[ampere]

Originally Posted by Jammy70

Is it a good option to take the Chittoor route for a change, if I am leaving Chennai around 11am? Your advise will be helpful.

Thats the best time to leave Chennai so that you are in BLR by 5PM.
During this I typically dont see major traffic.

Also Chitoor route is very good. Many CCDs on the way too! In fact much more than on Hosur route!

[Jammy70]

Thanks, ampere. One more little help: I am quite clueless about where to turn off on the GQ to get on to the Chittoor route while coming from Chennai, since there have been lot of developments over the years. Can you give me directions with something to look out for - say, a bridge or hospital or such landmark - where I should make the turn?

[binand]

Originally Posted by Jammy70

I am quite clueless about where to turn off on the GQ to get on to the Chittoor route while coming from Chennai

The easiest is to take the route through Walajapet. For this, take the right turn after the SECOND toll booth from Chennai (the first is Sriperumbudur, the second is Chennasamudram). After this toll booth, about about 1.5 km further down the road, you will see a flyover only in the direction towards Chennai. The road towards Bangalore will stay at ground level. Keep to the right lane here, and take the right turn underneath the flyover. This road is the classic NH4 continuation and leads to Bangalore via the towns of Walajapet, Ranipet, Chittoor and so on. I'd guess the trip meter would read about 85 km from Poonamallee.

Google Maps link of the interchange: http://goo.gl/maps/L6Zc2

The town of Walajapet can be a problem, but perhaps not during the time you mention.

[prabhuferrari]

Thanks for the tips. Had a smooth drive to chennai via GQ


Left MG Road at 3.05 PM
Silk board at 3.25 PM
Krishnagiri after the many take diversions at 4.40 PM
Vellore Aryas at 6.20 PM for a half hour break. Started at 6.50 PM
Nokia sriperumbudur at 8.25 and Velachery via tambaram at 9.10 PM

Really stress free.

Roads are bad inside Hosur. There are diversions but most places the three lane is open albeit with no shoulder. Once you turn left at Krishnagiri after first few Kms it's very good. In face some of the best stretches are between ambur and pallikonda. Excellent to drive.

Hope in an years time GQ will be back to its best with no diversions. We can dream of chennai bangalore in 4 hours then?(Too optimistic)

Oh yes, thanks to the odd starting time didn't spend more than couple of minutes at the toll gate. Planning to return by Sunday afternoon from chennai. Might go by the chitoor route as am not sure of the toll waiting times on Sunday evening at Krishnagiri and attibele.

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by binand

The easiest is to take the route through Walajapet. For this, take the right turn after the SECOND toll booth from Chennai (the first is Sriperumbudur, the second is Chennasamudram). After this toll booth, about about 1.5 km further down the road, you will see a flyover only in the direction towards Chennai. The road towards Bangalore will stay at ground level. Keep to the right lane here, and take the right turn underneath the flyover. This road is the classic NH4 continuation and leads to Bangalore via the towns of Walajapet, Ranipet, Chittoor and so on. I'd guess the trip meter would read about 85 km from Poonamallee.

Google Maps link of the interchange: http://goo.gl/maps/L6Zc2

The town of Walajapet can be a problem, but perhaps not during the time you mention.

The worst sign board would be here. Such a small board, with even smaller font mentioning the direction of Bangalore and Chitoor. I wish they make it bold and hang it on the top as in other places. Will be very helpful. Who should we highlight this? NHAI?

[gajadonga]

Originally Posted by prabhuferrari

Thanks for the tips. Had a smooth drive to chennai via GQ

Nokia sriperumbudur at 8.25 and Velachery via tambaram at 9.10 PM

Which route did you take from Nokia Sriperambadur to Tambaram.
45mins from Sriperambadur to Velachery is pretty good time.

[prabhuferrari]

Originally Posted by gajadonga

Which route did you take from Nokia Sriperambadur to Tambaram.
45mins from Sriperambadur to Velachery is pretty good time.

