Originally Posted by Bangalorean

he smilingly asked for "entry fee into AP". For a moment I thought it was some official toll and asked him how much. He said, "give whatever you want". That's when I realized that the goon was asking for bribe! I refused and drove off.

I too experienced this and refused to pay the AP RTO guys when I drove through this route many years back. I am shocked to hear this continues unabated even now.

After that, its the old dual carriageway via Chittoor, till Ranipet.

It is single carriageway with two lanes.

[manavdotcom]

Anybody taken this route recently ? Any updates.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by manavdotcom

Anybody taken this route recently ? Any updates.

Took this route upto Chitoor on the way to Tirupati in April. Roads are good all the way. 4 laning is complete from KR Puram to Mulbagal and then it's 2 lane undivided road but no issues.
You may want to see some earlier posts as well since they are quite recent (like @Bangalorean's post #105).

EDIT:Take this road if you stay close to the side of the city where it is easy to cross KR Puram, otherwise take the GQ route via Hosur.

[Dieseldunk]

Originally Posted by manavdotcom

Anybody taken this route recently ? Any updates.

Hi

Since the advent of the GQ route the Kolar route is not very impressive. Trucks are high and also from KR puram traffic piles up. Due to two way traffic the driving is hindered if you plan to go to Tirupati from Chennai may be you could use this (albeit a bit long than the Puttur,Nagari route).

To beat traffic on the after crossing Krishnagiri best time to travel would be either post 5pm from Chennai or before 6 am from Chennai and the same will hold good for return too. Believe me have reached Chennai -Saligramam from Bangalore-Sanjay nagar in 4hr flat with a tea break in between left BLR at 5:30hrs and reached by 09:30hrs on GQ. Speed was 90-100 kph through and through , no overspeeding no slow trucks or irritating bikes on the wrong side.

Cheers
Prasad

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by Dieseldunk

best time to travel would be either post 5pm from Chennai or before 6 am from Chennai and the same will hold good for return too.

Did you mean before 5pm from Madras ? 5-10pm its a pain to get out of the city. I once took 2.5 hrs to reach Sriperumbudur starting at 545pm from T.Nagar

[Dieseldunk]

+1 to that.
You could also leave at 7pm (I had once left at 7pm and reached K'giri by 10pm with a dinner break at Poonamallee-motel highway). The sole reason was to beat traffic at Hosur and Electronic city. I have also taken 2 hrs to reach poonamallee from saligramam when i took the porur route near about the same time you have mentioned.

[vinothkc]

Could you please let me know how is the road quality from Ranipet to KR Puram. The toll charges are very high and is not worth reaching my home in KR Puram through city traffic even if I come through Athibele Varthur road. Any recent trips. Is the road good?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vinothkc

Could you please let me know how is the road quality from Ranipet to KR Puram. The toll charges are very high and is not worth reaching my home in KR Puram through city traffic even if I come through Athibele Varthur road. Any recent trips. Is the road good?

Its 4L between Bangalore-Mulbagal (toll booths not up yet I think).]
Mulbagal to Chitoor is very decent 2L. Not sure about Chittoor Ranipet.

[vinothkc]

Originally Posted by ampere

Its 4L between Bangalore-Mulbagal (toll booths not up yet I think).]
Mulbagal to Chitoor is very decent 2L. Not sure about Chittoor Ranipet.

Thanks for your note... I pulled right on NH207 toward Chithoor and no regrets. Chennai to Ranipet on NH207 is amazingly good. Ranipet Chithoor is decent 2 road... though overtakings are a bit difficult as you might end up stuck between long trailers who dont leave any space between them for you to duck in between ...

Mulbagal to ITPL (where I work), I covered in less than 90 minutes on my Baleno.. These roads remind you of Hubli-Bangalore NH4. You can cruise fast without any issues... Watchout of those tractors and intelligent people who might surprise you travelling onward with headlights on thinking they have done everything to cover in the rule book.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vinothkc

Thanks for your note... I pulled right on NH207 toward Chithoor and no regrets. Chennai to Ranipet on NH207 is amazingly good. Ranipet Chithoor is decent 2 road... though overtakings are a bit difficult as you might end up stuck between long trailers who dont leave any space between them for you to duck in between

Great to hear this update. I hope you meant NH4 and not NH 207.
I am not sure about the 4L plan beyond Mulbagal.

[vinothkc]

Originally Posted by ampere

Great to hear this update. I hope you meant NH4 and not NH 207.
I am not sure about the 4L plan beyond Mulbagal.

Agree with you.. Not sure why I wrote NH207... Good thing as of last wednesday the toll booths are not functional... So its just a pass through. But once they come up,

[csentil]

Ranipet to Chitoor is usually good to decent. How is Chitoor to Palmaner and Palmaner to Mulbagal these days? You can either make up a lot of time in this sector or lose time depending on the traffic.

I think its time to take this road once again to check it out.

[vinothkc]

Note from the Team-BHP Support : Please avoid typing with excessive dots.........like................this. Thanks

Originally Posted by csentil

Ranipet to Chitoor is usually good to decent. How is Chitoor to Palmaner and Palmaner to Mulbagal these days? You can either make up a lot of time in this sector or lose time depending on the traffic.

I think its time to take this road once again to check it out.

I drove on 1st September from Bangalore to Chennai... Good road all the way... KR Puram to Mulbagal is a good double lane stretch and u could cover this in no time... From there all the way to Palamner is again with some bends etc but nothing to complain.... Palamner Chithoor is again good single road where u can do 100 to 110 without any issues. Lookout for onward traffic.... Then comes the ghat section where u confine urself to 80kmph... Again roads are good all the way till Ranipet outer... Not a stretch of bad road at all... No tolls operational though 2 tolls are completely done... I do Kaggadasapura to Anna Nagar in just 320 kms...

[ampere]

Originally Posted by csentil

Ranipet to Chitoor is usually good to decent. How is Chitoor to Palmaner and Palmaner to Mulbagal these days? You can either make up a lot of time in this sector or lose time depending on the traffic.

I think its time to take this road once again to check it out.

BLR-Mulbagal 4L is almost complete but without toll. So the best time to drive!
Mulbagal-Palamaner-Chitoor is good 2L and very decent.

[gajadonga]

I drove from Hyderabad- Chennai on Saturday.
From Devanahalli took Vijaypura-Kolar-Mulbagal-Chittor-Ranipet-Channai route.
Devanahalli-Vijaypura decent dual carriage road and Vijaypura has a bypass.
Vijaypura-Kolar good roads
Kolar Mulbagal Four lane without toll.
Mulbagal-to A.P border average occasional potholes.
A.P border to via Chittor to Ranipet excellent road.
Ranipet-Sriperambadur four lane.
Sriperambadur-Tambaram is good in shape need to ask for directions.


Return from Chennai

Tambaram-Sriperambadur-Pallikonda-Gudiyatham-V.Kote-Mulbagal-Vijaypur-Devanahalli

Tambaram-Sriperabadur I missed road and I came through Dakas-Nallur and reached Kodambakkam-Sriperambadur road which is pretty bad.
Sripermbadur-Pallikonda four laned
Pallikonda-Gudiyatham-Peranampattu single road Good not much traffic.
Peranampattu-V.Kote Single road occasinal potholes. Road surface is average.Town traffic.A small Ghat section V.Kote-Mulbagal is in good condition.
Mulbagal-Kolar-Vemgal-Vijaypura-Devanahalli in good condition.