[MAS]

Originally Posted by ampere

Which is a better option to latch on to Chitoor road while driving from Chennai.
Is it better to go into Wallajah or take the GQ and take the Ranipet exit?

This is what I thought should be good :


Route Link

What do most prefer?

I'm sorry, I'm unable to see your route given in the link.

Personally, i would prefer to take the right (now U Turn) at Ranipet exit (opposite KH Shoes on the left of the high way), drive towards Ranipet (Taurus tannery on the right), take a left and reach Muthukadai. Continue straight to go towards Chitoor.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by MAS

I'm sorry, I'm unable to see your route given in the link.

The link works for me. Not sure what is the problem.

Personally, i would prefer to take the right (now U Turn) at Ranipet exit (opposite KH Shoes on the left of the high way),
drive towards Ranipet (Taurus tannery on the right), take a left and reach Muthukadai. Continue straight to go towards Chitoor.

I checked in Wikimapia. Thats the same route which you mention is the one that I indicated in the link. So, thanks for confirming it.
KH shoes is not indicated in Google maps, but on the same exit, you can see it in Wikimapia.

[rpads1]

Just drove down this route yesterday. I normally join in and go through Wallajah. There is some traffic near the bus stand but not much and takes less than 15-20 minutes to get through. The roads are good all the way.

[dhanushmenon]

Anyone have updates on this route? Thinking of taking this route to Bangalore this weekend.

[Blue Thunder]

Originally Posted by dhanushmenon

Anyone have updates on this route? .....

I did this route during the last week of Jan 2013. Not much updates...only stretch to drive a bit cautiously is the Palamner-Mulbagal stretch. The 20-odd kms stretch closer to Mulbagal is patchy right upto the Mulbagal byepass. The potholes present during Oct 2012 have now been patched up with gravel (NOT tarmac), so it is better, but not high-speed-worthy.

Once you enter the 4-lane stretch, it is a breeze, but please remember to slow down as you are about 10-15 kms from KR Puram, there is a stretch before KR Puram, where couple of traffic lights are present, and speed-breakers as well. If there are no vehicles ahead of you, one will tend to continue at high-speed, and the speed-breakers on the 4-lane stretch could come as a surprise.

Also, one addition during the Jan drive was the sudden appearance of a barricade somewhere in the Ranipet-Chittoor stretch (I think it was near Serkadu). Dont know if that was a temporary arrangement.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by dhanushmenon

Anyone have updates on this route? Thinking of taking this route to Bangalore this weekend.

The route is as usual good. But if you have to reach somewhere in South Bangalore, I would still suggest the GQ. The road widening around
hills are mostly nearing completion and traffic flows free. If you can avoid the "office hours" of traffic (), you can still easily do door to door in around 6 hours.

I did the same last weekend. I was at silk board at 4AM and reached Guindy at 10. And this included one break of around 40 minutes.
Similarly I started at 11:30 in Chennai and was at Silk board at 5:30 on the dot.

What I have realised is that the break at Shoolagiri is highly sub-optimal. You can drive past Pallikonda toll both and goto CCD/Arya Bhavan. Have your
break fast and continue. It works out faster as you dont spend much time like A2B. And also you would have done enough distance in the first go.
More importantly you are past the dreaded Hosur-Krishnagiri section before the crowd build up both on the road and on the toll.

In spite of all the diversions its relatively stress free (of course if you can time to beat the rush between BLR-Krishnagiri)

[dhanushmenon]

Originally Posted by Blue Thunder

I did this route during the last week of Jan 2013. Not much updates...only stretch to drive a bit cautiously is the Palamner-Mulbagal stretch. The 20-odd kms stretch closer to Mulbagal is patchy right upto the Mulbagal byepass. The potholes present during Oct 2012 have now been patched up with gravel (NOT tarmac), so it is better, but not high-speed-worthy.
.

Originally Posted by ampere

The route is as usual good. But if you have to reach somewhere in South Bangalore, I would still suggest the GQ. The road widening around
hills are mostly nearing completion and traffic flows free. If you can avoid the "office hours" of traffic () )

Thanks a lot blue thunder and ampere.
My destination is north of Bangalore. Yelehanka to be precise. Going for aero india show.

