[VW2010]

OMR is your best option.

From OMR to Mulbagal - Its a smooth 4 lane road where you wont waste any time anywhere at all. You can actually do a leisurely 100 or more and cover this distance with peace of mind.

From Mulbagal there are two ways to go. Either through Venkatagirikota and Gudiyatham or through Chittoor/

I took the chittoor route when i came to Bangalore. But i am planning to take the Venkatagirikota road while i am going back

The Chittoor route was traffic prone and areas like Palamane, Chittoor, Ranipet and worst if you get into wallajahroad you will crawl in these areas.

Your idea is to reach vellore from OMR by the less traffic means. From Shyam above it does appear the Venkatagirikota is less traffic prone.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by VW2010

Your idea is to reach vellore from OMR by the less traffic means. From Shyam above it does appear the Venkatagirikota is less traffic prone.

But then there are no hotels till Vellore. That is another aspect to note.
Hardly any places to break.

[VW2010]

But then there are no hotels till Vellore. That is another aspect to note.
Hardly any places to break.

There are quite a few Dhaba's if not coffedays in this route. And you may hardly want to take a break in this road for if its similar to the chittoor Mulbagal road, its just fun to drive.

There are quite a few Dhabas along the Chittoor to Mulbagal.

[vnk77]

I need suggestions on route to covelong beach near Chennai. Where should I take diversion on the GQ?

[DWind]

For Covelong (Kovalam) would suggest the following route

Sriperumbadur - Oragadam (SH 57) - take left to Vandalur - join GST (NH 45) take right towards Vandalur zoo , Urapakkam - left turn immediately next to Vandalur bus stand/zoo for the road to Kelambakkam - take right and left immediately to reach Covelong after crossing the ECR.

[VW2010]

The Mulbagal and Venkatagirikota road update

As shyam said this is a traffic free road. Hardly you will face delay because of traffic.

Mulbagal - Junction where 95 meets 75(SH)

This road is not bad and a 65+ road. Has very mediocre traffic and mostly two wheelers. Road is not too broad but rarely you get of the road for opposite traffic. Almost feels like driving through the forest for you are surrounded by trees and greens.

Junction 95/75 - Venkatagirikota -

This is slightly the worst kind of road Shyam mentioned. Its hardly few kms and may be few stretches are bad. Otherwise smooth moving as it is.Road is still one laner or the 90's two laner in other words.

Venkatagirikota - Peranampattu.

The first few kms till Hanuman temple is just the slight wider single lane with may be countable bad spots. But the road is easilly 80kmph road with zero(exaggeration) traffic.

Starting at Hanuman Temple - You are set for one of the best roads to drive your sedan. I travelled at night and light was a great source to see on coming traffic. This road is winding, brilliant hair pins and some of the best drives you can ever do. I still recommend night driving for the light helps you spot the vehicle. Else this is a blinder of a drive where you cannot know or judge whats ahead of you. I thoroughly enjoyed my jetta for the first time for i was doing the curves at "fairly" great speeds and can only smile every time i passed a unknown curve. I had no clue about the terrain or the roads. Roads are spotless and beautiful laid single + half laner. Later i realise i was a little stupid to drive at that speed that after a dozen curves i realised i was doing some hair pin. Check the map at the below location and zoom in. You will know what i am talking about.

Venkatagirikota, Andhra Pradesh, India to Peranampattu, Tamil Nadu, India - Google Maps

From Peranampattu - Gudiyatham - Fantastic roads. Again a single lane but slightly wider. Mild traffic and lots of village. No point zipping in these areas. Take it easy and enjoy the drive through.

From Gudiyatham - i took the route of Palikonda to reach the GQ before Vellore. Its a two lane road again going through different villages but has no traffic as well. I wanted to hit GQ to gain some time to reach home before 11.

Overall i would pick this route if you want to enjoy your ride.

Started at 6:00 from Back gate of Manyata Business park
Reached Mulbagal around 7:15
Two hours of unknown roads and fun and i reached vellore around 930 ish.

Reach Perungalathur at 11:05. May be the last stretch was done at around 100kmph average.

If you dont want those boring GQ drives but want to enjoy some winding roads just doing a bangalore - Chennai trip, please take this road. And overall you wont lose much time. I did bangalore to chennai in 5hours considering i started from close to Hebbal

[narayans80]

How are roads from Gudiyatham to Palamaner ? I don't think I need to go all the way to Venkatagirikota to get to Palamaner. I have vague rememberance that prabhuferrari did this route. Anyone have recent experiences?

Originally Posted by VW2010

Junction 95/75 - Venkatagirikota -

This is slightly the worst kind of road Shyam mentioned. Its hardly few kms and may be few stretches are bad. Otherwise smooth moving as it is.Road is still one laner or the 90's two laner in other words.

How bad is this to do at night?

[prabhuferrari]

Originally Posted by narayans80

How are roads from Gudiyatham to Palamaner ? I don't think I need to go all the way to Venkatagirikota to get to Palamaner. I have vague rememberance that prabhuferrari did this route. Anyone have recent experiences?

How bad is this to do at night?

That's a good road. 70% of the road was relaid and work happening in remaining stretch. Can maintain 60-80 speeds easily.

[dhuli]

Originally Posted by vnk77

I need suggestions on route to covelong beach near Chennai. Where should I take diversion on the GQ?

