[Secretariat]

Originally Posted by GeeTee TSI

During my return to Bangalore, I went one step further to avoid NH48 till Kancheepuram, by taking
Madipakkam - Tambaram - Padappai - Walajahbad - Ayyampettai (marked A) which joins NH48 at Perumugai (marked B)

Thank you for discovering this route. I tried it in the Bangalore-Chennai direction. As you say the roads are good throughout. The trouble with this route is crossing the outskirts of Kanchipuram with the town traffic slowing you down, although this isn't highly stressful. There's also a railway crossing on the way. No problems crossing Wallajabad town even in evening time. But, overall only some savings in time, but lots of savings in blood pressure as compared to NH 48.

I feel that the default way now is the SH120-SH48 route for which we should gratefully give the IPR to Senior BHPian narayans80. What a brilliant recommendation - will save many BHPians from torture. However, in the Bangalore-Chennai direction, where there is maximum chaos on the NH, we should turn Google Maps on at Chennasamudram toll. If it is showing any blood red sections before Sunguvarchatram, then the route via Kanchipuram - Ayyampettai is strongly recommended. If no bottlenecks, then SH120 is the better option.

In the Chennai-Bangalore direction, there isn't any bottleneck after Sunguvarchatram. Therefore the SH48-SH120 route can be confidently taken.

With the North East monsoon starting, I suspect there will be quite a few days when we will take the Ayyampettai route. Big shout out to BHPian GeeTee TSI.

Driving Bangalore-Chennai is no fun at all these days.

[Capri89]

Originally Posted by binand

The ORR problem is metro works - I saw last weekend that the Doddanekkundi flyover is blocked for traffic, for example.

Since you are starting from Kasturi Nagar I reckon inward OMR > Indira Nagar+Koramangala 100 ft Road > Madiwala > BETL might work out to be quicker at 5.30 AM.

A better alternative would be to exit ORR near New Horizon, take Sarjapur - Bagalur road and join at Hosur. I did this 6 months back and it was a breeze. Don't know how it is post recent rains.

[binand]

Originally Posted by Capri89

A better alternative would be to exit ORR near New Horizon, take Sarjapur - Bagalur road and join at Hosur.

It is not a better alternative at 5 AM. The Kadubisanahalli-Doddakanelli/Carmelaram roads are in terrible shape. Maybe a case can be made for driving till Iblur and exiting to Sarjapur, but none of these make much sense that early in the morning.

If you are starting after Bangalore's commuter traffic builds up then yes, Sarjapur-Nallur (not Bagalur)-Hosur can work out to be a better option. Even then you should be mindful of the 1000+ school buses that operate via Sarjapur Road.

[anandhsub]

Originally Posted by binand

The ORR problem is metro works - I saw last weekend that the Doddanekkundi flyover is blocked for traffic, for example.

Since you are starting from Kasturi Nagar I reckon inward OMR > Indira Nagar+Koramangala 100 ft Road > Madiwala > BETL might work out to be quicker at 5.30 AM.

OT: The flyover is closed between 11 PM and 7 AM almost everyday unless there is heavy rain.

Even if you skip ORR you will find heavy traffic all the way until Krishnagiri with a 5:30 AM start given the Diwali weekend.

From Kasturi Nagar, given you can cross KR Puram in like 10 mins, it doesnt make any sense to go through Hosur unless it is a night drive.

[naadopaasaka]

Originally Posted by binand

Since you are starting from Kasturi Nagar I reckon inward OMR > Indira Nagar+Koramangala 100 ft Road > Madiwala > BETL might work out to be quicker at 5.30 AM.

Right. So nobody seems to suggest ORR even if I do pick the Hosur route. When I drove to Coimbatore in March 2022, from Kasturi Nagar, Maps suggested the Indiranagar route you are referring to to reach Hosur Road.

Originally Posted by m8002?

Any specific reason you want to drive through ORR and Hosur? The only advantage the Hosur route offers is a larger number of restaurants but comes with more traffic density till Krishnagiri.

In the time you come to Silkboard and E-city, you will be cruising on the Hoskote route.

