[nkumarblr]

Originally Posted by Sunil2307

Drove down to Pondy over the weekend.

Bangalore to Pondy -
Whitefield - Attibele - Krishnagiri - Vaniyambadi - Ambur - Pallikonda - Arani - Chetpet - Tindivanam - Pondy.

Hi Sunil, thanks for sharing the info. I am planning Pondy trip on 25th-27th Aug. I am also from Whitefield. After doing my home work and discussion with few of my friends, who been to Pondy already, I decided to follow the same route as this seems to be the best route.

Could you please help me to decide some good restaurants (for vegetarians family) for Breakfast and Lunch. We have a plan to start not later than 5 am in the morning, to have breakfast around 8 am and lunch around 12:30 pm.

Thanks in advance.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by nkumarblr

Could you please help me to decide some good restaurants (for vegetarians family) for Breakfast and Lunch. We have a plan to start not later than 5 am in the morning, to have breakfast around 8 am and lunch around 12:30 pm.

Sai Sangeet at Vaniyambadi would be a good place for breakfast. With your 5am start, you should be there around 7:15-7:30. Alternatively, you can stop at A2B at Arcot. For lunch, I think you can even consider having in Pondy, Hotel Surguru is.a good option.

[aashiqb]

Recent update: Took the bit longer Bangalore - Vellore - Gingee - Pondy route this weekend. I was worried about leaving the 6 lane highway once we took the right after Vellore but I was taken aback by how beautiful the roads are till tindivanam. Very well laid roads with no potholes at all. The only drawback being that the road was not well lit at all. Absolutely no street lights or anything nearby, so you will heavily rely on your headlights throughout. I have not tried the Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Chengam - tiruvannamalai - pondy route yet. Maybe someone who went through that route recently can chime in about the condition in the recent times.

[Sunil2307]

Originally Posted by nkumarblr

Could you please help me to decide some good restaurants (for vegetarians family) for Breakfast and Lunch. We have a plan to start not later than 5 am in the morning, to have breakfast around 8 am and lunch around 12:30 pm.

You can have an early breakfast as Sai Sangeeth as NPV suggested, or have breakfast at Hotel Anandha's between Ambur and Pallikonda. This is a vegetarian restaurant. With a 5 am start from Whitefield, you should reach there by about 8 am.

You can have your lunch in Pondicherry, you should reach there by noon or so. Lunch place I think you can chose something close to the hotel you are staying in.

[jphukan]

Originally Posted by aashiqb

Recent update: Took the bit longer Bangalore - Vellore - Gingee - Pondy route this weekend.

I agree, I took the route with a slight variation on 15th August - did not go till Vellore and took a right at Pallikonda toll gate and went through Arni. All good roads and absolute greenery on both sides. While coming back on Saturday on the same route, it was drizzling throughout and I just enjoyed the views and soft music.

It took me 7 hours while going towards Pondy on 15th August - started at 6AM from Electronic City and took an hour's break at Sai Sangeet and couple of other stretch breaks as was travelling with 1.5 year old infant. Sai Sangeet was absolutely crowded and had to wait for around 10 minutes at 8AM to get a table. The good part is that they have birds, rabbits and guinea pigs to provide a nice little break for the little one. She absolutely loved it and did not want to come away.

While coming back, started at 12 noon on Saturday and took almost 8 hours - again took almost similar breaks (ate lunch at Balaji Bhavan at Arni, which was pretty good veg fare). Krishnagiri onwards was a mad rush.

[nkumarblr]

Originally Posted by NPV

Sai Sangeet at Vaniyambadi would be a good place for breakfast. Alternatively, you can stop at A2B at Arcot. For lunch, I think you can even consider having in Pondy, Hotel Surguru is.a good option.

Originally Posted by Sunil2307

You can have an early breakfast as Sai Sangeeth as NPV suggested, or have breakfast at Hotel Anandha's between Ambur and Pallikonda.
You can have your lunch in Pondicherry, you should reach there by noon or so. Lunch place I think you can chose something close to the hotel you are staying in.

Thanks NPA & Sunil, Sai Sangeet is looking a good option. Sunil, I believe by Anandha's, you meant A2B ?
We are going to stay at Ginger Hotel Pondy, having lunch there is looking a good idea. Thank you Guys for your inputs.

[srvm]

Originally Posted by aashiqb

Recent update: Took the bit longer Bangalore - Vellore - Gingee - Pondy route this weekend. I was worried about leaving the 6 lane highway once we took the right after Vellore but I was taken aback by how beautiful the roads are till tindivanam. ....

Originally Posted by jphukan

I agree, I took the route with a slight variation on 15th August - did not go till Vellore and took a right at Pallikonda toll gate and went through Arni. All good roads and absolute greenery on both sides. While coming back on Saturday on the same route, it was drizzling throughout and I just enjoyed the views and soft music.
....

A small query to you both. When I traveled in this route in June there was a small but really bad section near Kannamangalam (probably resembling a work-in-progress toll booth). Is it patched up or still bad?

[aashiqb]

Originally Posted by srvm

A small query to you both. When I traveled in this route in June there was a small but really bad section near Kannamangalam (probably resembling a work-in-progress toll booth). Is it patched up or still bad?

I guess you are talking about the toll booth which has been half-demolished (or half-constructed maybe?). Yes, that has maybe ~300 mts of bad road but not something that should worry you.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by nkumarblr

I believe by Anandha's, you meant A2B ?

No, both are different.
A2B is the restaurant chain of Adyar Ananda Bhavan sweets, they have several outlets in Chennai, Bangalore and in various others towns/states, many along highways too.

