11 AM)

Ponnamalee to Kanchipuram to Chennasamudram Toll - some diversions here and there, but was chock-a-block due to the big factory busses. Was able to pass through on a bike, would have been a nightmare on a car.

Loved the Gudiyatham - Palamaner route (i used to do this about 10 years back) and it is well tarred now and no traffic. Only downside was there were 1000s of butterflies on the road splashing up on my helmet visor. Beautiful but messy.











Return:

Brookefield (10 PM) - Varthur - Sarjapura - Attibelle (10 30 PM) - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Vaniyambadi (12 AM) - Vellore (1 AM) - Kanchipuram - Chennai (3 AM)

Brookefield to Sarjapura was horrible for the most part. Broken + Dusty roads impacting visibility. Lots of drunkards riding as it was late in the night.

Sarjapura - Attibelle was a breeze, Heavy lorry traffic from Attibelle all the way until Krishnagiri. Beautiful roads (well lit for most part all the way until Kancheepuram). But need to watch out for the ghost trucks with no rear lights.

Since i was riding through the night - traffic was sparse / manageable and comfortably be able to work through lanes doing comfortable speeds.

[arun_josie]

A weekday drive, started at 3:00 AM from bangalore(BG Road) and reached Iyyappanthangal in Chennai by 7:05AM. The traffic was very less and it was easy on the diversions too.

The return drive started at 5:00PM on the same day. I knew this was a gamble as the traffic would be heavy with a mix of School/College/Office traffic. Despite this, exiting Chennai was not a problem at all however the traffic deteriorated after that. The worst was the first toll and then the junction where Mudichur-Sriperumbudur and Oragadam - Sriperumbudur roads join the highway. It took more than 20 minutes here. With so many flyovers under-construction on this Bangalore highway, I wonder why they have not planned a flyover for this junction. The traffic was slow at every diversion after that and it took 2+ hours to reach BPCL CoCo @ Kanchipuram. After refueling and with one stop for dinner, I reached bangalore by 11:40 PM.

So, 4 hours during the onward journey and 6H:40M during the return(includes one quick dinner stop and fuel stop).

Accident at a diversion near Vellore: A WagonR probably behind a XUV7OO and it looked like the XUV spotted the diversion at the last moment and braked hard however the WagonR couldn't brake and went over a mud pile and toppled sidewards. It must have happened just a few seconds before and when I crossed the location they were pulling the people out.

Be cautious with these diversions as I have seen 3-4 accidents with people missing to spot the diversions on time.

Here is a pic at one of the diversion,

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

bangalore(BG Road) and reached Iyyappanthangal in Chennai

You may want to try Tindivanam-Tiruvannamalai-Krishnagiri. It may not save time, but you can avoid the construction and associated traffic till Krishnagiri.

The worst was the first toll and then the junction where Mudichur-Sriperumbudur and Oragadam - Sriperumbudur roads join the highway. It took more than 20 minutes here.

If you are coming from Kundrathur side you can't escape. From Oragadam side, even Google Maps stopped showing via that junction. 3 weeks back I went via Vallam Sipcot which will join NH4 just ahead of Sunguvarchatram. Has some 500 odd meters of bad roads and speed breakers in the industrial area.

I surprised myself reaching Alankar in 2:15 hrs from SRM with a 10 minute refueling stop

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by narayans80

You may want to try Tindivanam-Tiruvannamalai-Krishnagiri. It may not save time, but you can avoid the construction and associated traffic till Krishnagiri.

I thought about this route but then even Vandalur - Tindivanam is a traffic heavy stretch so avoided it.

Originally Posted by narayans80

If you are coming from Kundrathur side you can't escape. From Oragadam side, even Google Maps stopped showing via that junction. 3 weeks back I went via Vallam Sipcot which will join NH4 just ahead of Sunguvarchatram. Has some 500 odd meters of bad roads and speed breakers in the industrial area.

I surprised myself reaching Alankar in 2:15 hrs from SRM with a 10 minute refueling stop

I have not tried Kundrathur route because its only 3Kms from Iyyappanthangal to the NH48. I think the only option is to avoid the peak hours or be prepared for the traffic on this junction

Tindivanam-Tiruvannamalai-Krishnagiri, is this a 4L or good 2L roads? I have never taken this route.

[that_sedate_guy]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Tindivanam-Tiruvannamalai-Krishnagiri, is this a 4L or good 2L roads? I have never taken this route.

I've taken this route when riding back on my Bullet from Pondicherry. Took the route at night with a pillion. It's a beautiful, smooth stretch of tarmac going through Tindivanam under the name NH 77 I presume before it joins with NH 179B which goes all the way to Krishnagiri via Gingee, Tiruvannamalai, Uthangarai and Pochampalli.
The only issue? It's a two lane road with no safety barricade and zero road lighting. Couple that with morons on modern cars trying to blind you and then run you over. It's not really what I'd call safe. But if you take the route in daylight it's amazing. After starting in the late afternoon, for the most part, I was able to actually average 75kmph without even crossing 90 kmph ever. But as night fell, so did my average speed and even had a couple of close shaves with idiots on wheels veering into the oncoming lane without a care.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Tindivanam-Tiruvannamalai-Krishnagiri, is this a 4L or good 2L roads? I have never taken this route.

It is good 2-lane roads. Wider after Tiruvannamalai to Krishnagiri.

My source/destination is Hosur, which used to take 5 hrs to Kattankulathur SRM before many of the bypasses were open.

I thought about this route but then even Vandalur - Tindivanam is a traffic heavy stretch so avoided it.

Barring long weekend nonsense, traffic keeps moving at 70-80 throughout.

Originally Posted by that_sedate_guy

Krishnagiri via Gingee, Tiruvannamalai, Uthangarai and Pochampalli.