Sriperumbudur kolathur manimangalam tambaram medavakkam Velachery. To my luck there was 0 traffic till where I join mudichur road, and route was clear from tambaram to Velachery, all signals green. It was my lucky day I guess as even MG Road to silk board in less than 30 minutes was magic!

[Jammy70]

Originally Posted by binand

The easiest is to take the route through Walajapet. For this, take the right turn after the SECOND toll booth from Chennai (the first is Sriperumbudur, the second is Chennasamudram). After this toll booth, about about 1.5 km further down the road, you will see a flyover only in the direction towards Chennai. The road towards Bangalore will stay at ground level. Keep to the right lane here, and take the right turn underneath the flyover. This road is the classic NH4 continuation and leads to Bangalore via the towns of Walajapet, Ranipet, Chittoor and so on. I'd guess the trip meter would read about 85 km from Poonamallee.

Google Maps link of the interchange: http://goo.gl/maps/L6Zc2

The town of Walajapet can be a problem, but perhaps not during the time you mention.

Thanks binand, that's superb directions! If I get lost after this, I should stop driving, I suppose

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Jammy70

Thanks, ampere. One more little help: I am quite clueless about where to turn off on the GQ to get on to the Chittoor route while coming from Chennai, since there have been lot of developments over the years. Can you give me directions with something to look out for - say, a bridge or hospital or such landmark - where I should make the turn?

Originally Posted by binand

The easiest is to take the route through Walajapet. For this, take the right turn after the SECOND toll booth from Chennai (the first is Sriperumbudur, the second is Chennasamudram).

Way to counter check:
If you are on the Palar bridge, you missed it.

Apart from getting to Walajah, you also get into Ranipet and get to NH4.
But not confuse you, I would say as binand said, go with Walajah directions.

[Vid6639]

Took the Chitoor route back from Chennai and did not find it that great. It has close to 150kms of single lane roads from the time you leave the GQ till you hit mulbagal.

On my way to Chennai, I took the hosur, Krishnagiri stretch and while there are a few diversions the roads are good and one can keep a steady pace.

The Chittoor route on the other hand is more tiring because of frequent braking for slow trucks or crazy state transport buses that overtake on blind curves. Had a couple of scary moments that required me to drop 2 wheels of the road.

Left from Sarjapur road at 8:30am. Stopped for breakfast at McDonald's for 20mins then straight to Nungabakkam. Reached by 2:30PM.

In comparison the return I started from 11:15AM, stopped for lunch just after the Poonamalie bypass at 12:30PM for 30mins. Reached the second toll by 2:15PM. The stretch from Walajah to Mulbagal till the 4 lane starts took more than 3 hours to cover (around 130kms).

I guess if your driving on offdays and not weekends, the Krishnagiri road still makes the best option.

The Chittoor route should be taken when you know you will get stuck in traffic at Hosur/Krishnagiri or at toll booths. Else there's no point in taking it since it puts more stress on man and machine. Even passengers get uncomfortable with freuqent braking and acceleration.

[VW2010]

The Chittoor route should be taken when you know you will get stuck in traffic at Hosur/Krishnagiri or at toll booths. Else there's no point in taking it since it puts more stress on man and machine. Even passengers get uncomfortable with freuqent braking and acceleration.

That is exactly the reason why we avoid this whole stretch and use a little of GQ and a little of one lane road.

The Mulbagal to Palamaner is actually a little free flowing with minimal intrusive towns. From Palamaner to Pallikonda, its virtually a free road with so much fun to drive zones.

From Pallikonda just hit GQ and go towards Chennai. Even in pallakonda avoid going towards ranipet or interior to save one Toll.

Instead hit GQ and go towards chennai.

From Pallikonda to Palamenar its 1 hr and from Palamaner to mulbagal on a slightly rainy day it took a max of 1 hr.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

I guess if your driving on offdays and not weekends, the Krishnagiri road still makes the best option.

