[chandras1]

Went to Kanchipuram for the weekend. On both directions, I drove via Hoskote - Kolar - Palamaner - Gudiyattam - Pallikonda - Vellore. Awesome roads, fantastic views and negligible traffic! Thanks to everyone that suggested this route.

[hyper-VTEC]

Traveled to Chennai today morning.

6:15AM: Started from ORR, Banaswadi
10:30AM: Nokia, NH4 (One 10 min water in water out break)
11:55AM: Asiana Place, Tharamani

I took Kolar-Mulbagla-Palamaner-Pallikonda-Vellore-Nokia (Sriperumbudur)-Manimangala-Palikarai-Rajiv ITHwy- Tharamani route.

Between Palamaner and Pallikonda there are 5-6 200 meter stretches where the roads are broken and repair work is underway and then there is a full km(approx) stretch which is broken. These are on the first 15 kms from Palamner, the later parts are a breeze and what a wonderful drive through the dense foliage with birds chirping and fresh hill air (thanks VW2010).

[maheshramaling]

Came back from Chennai on Saturday and tested following route;

Chennai ORR - Pallikonda - Gudiyatham - Pernampet (outskirts) - V Kota (Venkatagirikota) - Bangarpet - Kolar - Bangalore.

Till V Kota - roads are are pleasure to drive and loved the country roads especially the sudden ghat road + few hair pin bends between Pernampet & V Kota. However - after V Kota till Kolar, roads are not great especially till Bangarpet is worse. The distance between pallikonda toll booth & Kolar is 111 kms and it took good 2+ hours to cross. May be next time - I should take Malur route and see how good it is.

Here is the map: http://maps.google.co.in/maps?saddr=...1,2,3&t=m&z=10

[ampere]

Originally Posted by maheshramaling

Chennai ORR - Pallikonda - Gudiyatham - Pernampet (outskirts) - V Kota (Venkatagirikota) - Bangarpet - Kolar - Bangalore.

Till V Kota - roads are are pleasure to drive and loved the country roads especially the sudden ghat road + few hair pin bends between Pernampet & V Kota. However - after V Kota till Kolar, roads are not great especially till Bangarpet is worse. The distance between pallikonda toll booth & Kolar is 111 kms and it took good 2+ hours to cross. May be next time - I should take Malur route and see how good it is.

Malur-Bangalore is a decent stretch. When I went, there was one very rough patch. Other than that it very nice. All that now remains to check is Malur-Bangalrpet.

So V-Kote to Bangarpet is a real bad? Looks like that needs to be avoided and one need to stick to the regular V-Kote to Mulbagal or Gudiyatham-Palamner options.

Thanks. Thats a good update which I was waiting to know for long!

[maheshramaling]

[quote=ampere;2898597]
So V-Kote to Bangarpet is a real bad? Looks like that needs to be avoided and one need to stick to the regular V-Kote to Mulbagal or Gudiyatham-Palamner options.
quote]

Yes - it's not good and lot of pot holes, loose stones and almost single lane. Would take this route - only as a last option. Any case - it's good that now I know another route between Chennai and Bangalore!!

We could try V Kota - Bethamangala - Kolar as well. Not sure of the road condition. Anyone tried this route?

BTW - how good is the V Kota to Mulbagal stretch?

[prabhuferrari]

Originally Posted by ampere

Malur-Bangalore is a decent stretch. When I went, there was one very rough patch. Other than that it very nice. All that now remains to check is Malur-Bangalrpet.

So V-Kote to Bangarpet is a real bad? Looks like that needs to be avoided and one need to stick to the regular V-Kote to Mulbagal or Gudiyatham-Palamner options.

Thanks. Thats a good update which I was waiting to know for long!

Had been to chennai over weekend. After the rains stretch from palamaner till TN border is alright with odd bad patches. After TN border it is fantastic.







Edit: few photos from the AP side of the road.

[arindamray]

Went from BIA to Vellore via Devanahalli - Hoskote - Kolar - Mulbagal - Palamner - Gudiyattam - Pallikonda - Vellore route on 9th September.

Rough timings:
BIA - 2:25 pm
Hoskote - 2:55 pm
Palamner - 4:15 pm
Pallikonda - 6:00 pm
Vellore - 6:30 pm

After driving to and fro 6 times in last one month through GQ, felt this route is less stressful. The sections where it is little stressfull
a) Mulabgal - Palamner: 2 lane with moderately high traffic
b) Palamner - Pallikona: First 10-15 km with broken tarmac, and road work in progress. It will be nice once done.

Is there a way to avoid Pallikonda toll? Pinches when you just merge in just a km before the toll booth!

Today morning return through GQ to E-city. It took 1.5 hours to Krishnagiri (from Bagayam, south of Vellore) and another 1.5 to reach E City with 6:00 am start. It's frustrating to drive on the crowded NH-7.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by arindamray

Is there a way to avoid Pallikonda toll? Pinches when you just merge in just a km before the toll booth!

