[csateesh]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Just returned back.

So how was the road condition you may ask

There are in fact potholes on Hosur-Krishnagiri and vice versa. Few more past Ambur for about 3-4 km.

Overall as of today, it is very much doable even under artificial lights. You may have to back off on pace and stick to 2 digit speeds

Thanks for the wonderful update. What was your start point in Chennai ? Asking this as I my start point will be Annanagar and wanted to know if you still would recommend this route to bypass Maduravoyal ?

Originally Posted by sameer sultan

Hi

I am driving down to Bangalore from Chennai tomorrow morning. My location in Bangalore would be near Ulsoor Lake.

A bit confused on which route to take!

Cross posting from the other thread !!

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post4958249 (Bangalore, Chennai via Chittoor : Route Queries)

Per the update there is an issue for about 11kms and if that is the only issue I would still consider that route but there are few stop over points for breaks.

The decision is still yours

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by csateesh

my start point will be Annanaga

My start point is T. Nagar. I haven't been on Poonamalee bypass in a while. It had couple of bad intersections that were never repaired even in 2019. Its been quite a long time since I took the Maduravoyal-Poonamalee bypass. Beyond Poonamalee it is manageable as I mentioned above. For Annanagar, you don't have much choice unless you are willing to take a detour via Tambaram.

Originally Posted by letsgo2016

I am on a lookout for one stop anywhere from Ambur to Arcot for a Bio Break / Some Pitstop where we can eat home cooked / packed food.

For bio-breaks petrol pumps are your best bet. Almost all restaurants are open, so there is no dearth for food choices enroute but don't expect them to entertain outside food.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by letsgo2016

A couple of years back I used to frequent A2B at Arcot, which had good washroom facilities and food was neat as well. Not sure about now. Thanks in advance.

Given the holiday season, it is definitely going to be crowded everywhere.
But to answer your question, to eat home packed food, i suggest you to park your car in back side parking area of Arcot A2B. It has good open space and also can help you to overcome your problem. We did this couple of times in last 4 months due to covid.

It also has decent washrooms. You may have a tea/coffee from outside open area itself without going into seated restaurant space (except for billing though).

-Ravi

[Makin Rulesz]

Today I travelled from Chennai to Bangalore. All the potholes have been patched up and in some places road has been relaid. Surface is bit uneven and bumpy but without a single pothole. There are in total 3 places where traffic is diverted towards service lanes due to ongoing flyover construction. This update is for the section after Sriperumbudur towards Bangalore, as I took Tambaram-Mudichur road to join the highway.
By the way, I was charged half the charge at Chennasamaduram toll.

[saisree]

Thanks for the update as I will be taking the same route tomorrow.

Originally Posted by Makin Rulesz

By the way, I was charged half the charge at Chennasamaduram toll.

This is because of the Madras High Court orders. NHAI is ordered to collect 50% toll for two weeks.

[anandhsub]

Originally Posted by Makin Rulesz

Today I travelled from Chennai to Bangalore....

Travelled the other way from Bangalore to Chennai, and not a single pothole all the way till Poonamallee. The road is rough but not at all an issue, vehicles are able to stick to their lane and no need to do sudden maneuvers to avoid potholes. Half the charge (25) at both Chennasamudram and Sriperumbudur.

[csateesh]

Originally Posted by hamster

Plan is also to stop for breakast and dinner at Sai Sangeet Vaniyambadi.

How was your recent experience at Sai Sangeet if you did stop over for Breakfast

[tharian]

Drove to Chennai yesterday via Krishnagiri. I had done a return same day from Bangalore couple of weeks back when the roads after Ranipet were full of potholes. In two weeks, the potholes were filled and some stretches relaid. Impressed at the pace of work.
Being a Sunday, traffic was not bad either nearing Chennai except for all the factory buses of one particular travel agency doing 60kmph and blocking lanes before Sriperembadur.
Traffic was heavy till the Krishnagiri cut off due to many KL vehicles returning probably after Christmas, but none of the tolls had long lines.

Will be returning in few days and still undecided on which route to take since it will be on 31st and I don't want to get stuck in long lines at the toll with a 14 month old in the car. Thinking of taking the Chittoor route by cutting off at Vellore and taking the Katpadi to Chittoor road and going through a bit of the bad stretch.

[hamster]

Sorry for the late update on my trip of 19th december.

After a lot of deliberations and discussions with my cousin on the route to be taken, who was accompanying me in the trip, decided to take our route which we were sticking on to for the past 4-5 years.

Start - 05:15 AM - Thiruvanmiyur.

Picked up my cousin from TG nagar subway,
took the Vandalur-Oraragadam-Walajabad-Military Road-Kancheepuram Exit.

Road Conditions :
Vandalur-Walajabad - Super
Walajabad-Military Road - Bad condition, had to manage oncoming traffic with more curves.
Military Road-Kancheepuram Exit - Motorable, no major complaints
Kancheepuram Exit - Chennasamudram - Okay.

Change of Driving/shotgun, stretch break at Pallikonda toll.