Anandhas mentioned by @Sunil is a different restaurant en route.

Sai Sangeet is near Vaniybadi, A2B is at Arcot and Anandhas somewhere in between these two.

[kavensri]

Originally Posted by aashiqb

Recent update: Took the bit longer Bangalore - Vellore - Gingee - Pondy route this weekend. I was worried about leaving the 6 lane highway once we took the right after Vellore but I was taken aback by how beautiful the roads are till tindivanam. Very well laid roads with no potholes at all. The only drawback being that the road was not well lit at all. Absolutely no street lights or anything nearby, so you will heavily rely on your headlights throughout. I have not tried the Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Chengam - tiruvannamalai - pondy route yet. Maybe someone who went through that route recently can chime in about the condition in the recent times.

I took 'Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Bargur - Thirupattur - Singarapettai - Chengam - tiruvannamalai - pondy' last weekend and absolutely no issues. A small strecth of the road after we turn right from highway is single lane road which passes through a village. But the road condition is good.

[SNayak]

Happen to visit Pondicherry during last long weekend 31st Aug and back on 3rd Sept. Started around 10 AM from Bangalore and reached around 6 PM with two breaks on my way for breakfast and lunch. While going I followed

Bangalore - Hosur - Krisnagiri - Pallikonda - Arani - Gingee - Tindivanam - Pondicherry

Bangalore to Pallikonda (Toll Roads) : Fantastic NH and is really an easy drive
Pallinkonda to Arani : Scenic state highway but single lane
Arani to Gingee : Nice and very well maintained roads and fun to drive
Gingee to Tindivanam : Single road again but nothing to worry about
Tindivanam to Pondicherry (Toll Road): 6 lane roads and again an easy drive

On our return, we thought of coming from a different route which is standard Bus route and shorter by 50 KMs. So this is the route we followed :-

Pondicherry - Tindivanam - Gingee -Tiruvanamalai - Chengam - Uthanagarai - Krishnagiri - Hosur - Bangalore

Gingee -Tiruvanamalai - Chengam : Good single lane road and you can find bus traffic through out
Chengam - Uthanagarai - Krishanagiri : Roads around Uthanagarai is having potholes and slows down a bit but nothing much to worry about

With a start of 12PM, we reached around 8 PM with couple of breaks in between. The actual drive time would be somewhere around 6 Hrs for this stretch.

Food & Accommodation


Breakfast : Sri Krishan Inn , Krishnagiri [ Ample parking, Good Food and average restroom ]
Lunch : Sri Balaji Restaurant, Arani [ Parking space behind hotel and is just before the hotel so you need to ask, Food is good, no restroom]
Accommodation : The Park Guest House , On Promenade beach [ Fantastic Guest House in excellent location but no advance booking, no room service and restaurant operated only for few hours on a day]

Lunch : GK Restaurant, Gingee [ Nice Food and good parking space, no restroom]
Snacks: A2B Hosur [ Nice Food, Good Parking space and Clean restroom]

[nileshch]

I am driving to Pondicherry on Sep 27. Since I stay close to Old Madras Road, I was thinking of taking the Kolar-Mulbagal-Chittoor-Arcot-Tindivanam route.

Hows the progress of the highway widening after Mulbagal? Is the work still in progress?

[NPV]

Originally Posted by nileshch

Hows the progress of the highway widening after Mulbagal? Is the work still in progress?

Last I heard, the work is complete barring a couple of flyovers and some lane markings, so all good till Chittoor.

However, few months back there was some road work (not sure if it's widening or repair work) on the Chittoor-Ranipet stretch and I'm not sure if this is complete.

*If you start early, Bangalore-Krishnagiri-Bargur-Tirupattur-Tiruvannamalai-Tindivanam-Pondhicherry is another option.

I had traveled on this stretch (till Tiruvannamalai) recently and a friend drove from Chennai to Tiruvannamalai and mentioned that route was good too.
Link to my earlier post (Bangalore - Thiruvannamalai : Route Queries)
*If taking this, avoid the unfinished Chengam "bypass", stick to the left at the fork as mentioned in my post

I think you can bypass part of Tiruvannamalai town also by taking a right turn after you enter the town (after the Ramana ashram). This will help you avoid the roads around the Arunachaleswarar temple which are narrow and more traffic prone.
Map Link

[ampere]

Originally Posted by nileshch

I am driving to Pondicherry on Sep 27. Since I stay close to Old Madras Road, I was thinking of taking the Kolar-Mulbagal-Chittoor-Arcot-Tindivanam route.

Hows the progress of the highway widening after Mulbagal? Is the work still in progress?

If you can get past Bangalore traffic early morning, I would still suggest take the Hosur Krishnagiri Chengam route.

But while return, you can opt for Old Madras option because you get saved from the inflow of returning cars.

And yes Bangalore-Chitoor is a breeze these days. Look at Bangalore-Tirupati thread for more details.

[nileshch]

Originally Posted by NPV

*If you start early, Bangalore-Krishnagiri-Bargur-Tirupattur-Tiruvannamalai-Tindivanam-Pondhicherry is another option.

Originally Posted by ampere

If you can get past Bangalore traffic early morning, I would still suggest take the Hosur Krishnagiri Chengam route.

Good to know this option. will definitely consider this!

Originally Posted by ampere

And yes Bangalore-Chitoor is a breeze these days. Look at Bangalore-Tirupati thread for more details.

ok great, thanks. Yes, the return journey has always been through Chittoor. Will stick to that.