I personally want to drive through the Chittoor route because I haven't used that route in a few years. I haven't been since the six-laning went this far forward. I think I last took that route in 2017. But we're going in two cars and family is involved: They are looking forward to the food and are comfortable with the familiarity. At this point, my decision would be Chittoor, but I don't know how much of it is in my hands.

It's unfortunate that there aren't too many good eateries on the Chittoor route. Would be very easy to convince everybody if there were some.

Originally Posted by anandhsub

Even if you skip ORR you will find heavy traffic all the way until Krishnagiri with a 5:30 AM start given the Diwali weekend.

From Kasturi Nagar, given you can cross KR Puram in like 10 mins, it doesnt make any sense to go through Hosur unless it is a night drive.

Yes. I can only imagine. The Attibele toll booth might be crowded too.

[Everlearner]

I have to travel from Porur in Chennai to Mekhri Circle in Bangalore today. Planning to start around 1:00 PM. What would be the best route?

[Secretariat]

Originally Posted by Everlearner

I have to travel from Porur in Chennai to Mekhri Circle in Bangalore today. Planning to start around 1:00 PM. What would be the best route?

Suggest Porur-Kundrathur-Sriperumbudur-Ranipet-Chittoor-Kolar-KR Puram-Outer Ring Road-Hebbal- Mekhri Circle

You will enter Bangalore at peak traffic time - No escaping the famous Bangalore traffic.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by Secretariat

Suggest Porur-Kundrathur-Sriperumbudur-Ranipet-Chittoor-Kolar-KR Puram-Outer Ring Road-Hebbal- Mekhri Circle

You will enter Bangalore at peak traffic time - No escaping the famous Bangalore traffic.

+1 correct. And by the time you reach, it rains heavily daily evening, so high chances of getting stuck in infamous traffic and floods, which is trending in Twitter

-Ravi

[Everlearner]

Originally Posted by Secretariat

Suggest Porur-Kundrathur-Sriperumbudur-Ranipet-Chittoor-Kolar-KR Puram-Outer Ring Road-Hebbal- Mekhri Circle

You will enter Bangalore at peak traffic time - No escaping the famous Bangalore traffic.

Originally Posted by ravib

+1 correct. And by the time you reach, it rains heavily daily evening, so high chances of getting stuck in infamous traffic and floods, which is trending in Twitter

-Ravi

Thanks @Secretariat! I'm happy that I took your suggestion. Reached till Sriperumbudur with out getting stuck in traffic and road works.

We got delayed and actually started by 2:15 PM, and reached BLR at around 10:30. Still the traffic on blr ORR was heavy. I can't imagine what this stretch will be like during office rush hours.

Luckily didn't get caught in rain

ALERT: Some underpass near Walajapet before entering AP border was damaged and closed. We had to take a detour through inner roads which took another 15-20 mins. If anyone is taking this route, once you reach Walajabad junction,please check with locals or cops if this has been cleared.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by Everlearner

Walajapet
Walajabad

They are 2 different places man. Walajapet or Walajah is near Ranipet. Walajabad is between Oragadam and Kanchipuram.

Today's Google Maps routing to Chittoor shows Thakkolam-Arakkonam-Sholinghur-Ponnai for 4 hrs 10 mins

[Everlearner]

Originally Posted by Everlearner

ALERT: Some underpass near Walajapet before entering AP border was damaged and closed. We had to take a detour through inner roads which took another 15-20 mins. If anyone is taking this route, once you reach Walajabad junction,please check with locals or cops if this has been cleared.

Originally Posted by narayans80

They are 2 different places man. Walajapet or Walajah is near Ranipet. Walajabad is between Oragadam and Kanchipuram.

Today's Google Maps routing to Chittoor shows Thakkolam-Arakkonam-Sholinghur-Ponnai for 4 hrs 10 mins

I got the name of the place wrong. Attaching the exact location of the detour

[naadopaasaka]

Originally Posted by naadopaasaka

Planning to drive from HRBR/ Kasturi Nagar/ KR Puram area in Bengaluru to Kanchipuram, on Friday, spend the night there and then drive to Chennai on Saturday morning. Will leave Bengaluru at 0530-0600.