Pochampalli is not on the way. Only time I saw it (along with the Ola factory) was when Samalpatti underpass had waterlogging and vehicles were re-routed.

[btdhar]

Did Kadugodi (BLR) to Chennai and back last weekend via Chittoor and Ranipet. The diversions until Chittoor and the narrow railway gate at Bommasamudram add at least an hour more to the journey. On the return trip, had to step into Vellore for a small work. Google maps showed me the route via the BCE. Despite gaining all wisdom from the previous posts and time being around 4 pm, I fell for the 45 min shorter time. The first diversion somewhere near Gudiyatam on this under construction route was enough to send some much needed wisdom into my head. Decided to turn back, and took the Gudiyatam-Palamner route to join back Old Madras Road by around 6:30 pm. Diversions added more time than onward journey with super impatient drivers doing all types of circus to make the situation worse. The Gudiyatam Palamner route was quite good I must say with some twisties. But would not advise doing in the night as it has sparse traffic

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by btdhar

I fell for the 45 min shorter time. The first diversion somewhere near Gudiyatam on this under construction route was enough to send some much needed wisdom into my head.

Post Gudiyatham there are no diversions all the way till BCE entry. It is purely 2-lane roads and ghat sections. Just like how you describe Gudiyatham-Palamaner below

The Gudiyatam Palamner route was quite good I must say with some twisties.

I did the route from Pallikonda-Gudiyatham town side and had taken confidence from the video below which has the full drive from BCE exit to Vellore. The dude posting the video has taken the Virinchipuram-Sethuvalai stretch to connect to NH4.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9u-lUDLx9Q

Old Madras Road is also under the knife, there are short stretches dug up every 15-20 km from Narsapura to Palamaner.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Post Gudiyatham there are no diversions all the way till BCE entry. It is purely 2-lane roads and ghat sections.

Is there a Gudiyatham bypass if one is heading from V Kota to Vellore? I look at the maps and got a bit confused wondering which one of the roads around Gudiyatham is the bypass.

Also, if my destination was Hotel Alankar, should I do V Kota-Gudiyatham-Pallikonda or is Virinchipuram a better option? Wondering how the road conditions compare.

Is the Gudiyatham-Katpadi-Vellore option worth considering?
Sorry for too many questions, it’s my unfamiliarity that’s triggering them

[srvm]

Originally Posted by NPV

Is there a Gudiyatham bypass if one is heading from V Kota to Vellore? I look at the maps and got a bit confused wondering which one of the roads around Gudiyatham is the bypass.

See video in post#4673. The car enters Gudiyattam bypass at 34:21. The road branching to the right at that instant goes inside Gudiyattam town.
The car joins the main highway back from bypass at the 38:26 mark. Looks like lot of unfinished section in the Gudiyattam bypass. Going inside town takes typically 10-20 minutes (depending on time of the day).

Originally Posted by NPV

Also, if my destination was Hotel Alankar, should I do V Kota-Gudiyatham-Pallikonda or is Virinchipuram a better option? Wondering how the road conditions compare.

For Virinchipuram route, see video in post#4673 from 46:20 (Car takes right turn at a place called Vaduganthangal) to 53:00 (joins the main NH48 near Seduvalai).
I have preferred this route in the past over Pallikonda route. Saves toll as well as some really narrow roads inside Pallikonda. And I have got stuck there with some massive trucks inside Pallikonda.

Originally Posted by NPV

Is the Gudiyatham-Katpadi-Vellore option worth considering? Sorry for too many questions, it’s my unfamiliarity that’s triggering them

Road between Vaduganthangal to Katpadi is not any different from Gudiyattam to Vaduganthangal. Just more 2 wheeler traffic as you approach Katpadi. And I presume you know the dense Katpadi-Vellore traffic already.

[pypkmsrikanth]

https://x.com/THChennai/status/19367...GeUTQnctg&s=19

Had to make a quick trip to Bangalore. Since the destination was Arekere had to take the Hosur route. Long jam. Took me an hour too cross the town. Apparently tht bridge work will take one month. So expect traffic towards Bangalore side to be chaotic until then

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by pypkmsrikanth

https://x.com/THChennai/status/19367...GeUTQnctg&s=19

Had to make a quick trip to Bangalore. Since the destination was Arekere had to take the Hosur route. Long jam. Took me an hour too cross the town. Apparently tht bridge work will take one month. So expect traffic towards Bangalore side to be chaotic until then

Looks like they are planning to divert the bangalore traffic on the opp side. Which means both sides will get slowed done.

For people coming from Salem side, it is a no-brainer to take the Rayakottai route and join near Attibele.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by pypkmsrikanth

Long jam. Took me an hour too cross the town.

From where does the jam start? Can you even enter Hosur Outer Ring Road or it starts much before that?

Originally Posted by arun_josie

For people coming from Salem side, it is a no-brainer to take the Rayakottai route and join near Attibele.

Is the WIP sections around TVS factory fully done? Last time around in late 2023 it was messy around Attibele, TVS, Hosur Railway station surroundings.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Is the WIP sections around TVS factory fully done? Last time around in late 2023 it was messy around Attibele, TVS, Hosur Railway station surroundings.

I think this section is not bad except for the speed-breakers. I had taken this route 6-7 months back.

[pypkmsrikanth]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Looks like they are planning to divert the bangalore traffic on the opp side. Which means both sides will get slowed done.

For people coming from Salem side, it is a no-brainer to take the Rayakottai route and join near Attibele.

While returning in the evening, work had started to barricade the lane towards KRG on the flyover to allow two way traffic. So this would mean for a couple of kms possibly from Denkanikottai Jn to GRT Jewellers junction it may be two way traffic on one side.