[babu.sundaram]

I did a Chennai round trip last (long) weekend.

Seeing previous posts, I tried OMR first time! Toll road till Mulbagal is a breeze. After toll road, 25 KMs has pot holes (navigate-able though). Beyond that till Walajapet is two lane highway and it was a pleasure to weave around with very light truck traffic and good roads, by Indian standards.

Rest of the route (and return) is beaten GQ and same as usual (Including undulations, though patched a bit). Return was yesterday night. Krishnagiri - Hosur was treacherous, with many downhills waterlogged.

I am convert to OMR now! (But GQ wins when driving fun becomes secondary!).

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by kala

How's that road (SH110) now ? When I tried it about a year ago, the stretch between the turnoff from SH113 till Mudichur via Manimangalam was in absolute shambles, and it took me more than 45 minutes to cover that 12-13 kms. When you say 30 minutes for the whole distance, the road must have improved quite a bit I'd think !

Hmm, no wonder there were so many patches of Work-In-Progress in between. Last 3Kms on SriPerambadur side was only aspalt topped and no tar. Since I was in a MUV I didnt bother to slow down for bad roads, just ripped my way leaving a cloud of dust behind me. PS - I am trying this same route on 6may sunday - I will update the current condition here.

Originally Posted by binand

Anyone with first-hand experience of the traffic situation between Krishnagiri and Hosur during the morning hours (8AM-11AM)? Planning to drive back from Chennai to Bangalore on Sunday; but don't want to get stuck in this stretch. 6-laning work means that there are places where the road is only one lane in each direction, so I am assuming there will be long tailbacks.

Night or day, for the last 2 months the stretch from Perandapalli forest (15~kms from hosur enroute to krishnagiri) till athipalli (KA border toll gate) is witnessing the highest count of vehicles. It is mayhem any given time of the day and I can attribute it to both 6-laning work and summer holidays (vacation plans)!! It is crazy at both the entry and exit signals/junctions of hosur town, with traffic at times reaching the top of the flyover (approx 1Km long jams) in evenings for sure (mornings are a bit easy)...!

[Vizay]

Originally Posted by binand

Anyone with first-hand experience of the traffic situation between Krishnagiri and Hosur during the morning hours (8AM-11AM)? Planning to drive back from Chennai to Bangalore on Sunday; but don't want to get stuck in this stretch. 6-laning work means that there are places where the road is only one lane in each direction, so I am assuming there will be long tailbacks.

Just came back from Chennai today. Started at 7:15 ((Tambaram-> Vandalur -> Oragadam -> Siriperumpudur -> Blr via GQ) and reached E.City at 12:15.

This stretch from Krishnagiri to Bangalore border is one of the slowest.. no doubts.

I still see the impact owing to the slow climb of heavy vehicles in the hill section between Krishnagiri and Hosur and Hosur town traffic as two major drawback.

6 lane work just adds more fuel to the fire.

Apart from this stretch, In Vellore for about continuous 4-5 kms (In 2 long bridges), the GQ is a single road. (Strict single lane due to single side divided for both side traffic and the other side/bridge some tar laying work going on. Not sure if it's part of 6 lane work or general re-tarring)

There are n number of places between Chennai and Krishnagiri where 250m stretch diversions are marked where you come to left most service lane. In the main road, Some kind of box or something is being done. not sure. but it's many in numbers. (~10). Not a big impact as traffic was less.

[binand]

Originally Posted by Vizay

There are n number of places between Chennai and Krishnagiri where 250m stretch diversions are marked where you come to left most service lane. In the main road, Some kind of box or something is being done. not sure.

I had figured these were underpasses for local traffic to cross over without disturbing the GQ long distance traffic. If this is true, I laud the effort - the single biggest problem on the GQ is the local traffic (bikes, rickshaws, pickup vans etc.) all coming towards you on the wrong carriageway, because they have to make long detours if they were to do it the correct way.

[mpksuhas]

^^ I too think so since other reason will be for drainage for which there is no need to construct such huge ducts. However some places I saw the construction is not at village crossings but bit away from that.

[DWind]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

^^ I too think so since other reason will be for drainage for which there is no need to construct such huge ducts. However some places I saw the construction is not at village crossings but bit away from that.

