[narayans80]

Originally Posted by aravind.anand

But in general, how was the road surface between Ranipet and Palmaner?

Scroll up to Post 2828 in the same page from Suresh_GS

[DRIVE_ADDICT]

The road condidtion between Walajabad to Poonnamalle via Kanchipuram Sriperumbudur is still a problem.

They ve re-laid tarmac in certain section and abruptly left some of the sections where caters are big enough to damage your rim. The problem with the current condition is that, you will be maintaiing good speed at the freshly laid tarmac and all of a sudden the road condition will get worse.
I fall prey for this and damaged my rim.

One needs to be extra cautious while taking this section at dusk.

[DRIV3R]

Originally Posted by DRIVE_ADDICT

The road condidtion between Walajabad to Poonnamalle via Kanchipuram Sriperumbudur is still a problem.

They ve re-laid tarmac in certain section and abruptly left some of the sections where caters are big enough to damage your rim. The problem with the current condition is that, you will be maintaiing good speed at the freshly laid tarmac and all of a sudden the road condition will get worse.
I fall prey for this and damaged my rim.

One needs to be extra cautious while taking this section at dusk.

Same holds true for the opposite route as well. I did that yesterday but thankfully during the day, hence had enough time to check mirrors and brake for the fear of being rear ended.

We should stop at the toll gate, deny paying toll and ask for the complaint register. But we all are in a hurry, hence we do chalta hai, and these morons thrive.

[DRIVE_ADDICT]

Originally Posted by DRIV3R

We should stop at the toll gate, deny paying toll and ask for the complaint register. But we all are in a hurry, hence we do chalta hai, and these morons thrive.

Complaint register?
FYI. There was a court order to fix it. Way back in 2014. Please find the reference in this very same thread http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3607431

[DRIV3R]

Originally Posted by DRIVE_ADDICT

Complaint register?
FYI. There was a court order to fix it. Way back in 2014. Please find the reference in this very same thread http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3607431

Yep, looks like you have never done that. To put things in perspective, these complaints go to the highest levels in NHAI, and you would get a phone call from the authority and a registered post to your postal address, after resolution.

[DRIVE_ADDICT]

Originally Posted by DRIV3R

Yep, looks like you have never done that. To put things in perspective, these complaints go to the highest levels in NHAI, and you would get a phone call from the authority and a registered post to your postal address, after resolution.

I do agree. Without attempting its not good to talk about. but whatever you ve mentioned here is the protocol NHAI follows (supposed to). my point was, how far it will work out when they gave a damn for court order.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

Folks

My friend drove from Adyar,Chennai to Whitefield, Bangalore via Old Madras road last week. He said that right from Ranipet till the 4 lane road in KA, the stretch has combination of broken tarmac and potholes and that he found it difficult to go beyond 50 kmph. This was during the day time. He left Chennai at 11 AM and reached Whitefield by 6 30 PM

I am surprised!
I just did this route both onward and returned today and it isn’t bad as mentioned. I was a maintaining a good average and did the stretch in 2 hours which is around 50 kmph average. Traffic can slow you down, but the road conditions are good 90% of the stretch. It is only certain parts that have those long cracks or missing tar but not bad enough to break anything.

Originally Posted by NPV

An acquaintance traveled from Chennai to Bangalore yesterday on the Chittoor route and mentioned that there was a 3-4Km diversion inside Ranipet town due to some construction work, possibly a culvert or some pipe laying. This was late evening yesterday.

Yes, this is if you continue after Walajapet town , the road is blocked,so there is cut off between Ranipet and Walajapet which is around half a km that needs to be taken which will join the 6 lane.

Originally Posted by aravind.anand

But in general, how was the road surface between Ranipet and Palmaner? I am planning to start early on 23rd Dec for the Christmas weekend. I know it could be a disaster, but still willing to take the risk

It is fine apart from the traffic which is a hit or miss depending on the timing.
Even Walajapet to Chennai toll road is relaid for most part and looks like they have stopped those sand laden trucks on that route too.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by tharian

Even Walajapet to Chennai toll road is relaid for most part.

How much is relaid now? I just did upto Kanchipuram (reported in post 3810). I'll be surprised if there is progress beyond Nemili toll. Wasn't brave enough to try the conventional route. Would like to know the progress till and from Sriperumbudur.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by narayans80

How much is relaid now? I just did upto Kanchipuram (reported in post 3810). I'll be surprised if there is progress beyond Nemili toll. Wasn't brave enough to try the conventional route. Would like to know the progress till and from Sriperumbudur.

Compared to last July which was when I traveled on that road last before yesterday, most of the rough patches have been done upto the cut off to Chittoor.
They have patched up most of potholes too.

[aravind.anand]

Originally Posted by tharian

It is fine apart from the traffic which is a hit or miss depending on the timing.
Even Walajapet to Chennai toll road is relaid for most part and looks like they have stopped those sand laden trucks on that route too.

Great, I can start my trip with some peace of mind, and also fix the route I would be taking firmly now. Thank you Tharian.

The only thing that is missing in this Chithoor route is some good restaurants, my last two restaurant adventures were disastrous. But the toll cost on the Krishnagiri route is far too expensive to select that route over this one

[tharian]

Originally Posted by aravind.anand

Great, I can start my trip with some peace of mind, and also fix the route I would be taking firmly now. Thank you Tharian

Sure. You may have to take the next turn off to Chittoor highway since the usual one may still be blocked.
I have marked it in the map below.

