[vigneshA]

Originally Posted by harikr

Hello All,
I also support this. During my travels from Chennai to Bangalore and Mysore, I always used to take the Manimangalam route. Oragadam junction can be a bottle neck at times during the evenings. The staff buses from all the industries there and the trucks carrying rocks and sand from the quarries in walajabad normally causes block there (Especially at the U-Turns). This was a few months back, but now the conditions might have changed if the flyover is open. So my suggestion is to take the Manimangalam route if flyover constructions are not over and you are travelling in the office peak times. Just be careful about the points DWind suggested. There is a good chance that you miss the turn to that road itself.

The flyover at Oragadam is open on one-side but permits traffic both ways in that one side.
If you are going to Sripreumbudur from Chennai - you'll have to get down at the flyover - take left and take U-turn at the Nissan and then continue straight. However this is not adding any significant delays like earlier times due to opening of the flyover partially.
On teh way back - we can take left and no extra effort /distance needed.
The Oragadam to Sriperumbudhur is 4 laned completely and 6 laning is in progress. This i believe is part of next OORR road thats proposed.

[harikr]

Originally Posted by vigneshA

The flyover at Oragadam is open on one-side but permits traffic both ways in that one side.
If you are going to Sripreumbudur from Chennai - you'll have to get down at the flyover - take left and take U-turn at the Nissan and then continue straight. However this is not adding any significant delays like earlier times due to opening of the flyover partially.
On teh way back - we can take left and no extra effort /distance needed.
The Oragadam to Sriperumbudhur is 4 laned completely and 6 laning is in progress. This i believe is part of next OORR road thats proposed.

Wow, that's a great news. Thank you @vigneshA for this update. So you can save atleast good 30 -40min in that route now. With the flyover open, the route via oragadam is better. Its faster, no confusion about where to turn, and no narrow roads. Also, if I remember correctly the point where it joins the GQ is having a free left to the service road, and from there you can get into the main highway easily (when you go from Chennai).

[gkrishn]

driving down to chennai for visa appointment with us consulate. checking in at courtyard teynampet on mount road. what is the best route to get to this place?

will be starting at 6am from bangalore. looks like i have to take poonamale-porur-kathipara to reach mount road. how is the traffic on this road? is there any better option?

[hamster]

Poonamallee-Porur-Kathipara would be the best option and relatively traffic free for you to reach your destination. a 6AM start would mean that you should reach Poonamallee only by 11 and hopefully, the peak hour traffic should have subsidised by that time. All the other options would be much traffic prone. Please be aware about that the metro constuction is going on in the entire Mount Road stretch all the way from Kathipara to Courtyard and beyond.

[gkrishn]

i didnt know about the construction activity in mount road. will try budget in the delay.

on the return trip, it will be from sholinganallur. will this route be a better option?
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/12.9...12.8926364!3e0

[DWind]

@GKrishn,
The route marked is the shortest option to NH4 from Shols. The traffic depends on what time you are starting because you need to be careful if you are taking Manimangalam route during dark for a first timer on the route. Please be careful in the single lane road stretch and try to not go over 70 KMPH as there are many surprises. Please refer to my previous post of things you need to look out for.

[binand]

Did Bangalore-Chennai yesterday. Started from home at 3PM, but was clear of Hosur only by 4:30 PM. Reached Ranipet (Samudram toll) at 7 PM. Then onwards it was a slow-ish crawl. Sriperumbudur toll was at 8 PM and Poonamallee at 8:30 PM. Home (after a stop at Besant Nagar to pick up dinner) was at 9:30 PM.

- The first flyover in Hosur (starts immediately after you enter in TN) is now open to traffic. Sadly, none of the remaining ones in Hosur look as if they'd be completed this year.

- There is a stretch of two lanes (one lane in each direction) between Ambur and Pallikonda - the stretch where the road runs parallel to the Bangalore-Chennai railway line. It goes on for a couple of kilometres and can be a bottleneck.

- But generally, the road surface is great now.

- Saw several scorpios and other SUVs carry political parties' flags driving very slowly. Couldn't understand why initially (these types usually throw their weights around on roads). Then figured they are accompanying trucks carrying sand, in a sort of convoy fashion (one SUV, 3-4 trucks, another SUV). Builder-politician nexus? Sand mafia?

- Once you cross Samudram toll, boy - what a mess! I am reminded of the scene in Shaan where Sunil Dutt is kidnapped. :-)

- Took me 45 minutes from Poonamallee till Besant Nagar via Porur, Guindy, Madhya Kailas, OMR and the new Indira Nagar flyover. This is quite good; I no longer think one needs to bypass Porur to enter (central and south) Chennai.

[DWind]

Originally Posted by binand

- There is a stretch of two lanes (one lane in each direction) between Ambur and Pallikonda - the stretch where the road runs parallel to the Bangalore-Chennai railway line. It goes on for a couple of kilometres and can be a bottleneck.

Checked with the map!
Is this the one near Pachakuppam? I guess there are less chances of road being widened as the Palar river makes runs on one side with a hill on the otherside sandwiching the Road and Railway line inbetween.

Also, is the stretch near a temple complete. I am referring to the temple which occupies a lane between vaniyambadi and bargur

[binand]

Originally Posted by DWind

Checked with the map!
Is this the one near Pachakuppam? I guess there are less chances of road being widened as the Palar river makes runs on one side with a hill on the otherside sandwiching the Road and Railway line inbetween.

