[NPV]

Update from recent trip to Chennai via Old Madras Road-Chittoor-Ranipet:
After the second toll at Mulbagal, the 4 laning is complete for another 30Km (I think this is upto the Karnataka state border). Just one diversion of about 1 Km for a flyover construction is still work in progress. At the end of the 4 lane section there is a toll plaza coming up. This 30Km stretch is new and excellent, so enjoy it before it becomes a tolled section

On the Andhra side, there was some asphalting work in progress and part of it is complete and brand new but seeing the work done, doesn't seem like it will be 4 laned anytime soon, only new tarmac on existing 2 lane sections

Chittoor-Ranipet is also in excellent condition. Once you merge onto NH46 near Ranipet, road is good upto Wallajahpet toll. After this, it is heavily patched all the way till Poonamallee bypass. Bumpy ride, but I could only imagine how it would have been few months ago before it was patched! Too many trucks on this stretch!! In the return direction, it is rough at some places with top layer gone, leaving small potholes but nothing treacherous and can be avoided mostly if traffic is not dense. This section is in dire need of 6 laning, hope work starts sometime soon.

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Katthipara junction>Guindy>Little Mount>Raj Bhavan>Anna University>Go on the flyover>Madhya Kailash>L B Road.[/url]

Thanks Ravi sir, it was easy to find the place!

Originally Posted by hserus

Essentially a straight road and very hard to miss.

Don't you have google maps on your phone, by the way? That should take you around chennai without any issues.

Thanks! I did have maps on this trip but being unfamiliar with Chennai I wanted to get a general idea of the route as we were starting from Bangalore in the evening and did not want to struggle to locate the place around 11pm.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by NPV

After the second toll at Mulbagal, the 4 laning is complete for another 30Km (I think this is upto the Karnataka state border). Just one diversion of about 1 Km for a flyover construction is still work in progress. At the end of the 4 lane section there is a toll plaza coming up. This 30Km stretch is new and excellent, so enjoy it before it becomes a tolled section

Here's a picture of the new butter smooth 4 lane section after the Mulbagal toll.

[im_srini]

Originally Posted by NPV

Once you merge onto NH46 near Ranipet, road is good upto Wallajahpet toll.
After this, it is heavily patched all the way till Poonamallee bypass.
Bumpy ride, but I could only imagine how it would have been few months ago before it was patched !
...
In the return direction, it is rough at some places with top layer gone, leaving small potholes but nothing treacherous and can be avoided mostly if traffic is not dense.

Yes, this section is a real nightmare & the Toll operator ( Essel ? ) has no business collecting toll on this stretch.
Would suggest that regular users of this "highway" register their protest by complaining on NHAI's web-site.
After my most recent trip, in addition to raising a complaint on NHAI's web-site (a regular occurrence now after a trip), I lodged one on the PG web-site too for good measure.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by NPV

Here's a picture of the new butter smooth 4 lane section after the Mulbagal toll]

It is good to know that widening work is done.

When I traveled through this road last time there was unmarked deviation all through out making driving dangerous. Remember there was a bus accident too on this stretch few months back.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by NPV

Here's a picture of the new butter smooth 4 lane section after the Mulbagal toll.
Attachment 1325458

Looks like lane marking for each of the 2 lanes has not yet been done.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

Looks like lane marking for each of the 2 lanes has not yet been done.

Lane marking has not been done in the first 4km stretch after the Mulbagal toll and picture was taken in this stretch. After the diversion where flyover construction is in progress lane marking is complete all the way up to the end of 4 lane section where a new toll plaza is being constructed.

[Dieseldunk]

If the high court judgement is implemented the toll for pvt vehicles should be toll free

[rajinibm]

Did a Chennai - Bangalore trip today. Started morning from Velachery at 4 am and took the Chittoor route.
The roads leading to Bangalore seemed empty compared to other days and I hardly encountered a handful of lorries and very few cars. Reached Yelahanka at 7 45 am!
Normally would take close to five hours but guess due to less vehicles managed this route timing.I do this trip weekly and this was one of the most peaceful drives!
One thing I have noticed is the Chennai - Bangalore drive takes around 5 hours but the Bangalore - Chennai drive almost always take close to six hours and always via Chittoor route.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by rajinibm

Did a Chennai - Bangalore trip today. Started morning from Velachery at 4 am and took the Chittoor route.
The roads leading to Bangalore seemed empty compared to other days and I hardly encountered a handful of lorries and very few cars. Reached Yelahanka at 7 45 am!
Normally would take close to five hours but guess due to less vehicles managed this route timing.I do this trip weekly and this was one of the most peaceful drives!
One thing I have noticed is the Chennai - Bangalore drive takes around 5 hours but the Bangalore - Chennai drive almost always take close to six hours and always via Chittoor route.