I have two plans. Either start on Friday morning and take the chittoor route ( new route, unseen places. I look forward to that ).
Else start by around 1600 on Friday and take the krishnagiri route. I don't want to be caught up in unfamiliar terrain at night

Your advices please

[ampere]

Originally Posted by dhanushmenon

I have two plans. Either start on Friday morning and take the chittoor route ( new route, unseen places. I look forward to that ).
Else start by around 1600 on Friday and take the krishnagiri route. I don't want to be caught up in unfamiliar terrain at night

Your advices please

Definitely Chitoor route then. Enjoy the route. There any many many Coffee Days and hotels (many pure veg ones too) on the way!

[denver85]

Drove Bangalore-Chennai through Chittoor route last Friday (Feb 1). The drive was superb with less traffic, better mileage, only one toll and beautiful 2-line roads. The drive much better compared to the GQ route. The details are given below:
Start time: 2.25 PM from ITPL
Reach Time: 7.30 PM at Pallavarm
Vehicle: Maruti Ertiga ZDI 2012

As mentioned by others only bad patches between Mulbagal and Palmaner. The traffic was less as I started afternoon.
Tried the route Sriperumbudur(Nokia SEZ)-Manimangalam-Mudichur-Tambaram-Pallavaram. This road is in great condition now. It was really bad when I traveled last time (Jul 2011). The first few kms(2-3 kms) after turning right from Sriperumbudur-Kundrathur is not wide with some occasional potholes. It's newly laid well-marked road after that. The traffic is also moderate till we reach the Mudichur route. This route can be used by those who need to travel to South Chennai (Tambaram/Pallavaram). Highly recommened
The Google Maps link is here.

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by denver85

Tried the route Sriperumbudur(Nokia SEZ)-Manimangalam-Mudichur-Tambaram-Pallavaram. This road is in great condition now. This route can be used by those who need to travel to South Chennai (Tambaram/Pallavaram).
The Google Maps link is here.

Thanks for pointing this out! Used it in my return yesterday when I had to leave OMR at 5 pm, it would've been a nightmare coming through any part of city during that time! This really saved a lot of time to get out as fast as I could! Very useful!

The only tricky part is when you come from Tambaram, chances are you may miss out the Manimangalam turn-off right after Mudichur. When in doubt, ask for help, that's what I did just after missing the turn!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by denver85

Highly recommened [/b]

Originally Posted by luvurride

Thanks for pointing this out! Used it in my return yesterday when I had to leave OMR at 5 pm, it would've been a nightmare coming through any part of city during that time! This really saved a lot of time to get out as fast as I could! Very useful!

If one is driving towards Guindy, does this route make sense? Or its better to take the standard via Ponamalle/Porur?

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by ampere

If one is driving towards Guindy, does this route make sense? Or its better to take the standard via Ponamalle/Porur?

For Guindy, the regular Poonamallee/Porur is still the best. Probably during peak time, when the mad rush starts from Sriperumbudur onwards, you might be better off with this route as you will run into traffic only from Mudichur-Tambaram-Guindy. Until then, it should be relatively stress-free.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by luvurride

For Guindy, the regular Poonamallee/Porur is still the best. Probably during peak time, when the mad rush starts from Sriperumbudur onwards, you might be better off with this route as you will run into traffic only from Mudichur-Tambaram-Guindy. Until then, it should be relatively stress-free.

The route via Ponamallee is not that bad, but for the signal at Arcot road. And off course crossing Ponamallee itself is painful. Was just wondering if there is good alternative for this.
Looks like as you said, this is the best option.

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by ampere

The route via Ponamallee is not that bad, but for the signal at Arcot road. And off course crossing Ponamallee itself is painful. Was just wondering if there is good alternative for this.
Looks like as you said, this is the best option.

You don't have to go through Poonamallee, you can go past the Poonamallee exit and take the bye-pass. But even that road till Guindy through Porur will be choked during peak hours.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by luvurride

You don't have to go through Poonamallee, you can go past the Poonamallee exit and take the bye-pass. But even that road till Guindy through Porur will be choked during peak hours.

I hope you are referring to the following route:

Route Link

The above is what I was referring to.