Drove to Kanchipuram from Bengaluru through Chittoor - Ranipet yesterday. Left Bengaluru at about 0620. Reached Kanchipuram at about 1140 after about 45 minutes to an hour of stops. Loved the roads until Ranipet. Next to no traffic and mostly good surfaces except some white topped sections as some others have pointed out. After that, a lot of driving through villages and towns, and mostly single-lane, but still pleasant.

Breakfast was at Sree Krishna Grand, Nangali. Reasonably hygienic. The food was mostly good but the dosa items had too much oil.

Drove from Kanchipuram to Mylapore, Chennai this morning. Left at 0845 and reached Mylapore at 1045. Route was Kanchipuram - Walajabad - Oragadam - Padappai - Tambaram. Nothing much to report. Surface of the road is good. Some breaks in the median and some traffic of two wheeers, cycles, etc. Nothing to worry about though. Not a very stressful drive or anything until you reach the Airport.

Thanks to the others for their help.

[hariswami]

Hello All

I have done Bangalore-Chittoor-Tiruttani-Tiruvallur-Chennai twice now and recently (last month and this week). In the first trip I made the mistake of marking many interior points on gmap (like Ponnai) and this really made me lose the way as it starts the next route only after reaching a particular point in that "stop"

The second trip I was more careful, I put the route till Chittoor and then evaluated the chittoor-ranipet or chittoor-tiruttani-tiruvallur and both showed similar timing. Chose the second one for stress free driving

Now some feedback on the route. I have been driving for close to 15yrs to chennai and have never bothered to check any other route apart from Hosur-krishangiri but believe me the bangalore-chittoor is a breeze now. Flat 3hrs or slightly less, you will be in chittoor..I put my beloved Alturas in cruise mode (90) for most part of the journey

There is really nothing to complain about this route except for decent rest rooms (we usually use the ones in toll plaza and the hosur ones are far better maintained). We pack food and so not dependent on eateries

Once we finish the last toll at Chittoor, we get a bridge immediately and upon coming down we need to take the left to Chittoor-gudiyaatam road which will take a sharp right bend towards tirupati road. From here tiruttani takes 2hrs..Its very easy to miss this left

Roads are good throughout (except for some badly marked speed breakers here and there). I then took the tiruvallur-poonamalle highway to reach kundrathur. Then pallavaram and to nanganallur. The stretch between kundrathur-pallavaram is not that great but ok as its not a very big stretch

all in all, it saves us from the infinite diversions from Ranipet. There is no real savings on time as the tiruttani-tiruvallur stretch are all single roads (but less traffic). No real restrooms or eateries on this entire stretch

Hope this helps
harissh

[ampere]

Originally Posted by hariswami

all in all, it saves us from the infinite diversions from Ranipet. There is no real savings on time as the tiruttani-tiruvallur stretch are all single roads (but less traffic). No real restrooms or eateries on this entire stretch

There is a PS4 in Thiravallur right on the Tiruttani road. But then one has already reached close to home! But just in case some one wants this is good place and has big parking.

[srvm]

Originally Posted by hariswami

Hello All

I have done Bangalore-Chittoor-Tiruttani-Tiruvallur-Chennai twice now and recently (last month and this week). In the first trip I made the mistake of marking many interior points on gmap (like Ponnai) and this really made me lose the way as it starts the next route only after reaching a particular point in that "stop"

The second trip I was more careful, I put the route till Chittoor and then evaluated the chittoor-ranipet or chittoor-tiruttani-tiruvallur and both showed similar timing. Chose the second one for stress free driving
.....
.....
Hope this helps
harissh

Thanks. The Chittoor route has been good for more than a year now. Choosing this route over Hosur route depends on starting point/destination in Bangalore. What was your starting locality in Bangalore?

Also, can you clarify if you took this route?
Chittoor (go inside the town), Ponnai, Sholinghur, RK Pet, Tiruttani, Tiruvallur, Thirumazhisai, Kundrathur, Pallavaram.