Right. I just mentioned the better known town's name

Within Ambur town and beyond the road (NH 46) and the railway line are near and parallel to each other (rail is to the right of the road on the way towards Chennai). This parallel run goes on for about 6 km till Pachakuppam, where the road takes a right turn and crosses the railway line; then the two diverge (railway line goes through Gudiyattam and Katpadi, road goes via Vellore).

The problem area is the final 2 km or so of this parallel run. They are re-laying one carriageway here, so all traffic is diverted through the other. It also looks like they will squeeze in 6 lanes by skimping on the median and shoulder.

[csentil]

Used to be one of the most awesome and problematic stretches before the GQ days. You had the river on one side and the track on the other.. The Pachakuppam and Vaniyambadi railway crossing used massive traffic jams especially at night. Bangalore - Chennai had 6 or 7 level crossings about 15 years back! Times have changed!!

[binand]

I returned yesterday (Saturday). Started from Kelambakkam at around 2 via the Vandalur-Oragadam-Sriperumbudur route.

Stopped for lunch at what looked like a new hotel at Padappai. Very good (veg only) food, ample parking etc. but - I have forgotten its name completely. Started from here at 2:45 PM. I was at Krishnagiri (where I stopped for a cup of tea) at 5:45 PM, but then it was quite slow progress. Reached A2B at CMH Road (where the family had gathered for Saturday dinner) by 9 PM.

Btw, it seems to me that NH 46 will soon be, if not already, the first and only national highway that is 6-laned end to end. Or are there other contenders?

Originally Posted by DWind

Also, is the stretch near a temple complete. I am referring to the temple which occupies a lane between vaniyambadi and bargur

Here are the diversions (orientation: travelling from Chennai to Bangalore):

1. At Poigai, a few km after Vellore - a flyover is being constructed. 1-lane service road for about a km.

2. At Pachakkuppam - 2 km-ish; 1-lane traffic along the northern carriageway while the southern one is being re-laid.

3. At Kannadikuppam, about half-way between Ambur and Vaniyambadi - an under construction flyover, so 2-lane service road for about a km.

4. The flyover construction at the junction of NH 46 and NH 7 at Krishnagiri. You need to turn towards Salem, take a U-turn and then return towards Bangalore.

5. Several places in the Soolagiri-Hosur stretch. It is terrible.

[ravradha]

Was planning to make a chennai - bangalore - chennai over the weekend. But coudn't make it. In preparation for the trip had made this document. I had planned to take a printout of this to keep it with me while driving. Thought this may be useful for some one who's having the same need. This has snapshots of the map at every place there is a fork. It also has directions as given by Google maps.

Chennai Bangalore Chennai Route Part 1 of 3, Part 2 of 3, Part 3 of 3.

[pypkmsrikanth]

Originally Posted by DWind

Also, is the stretch near a temple complete. I am referring to the temple which occupies a lane between vaniyambadi and bargur

Puthu Kovil has now been bypassed through a flyover, the temple has been left untouched.

[Cooltronics]

Dear BHPians,
I plan to drive down to Chennai this weekend (Saturday Morning) and return back to Bangalore on Monday (afternoon). I went through this thread and also other Bangalore Chennai travel threads and I feel that I should stick to Hosur - Krishnagiri route considering the political developments of yesterday and taking Chitor route. What do you say ?
I have driven till Vellore before but the road ahead is unknown, I understood that I need to take the road straight from Vellore, Walajapet, sriperumbudur, poonamallee but then confused for the way forward as I believe there are multiple options and bypass to hit Chennai. Can you please advice ? I would be put up at Royapettah, Anna Salai (Mount Road) Chennai.
What would be good time to start on Saturday Morning from Bangalore and from Chennai on Monday afternoon to avoid rush ? I was planning to start at 7 AM from Bangalore so that I can reach by 13:30 and start back from Chennai at 3:30 PM so that I can reach Bangalore a little late

[Gokrish]

Originally Posted by Cooltronics

Dear BHPians,
I plan to drive down to Chennai this weekend (Saturday Morning) and return back to Bangalore on Monday (afternoon). I went through this thread and also other Bangalore Chennai travel threads and I feel that I should stick to Hosur - Krishnagiri route considering the political developments of yesterday and taking Chitor route. What do you say ?
I have driven till Vellore before but the road ahead is unknown, I understood that I need to take the road straight from Vellore, Walajapet, sriperumbudur, poonamallee but then confused for the way forward as I believe there are multiple options and bypass to hit Chennai. Can you please advice ? I would be put up at Royapettah, Anna Salai (Mount Road) Chennai.
What would be good time to start on Saturday Morning from Bangalore and from Chennai on Monday afternoon to avoid rush ? I was planning to start at 7 AM from Bangalore so that I can reach by 13:30 and start back from Chennai at 3:30 PM so that I can reach Bangalore a little late

Since you would be traveling on a Saturday, traffic will be minimum in the afternoon. Please proceed on poonamallee bypass-thiruverkadu-maduravayal-koyambedu-anna arch-nelson manickam road-college road-nungambakkam road or greams road depending on your exact destination. Monday afternoon will also be relatively free of traffic mess. You may take either porur or poonamallee road for your return.