Mate, In 3.5 hrs you have reached your destination driving on a combination of 2 lane and 4 lane roads.
Hope it is not a case of over speeding.

[binand]

Originally Posted by rajinibm

Started morning from Velachery at 4 am... Reached Yelahanka at 7 45 am!

3 hours 45 minutes for about 340 km, or 90 kmph average. That's way too dangerous, mate - peaceful drive or not.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by rajinibm

Did a Chennai - Bangalore trip today. Started morning from Velachery at 4 am and took the Chittoor route.
The roads leading to Bangalore seemed empty compared to other days and I hardly encountered a handful of lorries and very few cars. Reached Yelahanka at 7 45 am!
Normally would take close to five hours but guess due to less vehicles managed this route timing.I do this trip weekly and this was one of the most peaceful drives!
One thing I have noticed is the Chennai - Bangalore drive takes around 5 hours but the Bangalore - Chennai drive almost always take close to six hours and always via Chittoor route.

Mate. I too drove from Chennai to Bangalore (NON STOP) in the early hours. I left chennai at 10:15 PM and reached my home in Bangalore at 2:45 AM. I consistently stuck to 100 kmph only.

Do not try what you have done now again that too on a combo of 2/4 lane roads. It can be dangerous. Remember it is better to be late than never.

[rajinibm]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

Mate, In 3.5 hrs you have reached your destination driving on a combination of 2 lane and 4 lane roads.
Hope it is not a case of over speeding.

Originally Posted by binand

3 hours 45 minutes for about 340 km, or 90 kmph average. That's way too dangerous, mate - peaceful drive or not.

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

Mate. I too drove from Chennai to Bangalore (NON STOP) in the early hours. I left chennai at 10:15 PM and reached my home in Bangalore at 2:45 AM. I consistently stuck to 100 kmph only.

Do not try what you have done now again that too on a combo of 2/4 lane roads. It can be dangerous. Remember it is better to be late than never.

I guess I was not clear in my post. I wanted to stress more on the almost nil traffic and hence the better start and end time and never on over speeding or dangerous drive. I do the BLR-CHE_BLR drive weekly and was ONLY comparing the comparable slower drives the other days due to lorry etc traffic on the same roads.

[binand]

Originally Posted by rajinibm

I guess I was not clear in my post. I wanted to stress more on the almost nil traffic and hence the better start and end time and never on over speeding or dangerous drive.

But did you manage this?

Started morning from Velachery at 4 am... Reached Yelahanka at 7 45 am!

If yes, then you WERE averaging 90 kmph.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by rajinibm

I guess I was not clear in my post. I wanted to stress more on the almost nil traffic and hence the better start and end time and never on over speeding or dangerous drive. I do the BLR-CHE_BLR drive weekly and was ONLY comparing the comparable slower drives the other days due to lorry etc traffic on the same roads.

Hello friend,

Not to offend/question you. Even if there is nil traffic, i would still call this timing dangerous and not a safe drive in a 2L/4L combo roads as suresh pointed out.

No matter what, IMHO anything less than 4.5 hours non-stop drive between Madras-Bangalore is quite unsafe both for us and also for villagers enroute.

BTW, When i read your signature line "Be bullish on LIFE" again, i hope thats not meant for driving

-Ravi

[Waxeloquent]

Well I returned to Bangalore from Chennai, used the 4-6 lanes. Starting from Anna Nagar reached Bellandur in 5 1/2 hours with 1/2 hour breakfast stop at Aru Suvai just after Sri Perumpudur. The road till Ranipet continues to be just patches and the toll of Rs 45 is atrocious for that. Also just before Krishnagiri saw the Sedan remains being removed where a ghastly accident had happened 2 days back killing an IAS officer and her driver. It was on a bridge near Perumalpet where the news report mentioned that the front tire burst, the vehicle went over median and hit an on-coming vehicle.

One thing I had noticed in all my drives in this route, all the bridges/elevated roads have certain amount of curves. Large signage is at the beginning of most of these places warning about over-speeding. While driving on this route is largely enjoyable I'd strongly urge fellow members to exercise restraint and be alert because of these curves on bridges/elevated roads and in several places there are roads from villages cutting right across NH! Safe driving Cheers