[Secretariat]

Originally Posted by ravib

... reduced average KMPH coverage and overall it took me about 4:15 minutes to get out of Chittoor town, which is about 45 minutes more than Kanchipuram-Ranipet route normally from Pallavaram.

Ahh. If only we can reach Chittoor from Chennai in 4.15 minutes On a more serious note, it is not worth taking this route if it's 4 hours plus

I travelled on 2nd and 3rd Jan and the roads on the direct route were emptier than usual, to my surprise. My view is that the Chennasamudram - Sriperumbudur section is not as bad as in the previous two years. I feel it's not worth going through Ponnai or Thiruvallur. With the Bommasamudram railway crossing "open" as I mentioned in my post below, I feel the best route is to simply go direct through Chittoor-Ranipet-Chennasamudram-Sriperumbudur. It's not great for sure, but currently still the better option, I suggest.

[Slavia2021]

Thanks @srvm for the suggestion and @ravib for sharing your experience. As my vehicle is Sedan and considering my early start around 4-4:30 AM from Yelahanka, hope I should not see much traffic in Chittoor and Tiruttani towns.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by Slavia2021

Thanks @srvm for the suggestion and @ravib for sharing your experience. As my vehicle is Sedan and considering my early start around 4-4:30 AM from Yelahanka, hope I should not see much traffic in Chittoor and Tiruttani towns.

For such an early start, you will be in Chittoor in 3 hours time or even lesser, say around 7.30 am. However, do consider fog and low visibility factor which can slow you down.
Chittoor town may have sporadic traffic, but there won't be much in Tiruttani for sure. That said, be aware and have patience to navigate the scattered traffic all along from Tiruttani to Thiruvallur to Madras in the NH as you will be entering city in peak hours.

-Ravi

[Slavia2021]

@ravib I started at 4:15 on Jan 5th from Yelahanka, took ORR (whole ORR closed from Kalyan nagar till Kasturi nagar to my surprise and only Service road is open and fortunately no traffic at that time) and crossed Hoskote toll by 5 AM. Severe dense fog from Mulbagal and had to even halt for 5 mins at one point, followed a truck with decent gap for 5 mins. Almost till crossing Palamaneru, as you said lost an hour probably there and reached Chittoor by 7:25 and took 15 mins to cross the town. Road is very good after deviating towards Ponnai road. Roads are very good till we join Tirupati-Chennai highway at Tiruttani. Crossed PS4 Tiruvallur at 9:25 and then took Tiruvallur High road to join Blr-Chennai highway at Thirumazhisai circle before 10 AM. Reached destination in Jayammal road at 10:30 AM.

In return to Blr, started at 6:30 AM from T Nagar (near Geetham Veg restaurant), initially set destination as Chennai Institute of Technology to avoid main highway (as many people said they are not good), stopped for fuel refill at Shell pump on Mount-Ponnamalle road, joined Blr highway at Sriperambadur. From there many diversions, but no potholes (it looked like many potholes had been fixed very recently. Crossed Chennasamudram toll at 8:55 AM. Then took Walajapet - Ranipet - Chittoor road. Road is worse at Bommasamudram railway crossing work. Though road is open, tough to cross if truck comes in the opposite direction. Had a breakfast break for 20 mins after Ranipet (we packed ourseves, not at restaurant), Crossed Mahasamudram toll plaza at 10:20 AM , reached home in Yelahanka at 1 PM.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by Slavia2021

@ravib I started at 4:15 on Jan 5th from Yelahanka, took ORR (whole ORR closed from Kalyan nagar till Kasturi nagar to my surprise and only Service road is open and fortunately no traffic at that time) and crossed Hoskote toll by 5 AM. Severe dense fog from Mulbagal and had to even halt for 5 mins at one point, followed a truck with decent gap for 5 mins. Almost till crossing Palamaneru, as you said lost an hour probably there and reached Chittoor by 7:25 and took 15 mins to cross the town. Road is very good after deviating towards Ponnai road. Roads are very good till we join Tirupati-Chennai highway at Tiruttani. Crossed PS4 Tiruvallur at 9:25 and then took Tiruvallur High road to join Blr-Chennai highway at Thirumazhisai circle before 10 AM. Reached destination in Jayammal road at 10:30 AM.

In return to Blr, started at 6:30 AM from T Nagar (near Geetham Veg restaurant), initially set destination as Chennai Institute of Technology to avoid main highway (as many people said they are not good), stopped for fuel refill at Shell pump on Mount-Ponnamalle road, joined Blr highway at Sriperambadur. From there many diversions, but no potholes (it looked like many potholes had been fixed very recently. Crossed Chennasamudram toll at 8:55 AM. Then took Walajapet - Ranipet - Chittoor road. Road is worse at Bommasamudram railway crossing work. Though road is open, tough to cross if truck comes in the opposite direction. Had a breakfast break for 20 mins after Ranipet (we packed ourseves, not at restaurant), Crossed Mahasamudram toll plaza at 10:20 AM , reached home in Yelahanka at 1 PM.

Thanks for the update and appreciated. Yea, at this time of year, we have to factor in fog delays in all modes of transport


Glad to know that there are no potholes between Sriperumbudur to Chennasamudram toll although diversions are present. Thats a great update.

For Bommasamudram railway cross, you crossed the railway track straight or took a detour to left side for 1 km and went through underpass below the railway station?