Maybe because they would not be able to acquire enough land for the approach road to subways?
Currently these are badly needed in Ambur, Vellore and Arcot (Melvisharam).

[ajay2233]

@vizay
The road from Sriperambudur to vandalur is not fully laid and also there are some big stretches where conversion is still on with oncoming traffic.

Moreover , reaching sriperambudur from kancheepuram will see lot of traffic where as if u take the route through kancheepuram, you will spend a few extra minutes to drive through kancheepuram but the route after that will be a breeze.

In my personal opinion, I prefer consistent 4 lane or 2 lane rather than shifting between them as they are at times confusing and unfinished roads cropping up suddenly pulls down the pleasure of driving.

Originally Posted by Vizay

Oragadam to vandalur is not via singaperumal koil. Unless you want specifically drive 15 more Kms.
While coming from Sriperumpudur @Oragadam, you take left to reach Vandalur directly via Padappai. (17 kms) This road is very good and you reach GST in mins.

[Vizay]

Originally Posted by ajay2233

@vizay
Moreover , reaching sriperambudur from kancheepuram will see lot of traffic where as if u take the route through kancheepuram, you will spend a few extra minutes to drive through kancheepuram but the route after that will be a breeze.

I consider the siriperumpudur --> Oragadam --> Vandalur --> Tambaram as easy way to escape city particularly Poondamalle road. Also, the traffic is very less in this entire stretch.

Anyway thanks for pointing an alternative. Will try this next time. Will be glad to escape the patched road from kancheepuram --> Siriperumpudur. I have weekend trips almost every week.

[binand]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

However some places I saw the construction is not at village crossings but bit away from that.

My guess is that these are coming up at places where there are breaks in the median currently.

Originally Posted by Vizay

I consider the siriperumpudur --> Oragadam --> Vandalur --> Tambaram as easy way to escape city particularly Poondamalle road. Also, the traffic is very less in this entire stretch.

If the chaos in Poonamallee town (market+bus stand) is what worries you, you can take this route coming from Porur:

Mount Poonamalle High Road to NH 4 - Google Maps

This is about 2.5 km longer (which is a drop in the ocean in the larger scheme of things) and generally hassle-free.

Now for my trip report:

Yesterday (Sunday) we returned to Bangalore after spending part of the kids' summer vacations in Chennai. Two cars and a lot of luggage. I managed to convince my wife - partially because my brother-in-law also enthusiastically favoured it - to return via Chittoor.

Started at 4:45 AM from home (Kottivakkam). We were at the Chennasamudram toll booth at 6:10 (about 110 km). Spent about 20 minutes freshening up, nature-call breaks etc. Proceeded through Walajapet and Ranipet quickly, but got caught at the railway gate near Serkadu for about 10 minutes (a Tirupathi-Vellore passenger train went by). Reached Nandi Plaza (Bangarupalem, km: 177) at 7:35 AM, where we had breakfast - thanks to all the people who recommended the place. The break lasted a good 40 minutes, after which the small towns passed in quick succession (Bangarupalem, Palamneru, Pathikonda, Mulbagal). We hit the almost-toll road at Mulbagal - did not notice the time - and turned off it just beyond Hoskote (the road to Whitefield). Reached home (Marathahalli) at around 10:40 AM.

Total: 6 hours (1 hour breaks), 334 km on odo. A good 35 km less than the GQ route. Just the two tolls at Sriperumbudur and Chennasamudram. Very pleasant weather all throughout, with shady tree-lined roads. Quality of road is bad for a short stretch once you enter KA. The traffic on the 4-lane section is way less than the GQ equivalent (last 90km, say Krishnagiri-Bangalore). My second trip on this route, and I am all the more convinced that this is now the best option between Bangalore and Chennai.

[babu.sundaram]

When going from Bangalore to Chennai, Attibelle toll marks end of KA state and their responsible section. There is a board (somewhere around Hosur flyover) that "toll road starts", which is supposed to be maintained by NHAI. So, the stretch in between is no man's land and is promptly the road quality bad. (For that matter, this state continues for couple of KMs into NHAI!)

