[Sreesh1009]

Did BLR-Chennai-BLR over the weekend.

Day 1: (Saturday)

Car: Honda Amaze AT (2013)

Banaswadi-KR Puram-Kolar-Chittoor-Ranipet-Sriperumbudur-Kelambakkam

We started at around 7am and reached our place of stay at around 2.30pm (includes breaks).

The road up till Chittoor is good, though the Cemented roads make quite the noise inside the car. Post Chittoor, till the turn from Sriperumbudur, the diversions were extremely annoying. We had decent lunch at "Upashana Hotels" a few kilometres before Sriperumbudur.



Day 2:

Took the same route back but decided to leave earlier since we wanted to escape the heat and reach Bangalore for lunch. Started at 6am and we were at KR Puram by 11.45am.

Breakfast was at "Murugan Idly Shop" and that was the only break we took.

The road after we entered Chittoor till Kolar was basically empty and we were able to maintain decent legal speeds. Post that there was a lot of local traffic.


The car returned a mileage of 17kmpl during the onward journey and 14kmpl on the way back. At 1.15L Kms, I feel this is more than respectable.

[Kaumad]

New annoyance that has come up on the Hosur - Shoolagiri stretch in either direction.
Milled stretches masquerading as 'speed breakers'. I dont know which idiot thought it was a good idea to have milled rumble stretches as an effective way to reduce speeds.
These are suspension wreckers and very dangerous as there are 2 sets of drivers negotiating them - one set like me who slow down in either the left or the middle lane and take them at 20 - 30 kmph and another set of drivers who fly over them at 100 kmph without reducing speed. The 2nd set of drivers overtake from either left of right depending on where there is space available.
Extremely annoying

[Aviator_guy]

I am planning to do Blr-Chennai road trip tomorrow morning (start from Whitefield) and need suggestions on the route. Strangely Gmaps is not showing the usual Krishnagiri Vellore route ! It is showing Chittoor route or some alternative route after Krishnagiri.

Does anyone know if there is any blockage or issue on the main Krishnagiri Vellore highway ?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Aviator_guy

Does anyone know if there is any blockage or issue on the main Krishnagiri Vellore highway ?

Many times Google has been showing a route via Thiruvannamalai/ Gingee etc. Ignore and take the regular route till Sunguvarchatram. And then depending on where you want to go in Chennai you can opt a route.

[m8002?]

Originally Posted by Aviator_guy

I am planning to do Blr-Chennai road trip tomorrow morning (start from Whitefield) and need suggestions on the route. Strangely Gmaps is not showing the usual Krishnagiri Vellore route ! It is showing Chittoor route or some alternative route after Krishnagiri.

Does anyone know if there is any blockage or issue on the main Krishnagiri Vellore highway ?

From Whitefield, the Chittor route that Google shows should be shorter and faster

[DRIVE_ADDICT]

Originally Posted by Kaumad

New annoyance that has come up on the Hosur - Shoolagiri stretch in either direction.
Milled stretches masquerading as 'speed breakers'. I dont know which idiot thought it was a good idea to have milled rumble stretches as an effective way to reduce speeds.

Extremely annoying

Exactly!!.. Not sure who came up with this uttermost stupid plan and its plenty in this stretch, this comes up as a surprise even in middle of some flyovers. This will definitely affect your dampers and also hampers your alignment balancing for sure.

[Aviator_guy]

Originally Posted by ampere

Many times Google has been showing a route via Thiruvannamalai/ Gingee etc. Ignore and take the regular route till Sunguvarchatram. And then depending on where you want to go in Chennai you can opt a route.

Originally Posted by m8002?

From Whitefield, the Chittor route that Google shows should be shorter and faster

Thanks folks Gmaps can surprise you when you least expect

[itwasntme]

PM will inaugurate Bengaluru-Chennai highway before December, says Nitin Gadkari

https://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...le68367324.ece

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

PM will inaugurate Bengaluru-Chennai highway before December, says Nitin Gadkari

https://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...le68367324.ece

What road do they plan to inaugurate? STRR? I have travelled to Chennai couple of times in last 1 year(via Chittur) and I don't see road getting completed for another 5 years. After Ranipet, there are multiple diversions and work is happening at snails pace.

[searacer932]

Originally Posted by PrideRed

What road do they plan to inaugurate? STRR? I have travelled to Chennai couple of times in last 1 year(via Chittur) and I don't see road getting completed for another 5 years. After Ranipet, there are multiple diversions and work is happening at snails pace.

I believe they are talking about getting the Chennai Bangalore Expressway ready by December 2024. This was the original target for the highway. I am not sure about the current status of the expressway.

There is no way the repair work on the usual Highway via the Vellore-Krishnagiri route will be ready before the summer of 2026. That highway between Vellore and Chennai needs plenty of work! Hopefully once the expressway is complete then funds and resources can be transferred to clear up the National Highway.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by PrideRed

What road do they plan to inaugurate? STRR? I have travelled to Chennai couple of times in last 1 year(via Chittur) and I don't see road getting completed for another 5 years. After Ranipet, there are multiple diversions and work is happening at snails pace.

Originally Posted by searacer932

I believe they are talking about getting the Chennai Bangalore Expressway ready by December 2024. This was the original target for the highway. I am not sure about the current status of the expressway.

I think thats a typo. I am sure the STRR cannot be completed by Dec 2024. And the Chennai Expressway, we can give a serious consideration only by End 2025.

Will be good if in the coming months some of the popular Drone Video Loggers post about the status of the expressway in AP. I have no idea about the status there.

EDIT: At least when I see some of latest satellite feed, I can see most places show PQC/Road work on going across the entire section. So probably it may not be as bad as I initially thought. Hopefully the expressway can be completed earlier.

[thanixravindran]

Originally Posted by ampere

I think thats a typo. I am sure the STRR cannot be completed by Dec 2024. And the Chennai Expressway, we can give a serious consideration only by End 2025.

Will be good if in the coming months some of the popular Drone Video Loggers post about the status of the expressway in AP. I have no idea about the status there.

Before elections, the same minister told by March 2024 the expressway will be inaugrated and there was a thread in Team BHP itself. We have all learnt to take his words with a bucket load of salt

I follow 'Our Chittor' handle in X who regularly posts update on this expressway including videos. Recently they posted about major intersection videos like the one near Vellore.

I believe it is an year away from near complete stage (inauguration ready) and expect it to be fully operational by end of 2025.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by thanixravindran

I follow 'Our Chittor' handle in X who regularly posts update on this expressway including videos. Recently they posted about major intersection videos like the one near Vellore.

Yes thats a good source. I have seen it myself. Also like you said, lots of work from Chittoor side to Ranipet to Sriperumbudur. What I dont know is how is work from KA-AP border to Palamaner to Chitoor.

[itwasntme]

A comprehensive on-ground update:
https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.c.../111543482.cms

[ampere]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

A comprehensive on-ground update:

You should follow some of the You tube drone channel who cover many of these under construction highways. As for the Bangalore-Chennai expressway, baring that one section where there is a topic of temple to be moved, the entire KA section of the expressway is full done.

Also I see most of the AP section also has road work on going. I see PQC laying also heavy progressing.