[binand]

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

Has anyone tried the route Chennai-Katpadi-Gudiyattam-Pernampattu-Mulbagal-Bangalore?
With road widening and construction is on with the regular routes, this may become a better alternative if the road condition is good. I am particularly interested to know the condition of road between Katpadi-Gudiyattam-Pernampattu-Mulbagal.

The road widening is a hassle now in Hosur town and Sriperumbudur-Vellore mostly. For the former the Bagalur approach is supposed to work, and the latter, there is no viable solution at the moment.

I have done the Gudiyattam-Palamneru route once; it was really a beautiful drive (except the first 10 km; from GQ to Gudiyattam). The road is a bit narrow though but it good condition. Gudiyattam-Mulbagal I think is not as good as this one.

[denver85]

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

Has anyone tried the route Chennai-Katpadi-Gudiyattam-Pernampattu-Mulbagal-Bangalore?
With road widening and construction is on with the regular routes, this may become a better alternative if the road condition is good. I am particularly interested to know the condition of road between Katpadi-Gudiyattam-Pernampattu-Mulbagal.

I have done the Palamaner-Gudiyattam-Pallikonda route in Jan 2013. Decent route through forest. The conditions are available here: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3018044

[binand]

Came across this article:

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...cle5013115.ece

The comments below the article ought to be debated widely, I think.

[Desmodromic]

I drove to Bangalore from Chennai for the August 3rd-4th weekend in my laura. We had decided to take the Chitoor road due to the 6-laning work on the krishnagiri route(GQ).

Just as i crossed into AP after Ranipet, I found 200+ trucks parked near the checkpost, but as i saw cars still plying i continued, I then saw another huge cluster of trucks parked at the Chitoor check post but since cars were still plying i continued. Then at Bangarapalayam, there were a larger number of trucks parked(500+) and as i attempted to continue going, I saw boulders on the road and then trees lying across with a shamiana tent in the middle of the road. Found out from locals standing there that it was a whole day protest against the bifurcation of Andhra, i then didnt ask too much, turned around and drove back to vellore to hop on to the GQ.

Ranipet-vellore is 20 km, i ended up with an extra 120km on my odo.

The drive to bangalore took me 7.5 hrs, the longest i have ever taken to Bangalore.

Therefore on my return on Monday, i didnt take chances with the old road, just took the GQ and weathered the road work

[deepakchan]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Is the Mcdonalds near shoolagiri opened 24 hours? Or any other joints in this stretch? I am planning to do a early morning start(from bangalore) by 2:00 AM next week and hence would like to have this information. I will be driving towards Kanyakumari/Nagercoil

Yes it is open 24 hours. I've had my breakfast combo at 5.30am in the morning.

[aneezan]

Drove from Chennai to Bangalore on 24th August, Saturday. Started at about 8:00 AM from Madipakkam. Took the Chittoor route, only to regret it.
The traffic at Wallajahpet and Ranipet was not a huge dampener. It was bad, but manouevered through the numerous cyclists, bikes and pedestrians on the road only to be stopped at the Checkpost right after Ranipet.

There were about 10 trucks parked before the checkpost. As i neared, was flagged by a policeman to stop and return. It was bandh day in Andhra. While I was deliberating whether to argue with him, a number of "rowdy" like men got off from a Sumo parked nearby and waved me to back-off.
By this time, my wife was shit scared. Didn't utter a word to the police, reversed and returned to the GQ.
Ended up with another 80 to 90 Kms on the odometer. More than that, it was the frustration.

Reached bangalore at about 4:30PM. Was a very long and tiring journey.

Heads-up for anyone planning to take the Chittoor route, you will be probably stopped at the Andhra border. During these uncertain days in A.P, advise you to stick to the GQ.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by aneezan

Drove from Chennai to Bangalore on 24th August, Saturday. Started at about 8:00 AM from Madipakkam. Took the Chittoor route, only to regret it.

I drove from Chennai to Bangalore on 25th and it took exact 6hours with one hour brake @Saravana Bhavan, Vellore. Despite 4L/toll road, the condition of the road is bad till vellore. I thought of taking the chittor route, but decided against it at the last moment.

So, you also drove from Nagercoil to Chennai?

