[narayans80]

Originally Posted by Madrasin_selvan

Unless or otherwise you are starting from North Chennai better take the Tiruvallur route.

Even otherwise makes sense to take Red Hills-Tiruvallur and go. Roads are in better condition, except for the handful of patches near Tirupati.

[narayans80]

As of Saturday, there is just one patch on Tirupati bypass that is average. Rest is a smooth drive. There is no 4-laning progress anywhere.

[manavdotcom]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Even otherwise makes sense to take Red Hills-Tiruvallur and go. Roads are in better condition, except for the handful of patches near Tirupati.

How's Tiruvallur-Uthukottai road ? Will be travelling from Adyar.Google map doesn't even show Tirutanni route !

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by manavdotcom

How's Tiruvallur-Uthukottai road ? Will be travelling from Adyar.Google map doesn't even show Tirutanni route !

Never taken Tiruvallur-Uthukottai route. The biggest bottleneck is Tiruvallur town itself, so why add more detour.

The traditional Tiruvallur-Tiruttani-Nagari-Puttur is always faster because you can maintain about 70 Tiruvallur and 80+ after. Beyond Nagari most of the road is 4-laned and you can touch 100 in some sections. Except Tiruvallur town, every other town is bypassed. On Periyapalayam-Uthukottai or Tada-Kalahasti, there are no bypasses at all and you'll at the most touch 80.

Besides I've been driving Taramani to Tirupati with colleagues almost 5-6 times over the last 3 years and its never showed any other route. We usually take 3.5 hours during the day and 2.5 hours on the return at night. The standard route we follow is Taramani-Radial Road-Tambaram-Kishkinda Road-Outer Ring Road-Tirumazhisai-Tiruvallur-Tiruttani bypass-Nagari.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Never taken Tiruvallur-Uthukottai route. The biggest bottleneck is Tiruvallur town itself, so why add more detour.

Any idea how is the bypass coming along the NH716 on Thiruvallur town? Last I saw it was near completion. At least if you exit at the Ring Road at Pattabiram and come on 716 to Thiruvallur, we can use this bypass if it's complete.

Of course if we come from Poonamallee, then there is no choice but to go via Thiruvallur town.

[venki.bala]

Originally Posted by manavdotcom

How's Tiruvallur-Uthukottai road ? Will be travelling from Adyar.Google map doesn't even show Tirutanni route !

Biggest irritant in this route is the stretch between Uthukottai - Puttur. lots of speed breakers and lots of trucks use this road to reach GNT. hence speed drops and becomes hectic. The stretch between uthukottai and thiruvallur through poondi lake is a scenic stretch with lush green fields on both sides, sometimes will be deserted but its not worth taking as thiruvallur - thiruttani - nagari is in very good condition and speed can be maintained.

[ravib]

Anyone recently traveled between Chennai-Tirupati-Chennai route and how is the road conditions now?

-Ravi

[mah45]

Hi all,
Any latest updates on the Chennai - Tirupati route via Thiruvallur, Tiruttani
Is it ok to drive after dusk in the entire route. Thanks

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by mah45

Is it ok to drive after dusk in the entire route

It is actually better to drive after dusk (and at odd times) Road is mostly good. Some speed breakers you have to spot and 2-3 diversions. Remaining is good to go. Its traffic that's a pain, and that is usually less in odd hours. If you are a conservative driver, you should not have any problem.

Conditions have not significantly changed for more than a year.

[mah45]

Originally Posted by mah45

Hi all,
Any latest updates on the Chennai - Tirupati route via Thiruvallur, Tiruttani
Is it ok to drive after dusk in the entire route. Thanks

Hi, as a follow up to this query, is the entire stretch 4 lane ?
I have not travelled to Tirupati or in this route for a long time now
I remember the road after Tirumazhisai until Thiruvallur used to be quite narrow although with dividers, so if you get stuck behind a slow vehicle it gets difficult.

Has this broadened of late.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by mah45

Hi, as a follow up to this query, is the entire stretch 4 lane ?
I have not travelled to Tirupati or in this route for a long time now
I remember the road after Tirumazhisai until Thiruvallur used to be quite narrow although with dividers, so if you get stuck behind a slow vehicle it gets difficult.

Has this broadened of late.

More than 95% of the route is 4L.
Thirumazhisa to Tiruvallur is a tight 4L road without shoulders although with dividers, so yes, you have to drive carefully especially with 2W traffic doing zig-zag cross and all of sudden showing up in between the gaps from the dividers or other side. So control the speed. Thiruvallur by-pass is not yet open AFAIK.

Beyond Tiruvallur, the roads are full 4L and good roads, but need to watch out for some crazy high speed overtaking vehicles coming in wrong side.

In short, watch your speed in complete trip.

-Ravi

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by mah45

is the entire stretch 4 lane ?
Has this broadened of late.

Thirumazhisai-Tiruvallur is 80 feet divider separated road with traffic. You can maintain 60-70 for the most part, save for those speed breakers

Tiruvallur town traffic is utter time waste

Tiruvallur-Nagari is good wide 2-lane

Nagari-Tiruchanur bypass - Good 4-lane save for 2 incomplete bridges.

Originally Posted by ravib

Beyond Tiruvallur, the roads are full 4L and good roads

No they are not. Tiruvallur-Nagari is still wide 2-lane.

[mah45]

Thanks for all the inputs
Did a trip to Tirupati and back on March 4th, 5th
Started on 4th around 3pm and took the Kelambakkam - Vandalur route onto ORR.

ORR although is 6 lane has so many places where vehicles merge from Service road, and with Share autos to Trucks to cars driving at their own speeds, had to drive carefully

Onto Thirumazhisai - Thiruvallur road where roads were good.
Speed breakers at multiple places but road as such was good.
Beyond Thiruvallur the road was wide 2-lane and taxis coming in opposite direction were overtaking like crazy..

But was able to maintain decent speeds.
Had a brief coffee break somewhere before Nagari.

Nagari to Tiruchanur roads were pretty good and beyond that there was lots of construction going on
Reached my destination 'Ekante Bliss' by 6:30pm

After walking up the hills, and a divine darshan next morning, started back from Tirupati around 3:30 on Wednesday
Took the same route and reached home by 7pm after a coffee break at Nithya Amirtham, Thiruvallur