-Ravi

[Slavia2021]

Yes..good that there are not so bad potholes between Sriperambadur-Chennasamudram though few diversions are bad. Fortunately less traffic as I started 6:30 from Chennai.
At Bommasamudram railway cross, initially, I went towards left side naturally (as I am travelling in this route for first time). After going little further, I see road is closed and there was a small bridge to the left side. However, I noticed vehicles going on the right side (other side) towards Chittoor. So, I made a U turn at that small bridge and came back and joined on the other side. Road is good but narrow. Near the crossing, it is very muddy and bumpy, my Sedan was able to cross without much problem. I felt crossing with trucks could be difficult in that small stretch especially near the track.

[Madrasin_selvan]

I did a Chennai - Bangalore trip this morning.

Started from Korattur, Chennai at 4.30 in the morning, reached CV Raman Nagar, Bangalore by 10, with a half-hour break in Aaradhya Grand. Sparse traffic throughout helped a lot. Quick updates on the section.


- Poonamallee to Sriperumbadur toll has a lot of rough uneven patches. They have patched up some of the potholes.
- There are around 13 take diversions between Sriperumbadur and Chennasamudram Tolls and 10 of them are until Kanchipuram Vellagate bridge. News is that a new contractor has been assigned again to complete this section.
- Kanchipuram to Chennasamudram is great to drive, although lane markings have not been completed.
- Traffic was allowed through Bommasamudram Railway gate, I noticed few private as well as Govt buses taking this route now. Not sure if this is a temporary arrangement for the festival traffic.
- Vehicles are now allowed to ply on the Chittoor Collectorate Overbridge as well.

Overall a nice morning ride with less traffic.

[Slavia2021]

Regarding Bommasamudram railway gate, traffic was allowed on both sides through the track when I came from Chennai on Jan 7th. Is it still the same case ?

[Yieldway17]

Originally Posted by Slavia2021

Regarding Bommasamudram railway gate, traffic was allowed on both sides through the track when I came from Chennai on Jan 7th. Is it still the same case ?

Saw your post and saw this tweet immediately after.

https://x.com/manachittooru/status/1880489915592634658

[BlackMambaXX]

I did Bengaluru - Chennai today in my Harrier.

It was a slow drive as I was travelling with my Baby. Bommasundram crossing is open for traffic but the diversion to vellore is still in place about 2kms before the crossing. There is a nhai staff posted there to guide you. They are allowing cars to use the crossing. Heavy vehicles are rerouted through vellore. The issue is that you are sent on the wrong side of the dual carriageway. There are a few blind curves which can be disastrous. Be careful and drive slowly. Additionally the actual railway crossing is a mess. It's basically a few hundred meters of off-roading. Having said that it does save time.




Whatever you save there is lost after kanchipuram. God knows why they are taking toll for that so called road. Its criminal that the flyovers have been under construction for so long.

[srvm]

Came via Chittoor route from Bangalore to Chennai on Saturday, 18th Jan.

Got stuck at the Bommasamudram railway crossing for 25 minutes. With trucks, buses and cars on both sides gridlocked for 200 meters on either side of the crossing. This was around 6pm. Many of us drivers got down and had to stop/guide big trucks cross one another with barely an inch to separate them.

I have decided not to take this route for now. I will go via Chittoor - Vellore route. And tolerate the traffic near Katpadi.

Also, Bangalore - Chennai traffic is not permitted to use Chittoor collectorate overbridge. We had to take narrow service road below it.

[CArspeed]

I have been frequenting Bangalore from Chennai and would make more than a dozen trips in a year, when roads used to be really good. I have taken almost all the available routes via Rayakottai, Kuppam, V.Kota and Ponnai. I have about more than half a dozen cousins living in many parts of Bangalore. Many times, I just wake up to find a Birthday message of one of my cousins and will either make a days trip or a two days trip to celebrate with them.
When the Poonamallee-Walajah construction started I reduced the trips to 2/3rd where I took Chittor road more often than not. But for the past 1-2 years, my travel to Bangalore is just about 2-3 trips (only for necessity) and I take the Vande Bharat or Shatabdi or even the double decker/Lalbagh as it has got stoppage in KR Puram.
I am more than happy travelling via narrow country roads constantly under the shades of huge trees planted on both sides rather than taking the barren four lane roads.
I know development is the order of the day, but the same is neither planned well nor executed properly.
Vandhe Barath

[srvm]

Originally Posted by srvm

Came via Chittoor route from Bangalore to Chennai on Saturday, 18th Jan.

Got stuck at the Bommasamudram railway crossing for 25 minutes. With trucks, buses and cars on both sides gridlocked for 200 meters on either side of the crossing. This was around 6pm. Many of us drivers got down and had to stop/guide big trucks cross one another with barely an inch to separate them.

I have decided not to take this route for now. I will go via Chittoor - Vellore route. And tolerate the traffic near Katpadi.

Also, Bangalore - Chennai traffic is not permitted to use Chittoor collectorate overbridge. We had to take narrow service road below it.

Came back to Bangalore on Monday (20th Jan) via Vellore-Katpadi-Chittoor.
1. Vellore-Katpadi was a real pain to cross around 7pm. So many impatient and careless drivers & riders

2. The craters near TN-AP border on Vellore-Chittoor have started getting deeper . Extreme care needed to prevent scraping of bottom.

3. On the overbridge near Chittoor collectorate, vehicles (cars as well as trucks) going towards Ranipet / Vellore were travelling on the wrong side give big scare to vehicles going towards Bangalore.

On the whole, this route is now a choice between devil and the deep sea!

[Slavia2021]

Any improvements (w.r.t potholes) on the road towards Chennai after Chennasamudram toll plaza ?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by srvm

I have decided not to take this route for now. I will go via Chittoor - Vellore route. And tolerate the traffic near Katpadi.

You dont have to tolerate Katpadi also. Do Chitoor-Ponnai-Ranipet.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/EURDjvr6DAEKxngr9

But its still 90min for 55km.