- If one is in South is in Bangalore, then yes, Chitoor is not a good option. The gain you get in time is negated by time you to drive through Bangalore traffic
- The only bad part of GQ is Krishnagiri-Bangalore. On a bad day this 100km can take even more than 3 hours.
- If one times it well, one should still take the GQ esp. for South Bangalore
- Chitoor side has a ghat section, which many times gives scary moments
- When I came last month via Chitoor, traffic was pretty smooth (I started by around 10:30/11).
- But I realized as I said earlier all the time saved from tolls, were spent wading through Bangalore roads.

[Jammy70]

So I am back from my 955km drive which started at 2pm on 19th and the Chennai - Blr drive was the last stretch. Unfortunately, couldn't leave Chennai as intended at 11-ish, and by the time I left Porur, it was 1.45pm. Yet, I took the Chittoor route and here are my comments:

- Porur to KR Puram was exactly 5 hours, including a 20 minute break at Adiga's at Kolar. Now, I may have got lucky as the traffic was fairly thin today, except for a few long trailer trucks and a few state transport buses. Even the poonamalee-Sriperumbadur stretch was very peaceful. Note: I was within a max speed of 100kmph, as I was also trying to track my mileage too.
- except for a few stretches, it is difficult to maintain even 80kmph on the Ranipet-Mulbagal stretch with frequent braking required.
- since I hit KR Puram bang in the middle of rush hour traffic, took me another 1.15 hours to get home (HSR Layout); got home at 8pm sharp. However, I thought that wasn't too bad and the only major bottle neck was near the last incomplete flyover (Belandur). Also trouble with getting on to ORR from the KRPuram bridge.
- as vid6639 said, I too felt this is a good route only for a change of scenery and you have time on your hands. If you are keen to get to B'lore ASAP, you will have many moments where your heart will be in your mouth! I had 3 such occasions, even though I was in no hurry! It's amazing to observe that none of the idiots who drive those long trucks have the courtesy to signal asking you to go through/ wave you down while you are attempting to overtake them. So you are perpetually playing a guessing game, with so many half curves on this road.
- Road surface is great right through and the Mulbagal-Hoskote 4 lane is just bliss. I was able to maintain a steady speed of 90-100 right through this stretch; no sudden braking, no madcap running across the road, no cyclists coming in your direction, etc
- plenty of options for refreshments right through - from CCDs to veg and non-veg and tea stalls...
- Personally, I was taking this route after a gap of 5- 6 years. Happy to see the Palmaner Ghats and some of my favourite driving sections still are the same.

Other significant details: car- 3 month old Honda City, now due for the 5k service. Average mileage as per the contraption on the dashboard: 16.5kmpl. Point to be noted here: till Mulbagal, the average was around 16.3 and it increased marginally due to the smooth drive on the 4 lane stretch. AC was on right through the journey.

Thanks once again to ampere and binand for the route inputs; the info was absolutely spot on - as always on TeamBHP!

[prabhuferrari]

There is a new restaurant 'Sangeethas' right after the second toll gate from chennai on the left side. Not sure if it is the Sangeethas group of chennai. Should be another good option for stopover as Ranipet doesn't have much options. Also there is a new AC hotel(not sure if there is a restaurant) called Anands some 2 to 3 kms before HP Petrol pump/CCD/New Arya Bhavan near pallikonda. Talking about Arya Bhavan, the service road is being constructed. So keep left around 1 km before HP petrol pump. You need to take the service road to enter this. The entry opposite HP pump is closed now.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Jammy70

Thanks once again to ampere and binand for the route inputs; the info was absolutely spot on - as always on TeamBHP!

The other solution is not take the ORR, but immediately after the toll booth take the SH35 (also called the Varthur road) and come via Varthur road,
Dommasandra and Sarjapur road. It should not take more than three quarters of an hour to reach Silk board from here.