Am wondering why such a sectioning was done! (Leaving a stretch which could be maintained and tolled by someone!).

[binand]

Originally Posted by babu.sundaram

When going from Bangalore to Chennai, Attibelle toll marks end of KA state and their responsible section. There is a board (somewhere around Hosur flyover) that "toll road starts", which is supposed to be maintained by NHAI. So, the stretch in between is no man's land and is promptly the road quality bad. (For that matter, this state continues for couple of KMs into NHAI!)

Am wondering why such a sectioning was done! (Leaving a stretch which could be maintained and tolled by someone!).

The KA-TN border is not the toll booth, but is a little distance further down the road towards Hosur (it is a small bridge over a rivulet).

That board is a red herring; the road leading up to that point is also obviously a toll road. The entire GQ and NS & EW corridors (Mumbai Chennai GQ and the NS corridor overlap between Bangalore and Krishnagiri) are maintained by (contractors appointed by) NHAI.

The road quality is bad primarily because of (in my view) the TN Sales Tax checkpost in the area you mention; several hundred trucks park on the road and undertake complicated maneuvers in the area, thereby damaging the road. In contrast, the Sales Tax checkpost on the KA side has its own parking area and appears to be much better organized.

[rajshenoy]

Hey guys

Planning to drive down to Chennai this weekend from CV Raman nagar(near Old madras road)

Is it advisable to take Old madras road via chittoor or better to go through the usual Hosur-krishnagiri route ?

Few questions

Is the KR Puram-Mulabagal toll road complete ? what kind of traffic can i expect on this route ?

I need to hit Tambaram to be precise. Last time in december, i went through the Chennai city via poonamalee high road and took a turn on Chennai bypass.

Is the Sriperumbudur-tambaram stretch in a good condition now ?

Edit:

Read about siriperumpudur --> Oragadam --> Vandalur --> Tambaram route.
But what are the chances of hitting chennai traffic if i reach Chennai city at around 8-9PM on a saturday ? if the traffic wont be much, i would like to stick to the map shown my google

[NPV]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Hey guys
Planning to drive down to Chennai this weekend from CV Raman nagar(near Old madras road)
Is it advisable to take Old madras road via chittoor or better to go through the usual Hosur-krishnagiri route ?
Few questions
Is the KR Puram-Mulabagal toll road complete ? what kind of traffic can i expect on this route ?

Given that the GQ stretch from Krishnagiri is being widended (have also heard and read a lot about shoulders not being present in many places, accidents, etc recently) I would suggest taking the Kolar-Mulbagal route. 4 laning work is complete from KR Puram till Mulbagal and in very good condition. After that it's a good road though without median (dual carriageway). Since you live so close to Old Madras Road, you can get on to this road easily. After Chittoor anyways you will turn right and go back to the GQ route to Chennai. I haven't been to Chennai recently but used the Mulbagal route to go to Tirupati twice recently and last I know toll collection has not yet begun on this route.
The kind of traffic you can expect mostly depends on the time you start (earlier the better).

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by NPV

Given that the GQ stretch from Krishnagiri is being widended (have also heard and read a lot about shoulders not being present in many places, accidents, etc recently) I would suggest taking the Kolar-Mulbagal route. 4 laning work is complete from KR Puram till Mulbagal and in very good condition. After that it's a good road though without median (dual carriageway). Since you live so close to Old Madras Road, you can get on to this road easily. After Chittoor anyways you will turn right and go back to the GQ route to Chennai. I haven't been to Chennai recently but used the Mulbagal route to go to Tirupati twice recently and last I know toll collection has not yet begun on this route.
The kind of traffic you can expect mostly depends on the time you start (earlier the better).

I am looking at post lunch start to reach chennai for dinner. And yes i am inclined towards taking kolar route now. Will update road conditions once I travel

[ampere]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

I am looking at post lunch start to reach chennai for dinner. And yes i am inclined towards taking kolar route now. Will update road conditions once I travel

Post lunch you should see lot of truck and cross road traffic. But I think as NPV said it is still better to take the Kolar route. Because you still will not fly by the word on the Krishnagiri route. (Though you still can do decent average in this sector as well.)