Breakfast at Sai sangeet - too Crowded - No Temp Checks or sanitizer. The Hotel users stalls right at the actual entrance into the restaurant and it creates a bottleneck with zero social distancing. SHould avoid.
Decided to try Sai Akshayam next time on he left side of the highway (CHN-BLR) few kms after Sai sangeet (believe they are all relatives/cousins and have heard good reviews about Sai Akshayam in Anna Nagar/ Chennai)
Breakfast Break - 45 minutes

Took the turn below Hosur Flyover (Busstand) into Bagalur. Stretch break for 5-10 mins.

No Major Complaints on the road condition from Hosur to Bagalur. After Bagalur till KA border its in tatters. Need to be careful to avoid a lot broken stretches.

We had a major surprise awaiting us, where Entry to Sarjapur was closed. and we ended up taking the fork road and going to ChikkaThirupathi-Hope Farm-Hoodi.
Reached Home at Hoodi at few minutes past 12.

After an hour took off to Nagarjuna in IndiraNagar for lunch. Enjoyed their biriyani and omelets. But again quiet crowded.

Bangalore traffic was manageable till this and saw the famous Bangalore traffic after this till our exit

Had a tough time to reach Malleshwaram all the way from Ulsoor Lake till Cantonment Station.

After all the work was done for this trip, did some shopping for the home ministry and took off from Malleshwaram at 05:15PM. Bangalore traffic showed its ugly face for the next one and half hours.
Google maps redirected us through CBD (Queens Road, Cricket stadium, MG Road, Brigade Road, Shoolay Circle, Koramangala and the deadliest - Madiwala ) and took us 7PM by the time we hit BETL.

We drove straight to Shoolagiri HP COCO for refueling for the car and ourselves and took off further to Chennai after a 45 mins break to Chennai at 09:00 PM.

Started feeling a bit dizzy after this hectic schedule between Krishnagiri and Vaniyambadi and pushed myself till Pallikonda thanks to music, water, and Orbit Chewing Gum. , which kept me awake.

Handed over to my cousin in Pallikonda toll and dozed off in the car. Didnt bother to notice how the roads were all the way till Nemili toll.

Reached home at 01:30 AM

Overall, good trip

[letsgo2016]

Wanted to update my recent travel from BLR to MAA which I had done last week.

Started at 12pm at ORR Marathahalli, reached Hosur at 1pm. Moderate traffic throughout esp at Attibelle Toll.

I had taken a epass but though no one bothered for any check anywhere in the border or throughout my journey till Chennai.

Refuelled at Hosur and proceeded to Krishnagiri. Clear roads and no traffic. Reached Krishnagiri in about 40 mins. (Around 1.45PM)

Coffee break at Krishnagiri for 15 mins, commenced journey at around 2pm non stop till Poonamallee bye pass by 5.10pm. By the time I reached home it was 6pm (heavy traffic from cmbt to Egmore)

No traffic anywhere post kanchipuram and Sriperumbudur strech was clear as well owing to Christmas Eve.

Maintained average speed around 80-100kmph (Mostly 90kmph) on my puny beast (Alto 800)

[mpksuhas]

A very late update.

Had done Bangalore - Chennai - Bangalore during last week of Dec.

Road conditions remains mostly same, apart from Walajpet - Sriperumbudur section. Road work seems to be progressing smooth there, even compared to my earlier drive during Dec first week.

Even the bad patches has bee re-laid, seems like the 50% toll penalty by court has did the trick atleast for time being.

[iamnarayang]

Dear All,

I have a query. I was returning from Chennai on January 18th afternoon, after my daughter's weddinig at Chennai. I drive a XUV 500 and i had four suit cases on the roof carrier, well secured. I was stopped by a traffic police within Chennai limits. The police told me that it was not allowed to keep suitcases on roof carrier. I explained to him that I was returning after my daughter's marriage and that's why I had to use roof carrier. He said it wasn't allowed as per rules, but he let me go.

My question is, was the traffic police right in saying this? Is it really disallowed to use roof carrier and load it within limits?

Can anyone please clarify.

Regards,
Narayan.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by iamnarayang

My question is, was the traffic police right in saying this? Is it really disallowed to use roof carrier and load it within limits?

Its considered as an alteration and fined in some regions, you can find posts by members on forum on that. But haven't heard TN enforcing this yet.

[QuadraticAmoeba]

Dear friends, I am planning to drive down to Chennai from Bangalore later this week. A couple of questions:

- How are the roads? Is the Walajapet - Sriperumbudur section any better now?

- What is a good food / break point near Ambur? If not, Vellore or Arcot? Any recommendations? I was thinking of leaving at 5am from North Bangalore, so I will probably reach around this area by 9:30am (given my slow and steady driving).

Thank you all in advance.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by QuadraticAmoeba

What is a good food / break point near Ambur? If not, Vellore or Arcot? Any recommendations?

I've listed the options on left side in the Bangalore-Chennai direction:
1. Sai Sangeet, Vaniyambadi, (on left side) may be too early for you, but they're open from 6:15 am

2. A2B, Arcot (left side)

3. Murugan Idly on left side, after Vellore when nearing Kanchipuram (I've been to the outlet on the right side which is further ahead)