[Fordmanchau]

Had been to Annavaram during last week of june. Went through Suryapet-khammam-route and stayed at Rajamundhry: road surface is good, traffic is less, but the route is time consuming though it being shorter.
Came back through Vijaywada, though four-laning is going on, I found this route to be less time taking.IMO if driving through the day, one can easily take the Vijaywada route to Vizag, as truck traffic will be negligible.Night driving on this route till complete four laning can be avoided.

[ExtremeTorque]

Folks, how is the current road condition between Hyderabad and Vijayawada? Is the 4 lane work complete? I am planning to do a Hyd-Vijayawada-Eluru trip in this month to visit the Kolleru lake near eluru (Query here: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...sanctuary.html) but recieved no response to my query as i had initially planned to do this trip by bus but now changed to do it by car, as most of family members plan to accompany me. Please advice

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by ExtremeTorque

Folks, how is the current road condition between Hyderabad and Vijayawada? Is the 4 lane work complete? I am planning to do a Hyd-Vijayawada-Eluru trip in this month to visit the Kolleru lake near eluru (Query here: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...sanctuary.html) but recieved no response to my query as i had initially planned to do this trip by bus but now changed to do it by car, as most of family members plan to accompany me. Please advice

The latest info i have relates to a month ago. The 100+ km stretch to Nandigama from Narketpalle is still getting 4-laned and it took 3 hours for my cousin to cover that distance.

I guess the 4-laning will take at least 4 or 5 months to complete.

[ksrchowdary]

Originally Posted by ExtremeTorque

Folks, how is the current road condition between Hyderabad and Vijayawada? Is the 4 lane work complete? I am planning to do a Hyd-Vijayawada-Eluru trip in this month to visit the Kolleru lake near eluru (Query here: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...sanctuary.html) but recieved no response to my query as i had initially planned to do this trip by bus but now changed to do it by car, as most of family members plan to accompany me. Please advice

I traveled yesterday (3rd Oct) from Vijayawada (1:30 PM) to Hyderabad (8:30 PM) with 30 minutes break at hotel "7" after crossing Suryapet. Traffic was very heavy and after coming out of 4-lane at Nandigama, I was not able to pass the bus in front for nearly 20 Kms. Don't go beyond 70 Kmph as traffic is very heavy and road surface is not consistent with frequent potholes. I was forced to get off the road atleast 6 times because the overtaking bus/lorry from opposite direction are not in mood to stop and there is no way but to get off the road to avoid head-on. Food was expensive but tasty at "7" and the Rest rooms are super clean and they also have Wi-Fi.

Four laning work is in full swing throughout (Nandigama to ~15 Kms after Choutuppal) and I think it will take at least another 15-18 months before complete work is done.

[ExtremeTorque]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

The latest info i have relates to a month ago.

Originally Posted by ksrchowdary

Traffic was very heavy. I was forced to get off the road atleast 6 times because the overtaking bus/lorry from opposite direction are not in mood to stop and there is no way but to get off the road to avoid head-on. Four laning work is in full swing and I think it will take at least another 15-18 months before complete work is done.

vnabhi and ksrchowdary, thanks much! I got pretty much the same info from colleagues at office who do this stretch often. Due to the omnipresent traffic, most of them stick to traviling by the killer volvo's. I am considering redrawing my plan by traveling to Eluru by bus and then hiring a cab to go around the Kolleru bird sanctuary.
It is really surprising that 4 lane work is taking so much time, considering the heavy traffic presense.

[ranjitp1]

I would recco take a train to Eluru and then cab it out from Eluru to kolleru.Its simpler and more comfortable.The volvos are equally bad as theres nothing much they can do as the roads simply are potholed and have no shoulder at all.

[Night_Hawk]

Hi,
What is the latest road condition of NH 9 between HYD - VJA. I am planning to do a Hyd-Vijayawada- Bhimavaram- Palakolu - Dindi resort trip in this week end . I am planning to start early morning say around 5 AM. Advise on alternate routes also requested.
Thanks in advance

[gajadonga]

Originally Posted by Night_Hawk

Hi,
What is the latest road condition of NH 9 between HYD - VJA. I am planning to do a Hyd-Vijayawada- Bhimavaram- Palakolu - Dindi resort trip in this week end . I am planning to start early morning say around 5 AM. Advise on alternate routes also requested.
Thanks in advance

I traveled yesterday from Hyderabad-Vijayawada-Hyderabad
I took the ORR from Gachibowli upto Ramoji film city the road is complete
and excellent to drive on.
Ramoji film city to Choutupal four lane is complete.
From Chotupal lot of deviations and road surface is average.Lot of
gear changes, accelerations and sudden stops, overtaking is pain and time consuming.I started in the afternoon traffic was moderate.
From Nadigama it is tolled four lane to Vijayawada.
Return via Guntur-Piduguralla-Dachepalli-Macherla-Sagar-Hyderabad.
Road from Dachepalli-Macherla is average occasional potholes but drivable.
I saw all the volvos from Hyderabad taking this Sagar-Macherla-Dachepalli route.
There is another route from Piduguralla-Karempudi-Macherla-Sagar but the on en-quiring the locals in Piduguralla dissuaded me to take this route.

[Night_Hawk]

Originally Posted by gajadonga

I traveled yesterday from Hyderabad-Vijayawada-Hyderabad......... on en-quiring the locals in Piduguralla dissuaded me to take this route.

Thanks a lot for the latest update.

I will follow the route taken by you for HYD -VJA -HYD part of my trip

Onward journey : Hyd>Suryapet>Nandigama>VJA

Return journey : VJA> Guntur>Piduguralla>Dachepalli > Macherla > Sagar>Hyd

[adimicra]

Guyz,
I am thinking of a 4 day-trip to Vizag and Araku.
I have heard so much about the Hyd-Vijaywada road that I am totally undecided on which route to take. Please help me out. I need the fastest possible route even if I have to drive more.
Also, what is the realistic time for Hyd-Vizag given the current road conditions.