[aneezan]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

...
So, you also drove from Nagercoil to Chennai?

Yes Arun. I drove from Nagercoil to Chennai on Wednesday, 21st Aug. Had 2 days work in Chennai. Then Chennai to Bangalore on Saturday. Surprising that our route plans were the same, without knowing it.

I should have stuck to the 4L, instead of branching off at Wallajahpet towards Chittoor. Cost me about 1.5 hours and some fuel. Most of all, the frustration.

[prabhuferrari]

How is the bottleneck at Karnataka-TN border? Has the rode been widened or is the work still in progress?

[denver85]

Originally Posted by prabhuferrari

How is the bottleneck at Karnataka-TN border? Has the rode been widened or is the work still in progress?

It's still the same mess. You need to spent spent at least 15 minutes to cross this if you are traveling towards Hosur. Towards Bangalore, the condition is not bad always. It's better to take the Bagalur-Sarjapur route if you are planning to reach South/East part of Bangalore.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by denver85

It's still the same mess. You need to spent spent at least 15 minutes to cross this if you are traveling towards Hosur. Towards Bangalore, the condition is not bad always. It's better to take the Bagalur-Sarjapur route if you are planning to reach South/East part of Bangalore.

Hold on to this route for some more time. It surely is the best option. But thanks to the railway flyover construction at Decathlon, crossing that location via Carmelaram is a pain.

[prabhuferrari]

Originally Posted by ampere

Hold on to this route for some more time. It surely is the best option. But thanks to the railway flyover construction at Decathlon, crossing that location via Carmelaram is a pain.

I will be coming from Sahakar nagar in north bangalore. Route i planned to take was Thindlu-Jalahalli-bagalkunte-hesarghatta cross- NICE road - Attibele-Hosur. I take this route since the ORR is a mess due to the flyover construction near the railway lines closer to Yeshwantpur. It takes me 30 mins to touch NICE Road and maybe an hour max to reach Attibele. Will Sarjapur road be better? Nagavara is a pain.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by prabhuferrari

I will be coming from Sahakar nagar in north bangalore. Route i planned to take was Thindlu-Jalahalli-bagalkunte-hesarghatta cross- NICE road - Attibele-Hosur. I take this route since the ORR is a mess due to the flyover construction near the railway lines closer to Yeshwantpur. It takes me 30 mins to touch NICE Road and maybe an hour max to reach Attibele. Will Sarjapur road be better? Nagavara is a pain.

I know Nagavara is a pain, but if you are starting early morning say 6AM it should be OK. Its early by Nagvara standards, but late for Nh7 !

So it may still be worth it.
Sahakar Nagar-Hebbal-KR Puram-ITPL Road - NH207 Y Junction - Chikka Tirupathi - Sarjapur - Baglur - Hosur.

Route Link

This option would help avoid the flyover part as well.

[prabhuferrari]

Originally Posted by ampere

I know Nagavara is a pain, but if you are starting early morning say 6AM it should be OK. Its early by Nagvara standards, but late for Nh7 !

So it may still be worth it.
Sahakar Nagar-Hebbal-KR Puram-ITPL Road - NH207 Y Junction - Chikka Tirupathi - Sarjapur - Baglur - Hosur.

This option would help avoid the flyover part as well.

I am actually leaving by 3 to 3.30 PM in the afternoon. Will it be fine then? I can take jakkur route and bypass Nagavara also if this route will save me significant amount of time

[ampere]

Originally Posted by prabhuferrari

I am actually leaving by 3 to 3.30 PM in the afternoon. Will it be fine then? I can take jakkur route and bypass Nagavara also if this route will save me significant amount of time

On working day you would spend a max of 10 minutes in there if you are at Nagavara between 3 and 3:30. Once in a while there are jams but most cases you can cross within 10 minutes. Make sure that at the Nagvara signal you cross through the stretch which is on the left of the ramp. (The one which extends from the Manyta side of it.) Add another 5-10 for KR Puram thanks to slow moving traffic. But I would say it still is worth it. Once you cross ITPL, No traffic till Hosur.

Also which is the Jakkur path to cross Nagavara? You mean hitting the Nagavara signal by Nagavara road (you come behind Manyata?). If yes I would say not worth it. Take the regular ORR.