[Dr.AD]

Update on Yercaud-Kuppanur-Bangalore Road

I recently took this road, and thought I should update this thread here.

Many posts (mostly about 2 years or more older) here mention that this road is in a very bad shape and is suitable only for SUVs etc. Reading all that, I was also quite apprehensive about this road, and avoided it all the time so far. However, this time, since I was in my Thar 4x4, I decided to try this out. I expected to face bad roads as mentioned in many older posts here.

However, to my pleasant surprise, this road is absolutely great now! This road is all fixed, all good tarmac, and very scenic road. Absolutely fantastic road. Even more scenic than the Yercaud-Salem road, with only about 10% the traffic of that road. I am sure to take this road again when going to Yercaud.

The exact route I took is shown in the map below (in the map I have shown only till Krishnagiri, since from there to Bangalore it is the usual 6-lane national highway anyways).


The route I took:


Notice that this avoids the crowded Harur town too. The road I took was all smooth and scenic Tamil Nadu state highway. Totally loved it.

Coming back to Yercaud-Kuppanur road, at the beginning (first few km from Yercaud), there are a few steep and narrow turns and hairpin bends. The road surface is all smooth, but the road is quite narrow. If two vehicles comes from the opposite direction, it might need careful maneuvering to manage that. But nothing too bad as such.

The initial narrow portion (it gets narrower on a couple of tight corners):


However, after that initial narrow patch (which is about 7km or so in length, I thought), the road becomes wider, the tarmac is smooth, and this road is an absolute joy.

My Thar on the wider sections of the road:



The road is quite scenic too, with views like these:


Overall, this is great road. All smooth now and perfect even for low slung sedans. I am sure to use this route again instead of the usual (and crowded) Salem-Yercaud road.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Dr.AD

Overall, this is great road. All smooth now and perfect even for low slung sedans. I am sure to use this route again instead of the usual (and crowded) Salem-Yercaud road.

Harur town has a decent bypass. And also the bad road comment was always about Danishpet side of descent.

The Kupanur side has been decent but narrow. And the road to Harur has always been good to decent. I tried this many years back and even I enjoyed.


Also there is a long term to plan to expand the Tirupathur-Uthangarai-Harur-Salem into a new expressway (Chennai-Salem Expressway). Info Link

[fast_elegance]

Any new updates regarding the Bangalore - Yercaud route? Planning a drive next week.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by fast_elegance

Any new updates regarding the Bangalore - Yercaud route? Planning a drive next week.

The straight-forward route to Yercaud is via Salem.

[ktk]

When traveling from Bangalore, Google Maps is suggesting the Hosur-Rayakottai-Salem route. Is this a good option compared to the Krishnagiri-Salem route?

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by ktk

When traveling from Bangalore, Google Maps is suggesting the Hosur-Rayakottai-Salem route. Is this a good option compared to the Krishnagiri-Salem route?

Maybe there was some major traffic jam on the Krishnagiri route and hence it suggested an alternate route.

[natrajdr]

Did you use this route?

Any recent updates on the status of this route now? Is the new roads done completely?

Originally Posted by ktk

When traveling from Bangalore, Google Maps is suggesting the Hosur-Rayakottai-Salem route. Is this a good option compared to the Krishnagiri-Salem route?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ktk

When traveling from Bangalore, Google Maps is suggesting the Hosur-Rayakottai-Salem route. Is this a good option compared to the Krishnagiri-Salem route?

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Maybe there was some major traffic jam on the Krishnagiri route and hence it suggested an alternate route.

That's because of the emergence on NH844. See Kerala route thread. Many have used it and despite the deviations on the route, they claim it helped save time. You basically join back at Dharmapuri bypass.

Reference: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post5772516 (All Roads to Kerala)

[ktk]

Originally Posted by natrajdr

Did you use this route?

Any recent updates on the status of this route now? Is the new roads done completely?

I will be traveling mid of next month. Will try this route and post updates.

Originally Posted by ampere

That's because of the emergence on NH844. See Kerala route thread. Many have used it and despite the deviations on the route, they claim it helped save time. You basically join back at Dharmapuri bypass.

Reference: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post5772516 (All Roads to Kerala)

Thanks for this! Looks like this could be a good options. The thread also suggests the Rayakottai - Kelamangalam - Attibele route, which might avoid Hosur completely.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ktk

Thanks for this! Looks like this could be a good options. The thread also suggests the Rayakottai - Kelamangalam - Attibele route, which might avoid Hosur completely.

This is standard routing option to avoid Hosur. Basically drive via Kelamangalam to directly to Attibele via TVS factory. Once the 844 is fully done, there is no need to even exit the highway. It would join NH4 right after Attibele (At Neralur)

[natrajdr]

I used the NH 844 route on the way back yesterday. While the roads are great from Dharmapuri to Rayakottai, post that there is lots of construction work ongoing.

You'll have to go through Rayakottai town as the bypass is not done yet and there are many patches where detours are required post that. Finally, near Hosur, I took a few detours and got a bit lost - but finally ended up in the Rayottai - Attibelle road and finally ended up driving to Attibelle.

Entered Dharmapuri around 6 and reached Attibele at around 7.45 (the sunset views are amazing!)

I'd recommend to try this route during the daytime. But given that there is no shops / petrol bunks on the side of the highway, if you get a flat, the trip would be then be a true adventure, I'd think

Originally Posted by natrajdr

Did you use this route?

Any recent updates on the status of this route now? Is the new roads done completely?

[vnabhi]

Folks
I'm traveling to Bangalore tomorrow from Yercaud. Google is showing a route that is around 30 kms shorter that avoids going via Salem, and has no tolls at all. I'm not sure if that is the Danishpet route, as it doesn't touch that place, but goes some way towards it.

What's your suggestion? I hated driving through Salem today.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Folks
I'm traveling to Bangalore tomorrow from Yercaud. Google is showing a route that is around 30 kms shorter that avoids going via Salem, and has no tolls at all. I'm not sure if that is the Danishpet route, as it doesn't touch that place, but goes some way towards it.

What's your suggestion? I hated driving through Salem today.

If you don't want to take the Salem route, you can try the Yercaud-Kuppanur route mentioned by Dr.Ad few posts above.

[finneyp]

Last week travelled to & from Yercaud.
While going, wanted to take the usual Salem route, but Gmaps was prompting me to take the Kuppanur route to save some time, didn't accept in initially, but when it said "save 50 mins" I took the risk of trying the Kuppanur route.
Firstly, Gmaps doesn't guide you properly on this route, it took us to a village interior road, in one place it directed me to a non-tar road filled with slush! Took a U-turn & tried an alternate road & got lost. Finally, a localite on bike directed me to the correct route.
The uphill road on this route is narrow & broken most of the parts, only a small section is well tarred, but traffic is very less.
It is good for a SUV kind of vehicle, other cars will struggle for sure.
While returning, took the Salem - Krishnagiri highway. It was a peaceful 5 hours drive to Bangalore.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by finneyp

Last week travelled to & from Yercaud.
While going, wanted to take the usual Salem route, but Gmaps was prompting me to take the Kuppanur route to save some time, didn't accept in initially, but when it said "save 50 mins" I took the risk of trying the Kuppanur route.
Firstly, Gmaps doesn't guide you properly on this route, it took us to a village interior road, in one place it directed me to a non-tar road filled with slush!

Did you take the Harur - Kuppanur route or the Danishpet route? I am asking this because, Harur - Kuppanur is a straight forward route and its the Danishpet route which google suggests most of the time.