[finneyp]

Last weekend, drove to Chennai & back on the Hosur/Krishnagiri highway.
It was a peaceful drive onwards to Chennai, especially the 4-lane stretch from Ranipet to Chennai was relaid, so the tarmac was good to drive on.
Utilized the FastTag at EC, Attibelli, Krishnagiri, Vaniyambadi, Pallikonda, Chennasamudram (The FastTag lane was crowded, took another lane & showed the FasTag, was allowed to pass). SriPerumbadur (Took the FasTag, but barrier didn't open, operator asked me to pay cash, did that, later got a SMS for the FasTag charge as well :( Have raised a claim for refund of the same.

Return journey started on a bad note, was stuck in a traffic jam for 45 mins due to road repair between Maduravoyil & Poonamallai), the rest of the journey was good!
Utilized the FastTag at SriPerumbadur, Chennasamudram, Vaniyambadi & Krishnagiri). FasTag lane at Pallikonda & Attibelli was crowded, so took the regular lane & paid cash.

Thanks to all who shared your inputs.

[narayans80]

Fresh update for from today’s drive Madras-Hosur (Bangalore bound direction)

Took the Manimangalam-Sriperumbudur route this time. Mild to moderate traffic all the way from Tambaram to Manimangalam. After which it eased out.

Huge jam (on service and the Bangalore bound side, right lane only on Madras bound side) at Sriperumbudur bypass where the Manimangalam, Oragadam roads intersect. Took about 10-12 minutes for us to merge onto NH4.

Resurfacing update:
- Many patches have been relaid.
- The patches are probably 1/2, 1 km with some incomplete sections in-between.
- There was live resurfacing happening around 48 km milestone.
- Kanchipuram bypass stretch between 66km to 76 km milestone is mostly done.
- One particular bad patch just ahead of Damal turnoff , this one is quite bad. Most other potholes you could escape by playing Minesweeper, but not this one.
- Beyond this patch, things are mostly good all the way till Ranipet turnoff.

Things beyond

- There is some road work on 3 place of 1/4-1/2 km patch. First one is at 135 km milestone, second at Sathuvachari, third at a village named Senpakkam (should be around 155 km milestone).

Fastag

- Usual hotchpotch at Chennasamudram, 2 vehicles ahead. Was in and out in 2 mins.
- Hand scanner at Pallikonda. 1 min.
- Fixed scanner at Vaniaymbadi. Fastest of the lot, should be less than 30 seconds.
- Was quite a surprise for me. Took lane 5 and paid cash seeing 6 trucks lined up. Anticlimax: For the first time I saw trucks at Krishnagiri Fastag lane being serviced quickly.

Timings

Perungudi toll: 1:44 pm
Sriperumbudur bypass jam: 2:58 to 3:10 PM
Pallikonda toll: 4:29 PM
Vaniaymbadi toll: 5:07 PM (10 min break)
Shoolagiri Reliance: 6:14PM (10 min for refuelling)
Hosur: 6:40 PM


Traffic situation: Lot of trucks today all the way. Not too many cars today.

[deepakchan]

New update: Drive from Chennai to Bangalore (23-12-17) and Bangalore to Chennai (25-12-17)

Most of the updates by NarayanS80 holds good. I took the same Perungudi-Tambaram-Manimangalam-Sriperambudur route to bypass the long weekend traffic. But the long weekend traffic haunted me until I reached Bangalore. It took more than 6.5 hours, what normally takes 5.5 hours door to door for me.

Between Sriperambudur to Ranipet, the roads were quite bad. Still there are a lot of potholes which aren't patched. My CLA bottomed out its struts thrice on the right side and once on the left. And I didn't even cross 80 km per hour until I crossed Ranipet. Since I hadn't yet got the FasTag for the new car, it made the experience just worse, waiting in queues at the tolls.

On the other hand, the return on 25th afternoon, was quite a breeze. I left Indira Nagar 100 feet road at 1.45pm. Reached EC flyover exit toll at 2.05pm and Sai Sangeet Vaniyambadi at 3.45pm. I did this non stop as I was skeptical about long queues at Attibele and Krishnagiri. Even these were literally empty. I had to wait behind a queue of only 3 or 4 cars.

After leaving Sai Sangeet at 4.30pm, I made it to Sriperambudur by 7pm. Ranipet to Sriperambudur was loads better than in the other direction. Although there were little bit of potholes that weren't patched, most of them were patched and I managed to not bottom out anywhere.

Sriperambudur to Mudichur was a pain, as there were some drainage works near West Tambaram on Mudichur road which slowed us down by more than 20 minutes. My wife was suggesting why not take the regular Porur route, since every other toll was traffic less and Porur also might be. I had an earful before reaching home.

Got a very decent fuel economy on the return from 900m elevation to almost 5m elevation.

[aravind.anand]

Took the State highway route for the Christmas weekend, and unlike what I feared, there was much less traffic - despite starting at only 5 AM in the morning.

The roads were smooth enough for most part. THe bad section starts 3 kms before Chithoor and continues for 18 kms after crossing the Chithoor bypass. One has to be keen eyed, and maintain cautious speeds in this section alone. Apart from this bad section, the roads are pretty good. And once the 4-lane roads start its an easy cake walk to KR Puram junction.