Also, what could be an optimal plan for such a holiday?
I am thinking as below -

Day 1: Hyd to Vizag, checkin
Day 2: roam around.
Day 3: visit to Araku.should I stay here overnight? If yes, coming back might be a problem
Day : come back

[simplyself]

Originally Posted by adimicra

Guyz,
I am thinking of a 4 day-trip to Vizag and Araku.
I have heard so much about the Hyd-Vijaywada road that I am totally undecided on which route to take.
Day : come back

While it is true that part of NH9 between Hyderabad and Vijayawada is undergoing repairs (widening), traffic is quite hectic, especially up to Suryapet which is about 138 km from Hyderabad. Traffic is still heavy after Suryapet but it somewhat eases off compared to the Hyderabad - Suryapet stretch.

The single carriage way (2-lane) is upto Nandigama which is about 90 km from Suryapet. From there 4 -lane starts.

Hyderabad to Vijayawada is about 280 kilometres.

Vijayawada to Vizag is 400 km. It is a complete 4-lane road, the NH 5. Traffic too is a bit less. Ofcourse, traffic is less everywhere else if one happens to travel on NH 9.

Of the total of 280 km from Hyderabad to Vijayawada, 4-laned road is about 100 km - Hyderabad to Choutuppal 50 km and from Nandigama to Vijayawada 50 km ; the rest is being widened now. It is better to be cautious on this road as there are many diversions as the work is in progress.

My thinking is, once you wade through the traffic all the way to Suryapet, there is no point in turning off the highway and proceed towards Khammam and Rajahmundry because one has already crossedthe stretch with most dense traffic.

It is 60 km shorter via Khammam but once the four lane starts from Nandigama one can easily make up time.

Good restaurants at Koyalgudem ( Nilgiri - 45 km) and between Chityal and Narkatpally ( Vivera - 82 km ), after Kethepally, before Suryapet ( 7, mentioned elsewhere in this forum - 128 km).

[Ardy]

Originally Posted by adimicra

Guyz,
I am thinking of a 4 day-trip to Vizag and Araku.
I have heard so much about the Hyd-Vijaywada road that I am totally undecided on which route to take. Please help me out. I need the fastest possible route even if I have to drive more.
Also, what is the realistic time for Hyd-Vizag given the current road conditions.

If you plan to leave early in the morning, you can beat the traffic on NH9 to Vijayawada and also in Vijayawada. Although the route through Khammam is short, its 2 lane all the way and in monsoon period could be filled with potholes. I would recommend taking NH9 & NH5 route by leaving early at around 5ish.

If I am not mistaken, you stay in Gachibowli. If so, you can take ORR right through to NH9 exit near RamoJi and if you leave around 5ish, you can plan to be in Vijayawada by about 10ish or so.

Last month, I returned from Surya Lanka via Vijayawada. We left Vijayawada around 04:30 in the afternoon and were in Hyderabad via ORR by about 10 in the night with a 45 mins break for dinner at "7" @ Suryapet. The traffic at that hour was quite heavy.

The drive from Vijayawada to Vizag should be a breeze.

Hyd-Vizag can be done in 11-12 hours realistic speaking.

Cheers and have a great trip.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by adimicra

Also, what could be an optimal plan for such a holiday?
I am thinking as below -

Day 1: Hyd to Vizag, checkin
Day 2: roam around.
Day 3: visit to Araku.should I stay here overnight? If yes, coming back might be a problem
Day : come back

I've been putting off a Vizag drive for the past few years only becuase of the darned highway till Vijawada. Even the one via Khammam will be bad due to the rains.

Nevertheless, I'd say keep 13 hours of driving time as a realistic estimate, apart from bio and food breaks.

As regards day 3, it might be advisable to stay at the Jungle Cottages at Tyda run by AP tourism. Tyda is between Vizag and Araku, around 35 kms before Araku. They are located on a hill slope, amidst thick forest, close to the Tyda railway station.

Another option is to stay at cottages overlooking the valley at Ananthagiri, whiich is between Tyda and Araku. The view is great there, but nothing much apart from that.

There is nothing much to see at Araku, except the drive. They do have a decent Haritha resort though, but there is no view from there---it is plain ground.

Borra caves is definitely a must-see. It comes after Tyda and before Araku--you need to turn right at a Junction and drive another 10 kms to the caves on a narrow and winding road. But keep in mind that after visiting the caves, you will be pretty tired, as there are several steps to ascend to get back to the parking lot.

Therefore, Tyda or Ananthagiri are the best places to stay put on day 3. On day 4, you can drive back to Hyderabad, via Gopalapatnam Jn on NH5, which is 12 kms from Vizag city centre.

[Night_Hawk]

Originally Posted by adimicra

Guyz,
I have heard so much about the Hyd-Vijaywada road that I am totally undecided on which route to take. Please help me out.

No doubt the road widening works are on and traffic is heavy, still IMHO, NH-9 is the best option upto VJA. Road condtions on other routes can be very average due to monsoon. Drive safe and enjoy the drive on NH-9

Do enjoy a break at "7" food court just 3 Km before suryapet.

Cheers !
NH

[MileCruncher]

Taking a Jazz on the Vijayawada NH-9 or thru Khammam route is not a very good idea. The NH-5 is the place where the Jazz can show its true colours.

But even if you reach Vizag, the road between Vizag and Borra Caves/ Araku valley is not in a good condition. Atleast it wasn't in March and am sure the rains would have made it worse. Taking a train would be the best bet!