Been on this route several times. I have settled on the same route that DWind recommends too. Here is the google map NH 4 to Kelambakkam, Tamil Nadu - Google Maps

What I will add is - just as you enter the Sriperumbudur (flat landscape with lots of factories/industrial area), keep driving till you see Nokia on your right (if you are driving towards Chennai that is). You will also see a small sign saying Tambaram-right arrow on your left. Move to the right most lane close to divider so you dont miss the median break. You will need to turn right at this junction, to get off NH4. The Nokia factory is at the corner, so once you turn right off NH4, you will again keep going on a short bad patch along the Nokia wall. Road goes to Chengalpattu and is a good 4 lane.

After some 14Km look for Apollo tyres factory on your left. Again, like Nokia factory, this is a corner. You need to take a left at Apollo (Oragadam). There is a flyover being constructed here. The roads around it are a mess. It clears up soon. Drive another14-15km till you hit Vandalur. There is a new flyover here. On the flyover go clockwise towards your right so that you are going away from Tambaram and towards Chengalpattu/Trichy. This is the busy, but moving NH45.

Once you see the Vandalur Zoo on your left (stone wall), there is a traffic signal, where you take a left to Kelambakkam. Though this is 4 lane, it is not exactly a great road - potholes, local traffic and criss-crossing pedestrians, bikes, not to mention parked vehicles. Eventually you will hit Old Mahabalipuram road. Take a right and shortly (50m) after that another left. This is shorter and is a toll road. Soon you will hit ECR at Kelambakkam. Pay your toll. Covelong is within 2km of this point...depending on where you are going in this area. Fisherman's cove is to the left, Mahabalipuram is to the right on ECR.

[vnk77]

So is the GQ route that bad that I should avoid it completely? I see no one recommending it at all. Only reason is I am little more familiar with this route and for this trip I don't want to experiment.

[rameshnanda]

Originally Posted by vnk77

So is the GQ route that bad that I should avoid it completely? I see no one recommending it at all. Only reason is I am little more familiar with this route and for this trip I don't want to experiment.

There is nothing to be apprehensive about it. True that 6 laning work is on but still the diversions are well tarred and marked. Nothing to worry about. This will still be the quickest. But, personally, I would prefer to use the Kolar route.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vnk77

So is the GQ route that bad that I should avoid it completely? I see no one recommending it at all. Only reason is I am little more familiar with this route and for this trip I don't want to experiment.

Its not bad. Just that its good to cover this route during the day time. And surely you cant to very high speeds, thanks to the diversions.

[shankar.balan]

In the late eighties this was a peaceful rural sylvan sort of road. We have ridden on it many times on motor cycles while at College and in the first few years of working life in the early nineties!
Amazing to read this now. I haven't even thought of those roads in all these years and suddenly am realizing the extent of development that has taken place in that region!

Around that general region there was another beautiful quiet and sylvan place called Pallikaranai not too far off from Kelambakkam etc. Many migratory birds used to come there and I remember going with a few experts years ago and enjoying the sight.
I passed by this area around 7 to 8 months ago and by God - I observed a great big humongous rubbish dump where perhaps a very large amount of waste from the city of Madras and its surroundings is being dumped. Gone are the migratory birds. Gone are the sylvan surroundings.
All we see around is the evidence of filth, greed, avarice and the misery created by Human Beings!

Originally Posted by dhuli

Been on this route several times. I have settled on the same route that DWind recommends too. Here is the google map NH 4 to Kelambakkam, Tamil Nadu - Google Maps

What I will add is - just as you enter the Sriperumbudur (flat landscape with lots of factories/industrial area), keep driving till you see Nokia on your right (if you are driving towards Chennai that is). You will also see a small sign saying Tambaram-right arrow on your left. Move to the right most lane close to divider so you dont miss the median break. You will need to turn right at this junction, to get off NH4. The Nokia factory is at the corner, so once you turn right off NH4, you will again keep going on a short bad patch along the Nokia wall. Road goes to Chengalpattu and is a good 4 lane.

After some 14Km look for Apollo tyres factory on your left. Again, like Nokia factory, this is a corner. You need to take a left at Apollo (Oragadam). There is a flyover being constructed here. The roads around it are a mess. It clears up soon. Drive another14-15km till you hit Vandalur. There is a new flyover here. On the flyover go clockwise towards your right so that you are going away from Tambaram and towards Chengalpattu/Trichy. This is the busy, but moving NH45.

Once you see the Vandalur Zoo on your left (stone wall), there is a traffic signal, where you take a left to Kelambakkam. Though this is 4 lane, it is not exactly a great road - potholes, local traffic and criss-crossing pedestrians, bikes, not to mention parked vehicles. Eventually you will hit Old Mahabalipuram road. Take a right and shortly (50m) after that another left. This is shorter and is a toll road. Soon you will hit ECR at Kelambakkam. Pay your toll. Covelong is within 2km of this point...depending on where you are going in this area. Fisherman's cove is to the left, Mahabalipuram is to the right on ECR.

[narayans80]

shankar balan, you might want to check this thread

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by narayans80

shankar balan, you might want to check this thread

Very nice thanks!
I do know a lot of those areas since I studied in Madras for College and worked there for several years before re locating.
Places like the Raj Bhavan, Guindy National Park, Madras Christian College Campus, IIT Campus and of course the Theosophical Society etc are the last remnants of an once beautiful city.
The rest of it,like everywhere else reeks of rank commercialization and greed!