[akas_chauhan]

I've to drive down to Chennai tomorrow (1st Nov) with my family to Cenotaph Road, Teynampet. I do not know anything about Chennai and need you guys help. Couple of doubts need to be clarified.

1. How are the roads now. Is it flooded or it's OK?
2. Where to stay near this place. A decent hotel with max 2K budget per day with car parking

Thanks in advance

[DRIV3R]

Originally Posted by akas_chauhan

I've to drive down to Chennai tomorrow (1st Nov) with my family to Cenotaph Road, Teynampet. I do not know anything about Chennai and need you guys help. Couple of doubts need to be clarified.

1. How are the roads now. Is it flooded or it's OK?
2. Where to stay near this place. A decent hotel with max 2K budget per day with car parking

Thanks in advance

Roads are pretty bad, lots of trees fallen and debris lying on the road. Just few hours back, saw a tree on a Scorpio on Dr.Radhakrishnan road.

No flooding as such.

Regarding stay, you have 'n' number of options, cannot really suggest you something.

[MAS]

Originally Posted by akas_chauhan

I've to drive down to Chennai tomorrow (1st Nov) with my family to Cenotaph Road, Teynampet. I do not know anything about Chennai and need you guys help. Couple of doubts need to be clarified.

1. How are the roads now. Is it flooded or it's OK?
2. Where to stay near this place. A decent hotel with max 2K budget per day with car parking

Thanks in advance

Welcome to Chennai. This is probably a bad time to visit Chennai, that to for the first time.

The roads are pretty battered up due to the rains. Thankfully, there is not much rain now, but the wind is still strong. A number of fallen trees were reported and hence there could be slow moving traffic plus jams.

Cenotaph Road is easier to reach via Kotturpuram as the approach from Mount Road has been cut off due to Metro Rail construction. Take the right to Raj Bhavan at Little Mount (after Guindy and before Saidapet - watch for Checkers hotel on the left, followed by New Life AG church - take the Longish right turn after the signal). Immediately after you take the right, you will see a foot over bridge over a 250 feet wide road. Keep left and take the road that turns left in front of Raj Bhavan and keep driving till you see an over-bridge. (Watch for Anna University on the left) Take the lane adjacent to the bridge (Do not take the bridge) and take a left at the signal below the bridge. Keep driving on this road (Korturpuram Main Road) and after about 3 kms or so, you will cross a river bridge. Immediately after the bridge the road turns right leading to a narrow over-bridge. Take this bridge and you are at Cenotaph road.

This place has all the expensive hotels nearby and there is very little chance you will get decent accommodation at 2 K rates with car parking facility.

[supremeBaleno]

Just reached office driving via Cenotaph Road, Kotturpuram etc. No blockage anywhere and the corporation is already on the job of clearing the uprooted trees etc. So no issues as far as the road is concerned. The 20kms of road from my home to work was free from any obstacle and took me lesser time than normal to cover. A big Thank You to the cops and the corporation folks who ensured that blockages were removed !!!

BTW, every morning when I drive to work, I see a huge line of people waiting outside the gate of the TPL building on Cenotaph Road. Sort of like the visa-line outside US consulate. What are they waiting for ? They were there today also.

[Ananthang]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

BTW, every morning when I drive to work, I see a huge line of people waiting outside the gate of the TPL building on Cenotaph Road. Sort of like the visa-line outside US consulate. What are they waiting for ? They were there today also.

Spot On - Supreme Baleno.

Yes it is indeed US Visa Cosulate OFC center, where you give Finger prints and Photo the first day and the second day you go for Personal Interview. They work Half day on sunday too and will be on holiday on Saturday. They work in Sync with consulate office timings. The stamped passport has to collected again from the OFC only.

It is a new process adopted from 26th Sep to ease crowd. I assume the requestor also coming in for the same process.

[akas_chauhan]

Hey Thanks supremebaleno, driv3r and MAS for the info. Driving was uneventful. Roads are not in bad shape. I got a hotel for a price of 3,700 per night, but a good hotel including complementary dinner and breakfast and free wifi.

The line on centopah road is for US OFC as replied earlier.

[KINI]

Guys any clue why half the road is blocked by CCTP right outside Chennai Cakes in Thirumangalam.Almost rammed my SX4(poor headlights) today morning at 5 30.Avoided at the last minute since I was going slow!!

[headers]

The ship without the anchor drifted from Besant Nagar to Marina Beach !

[go-pg]

The CSIR and TIDEL junction is becoming extremely congested and difficult to drive through. Today morning, a two wheeler swiped my car's mirror. He joined from the service road and i was on the lane closest to the service lane. There was barely enough space for a cycle to go through, but this guy just swipes my mirror with his and just leaves. Luckily no damage happened but he did not even look at me and apologize.

What can be done to stop the cars, auto's tempos and 2 wheelers from using the service lane? I am thinking of preparing a sign and sticking it at the end of the service road where the vehicles join the road that says "I use the service road to cut traffic because i am idiot for causing discomfort to those who follow rules"

[headers]

Originally Posted by go-pg

There was barely enough space for a cycle to go through, but this guy just swipes my mirror with his and just leaves. Luckily no damage happened but he did not even look at me and apologize.

What i could suggest is buy rough / coarse grade sandpaper and stick it on the periphery of the RVM - it would scratch the guy touching the car.

Even better if you could manage cactus on the surface.

I have lost so many mirrors because of morons who sqeeze past the car

[DWind]

The 2 wheelers in Chennai are such a pain here and the only revenge that we car owners can take is petition CCTP/HC to make it mandatory (not that it was optional in the first place) to have both RVM in their vehicles. Trust me! they will be more careful the next time as they also risk damage to their vehicle as well. And just because it is there even if 30-40% of them start using it, Chennai will be a better place to drive. Maybe I am asking too much?

[KINI]

Guys is it just me or have things taken a turn for the worse since the Metro construction has begun??It is seriously annoying to drive in the city nowadays.Too many vehicles on plying on the wrong side.I have greatly reduced my city driving as a result of this!!

[Thad E Ginathom]

No way is it just you! I regard the Metro work as an almost impenetrable barrier between me and "the rest" of Chennai. T Nagar? Bad enough in normal times: now, forget it!

[kablu]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

No way is it just you! I regard the Metro work as an almost impenetrable barrier between me and "the rest" of Chennai. T Nagar? Bad enough in normal times: now, forget it!

Almost all the drivers and riders of Chennai is in the same situation Thad sir.
I'm not sure whether the introduction of metro will bring any advantages to the But, surely it has made two positive changes in my lifestyle.

1. I completely stopped travelling to office by car and started using my
trusted HH Hunk for office commute. Fuel bills has came down
drastically now (I own a Petrol Sedan)

2. I've now developed a habit of getting up early in the morning so that I
can avoid the peak hour traffic. Nothing can beat the feel of riding in
free roads in the mornings before traffic builds up. Say, by some 7 AM.

[KINI]

In my case I travel 26kms a day extra just to avoid city traffic!!No complaints since this route is way faster!!

It took me 25 minutes to travel from Viveks Annanagar to my home in Mogappair today evening.