There was a route via Pernampet to Vellore mentioned by Prabhu and VW2010 few pages back. Doing Chittoor-Katpadi and Ranipet-Katpadi also would do the trick but with some extra kms.

[prabhuferrari]

Originally Posted by narayans80

There was a route via Pernampet to Vellore mentioned by Prabhu and VW2010 few pages back. Doing Chittoor-Katpadi and Ranipet-Katpadi also would do the trick but with some extra kms.

Actually it is gudiyattam katpadi. I saw this road while coming by train this time. Looked decent. Will try it out next time around and update. Pernampet comes between gudiyattam and v.kota and not in this route.

[arindamray]

Originally Posted by prabhuferrari

Actually it is gudiyattam katpadi. I saw this road while coming by train this time. Looked decent. Will try it out next time around and update. Pernampet comes between gudiyattam and v.kota and not in this route.

Gudiyattam-Katpadi would not be worth, given the amount of traffic between Katpadi-Vellore. I just saw http://goo.gl/maps/E0snk, from satellite imagery, the road connects to NH46 beyond the toll booth. Any one experimented?

[hyper-VTEC]

Originally Posted by arindamray

Gudiyattam-Katpadi would not be worth, given the amount of traffic between Katpadi-Vellore. I just saw http://goo.gl/maps/E0snk, from satellite imagery, the road connects to NH46 beyond the toll booth. Any one experimented?

This looks like a good option to save Rs.65/- at the Pallikonda Toll. Can someone confirm if there is a U Turn just before the Toll while coming from Chennai? While going to Chennai this should not be a problem.

I will be traveling to Chennai this Sunday and will experiment and update. (in case someone has not done already )

[binand]

Originally Posted by hyper-VTEC

This looks like a good option to save Rs.65/- at the Pallikonda Toll. Can someone confirm if there is a U Turn just before the Toll while coming from Chennai? While going to Chennai this should not be a problem.

All toll booths should have U-turns on both sides - both for legal and operational reasons - including this one (I have had to take this U-turn several times when I had intended to go to Deepam Motel a km before the toll booth coming from Chennai but had missed it).

[NPV]

Originally Posted by arindamray

Went from BIA to Vellore via Devanahalli - Hoskote - Kolar - Mulbagal - Palamner - Gudiyattam - Pallikonda - Vellore route on 9th September.

Rough timings:
BIA - 2:25 pm
Hoskote - 2:55 pm
Palamner - 4:15 pm
Pallikonda - 6:00 pm
Vellore - 6:30 pm

Is there a way to avoid Pallikonda toll? Pinches when you just merge in just a km before the toll booth!

Did you try the regular route to Chennai from Bangaore via Chittoor ?
Bangalore-Kolar-Mulbagal-Palamaner-Chittoor-Chittoor bypass-Ranipet-GQ-Sriperambudur-Chennai ?
If you take this, you avoid the Pallikonda toll as well and reach a few kilometres before the next toll at Chennasamudram where you pay Rs.25 and then one more toll of Rs.40 at Sriperambudur. Per gmaps, this is also about 10Km less than the route you took (if going to Chennai).
I did this route recently and found it to be good but may not be as scenic as Gudiyatham route.

[hyper-VTEC]

Originally Posted by arindamray

Gudiyattam-Katpadi would not be worth, given the amount of traffic between Katpadi-Vellore. I just saw http://goo.gl/maps/E0snk, from satellite imagery, the road connects to NH46 beyond the toll booth. Any one experimented?

This short-cut doesnt work. I tried this today. Took the diversion and followed the small road. Almost when you are about to meet the highway after the Pallikonda toll, the road has 2 cement poles put in. The space between these is enough for a Omni to cross, but not Swift (in my case). I was following the Omni and he smartly went past. It was good i didnt try it. And also the sides of these poles are dug up, so if you want to take it through the sides, your car will fall into the ditch on both sides.

I am sure the Toll personnel would have done this on purpose teaming up with the local people, otherwise everyone would start avoiding toll

[prabhuferrari]

Originally Posted by hyper-VTEC

This short-cut doesnt work. I tried this today. Took the diversion and followed the small road. Almost when you are about to meet the highway after the Pallikonda toll, the road has 2 cement poles put in. The space between these is enough for a Omni to cross, but not Swift (in my case). I was following the Omni and he smartly went past. It was good i didnt try it. And also the sides of these poles are dug up, so if you want to take it through the sides, your car will fall into the ditch on both sides.

I am sure the Toll personnel would have done this on purpose teaming up with the local people, otherwise everyone would start avoiding toll

There is another way

Actually there is a famous temple called virinchipuram after vellore. You need to take a right turn at sedhuvalai after vellore and proceed towards virinchipuram. And if you drive in same road for 2 more Kms you reach the katpadi gudiyattam road. This comes around 10 Kms before pallikonda toll gate. Since I was in a hurry to get back to Bangalore I didn't try this route today and came via pallikonda and gudiyattam. Meanwhile there seems to be a diversion for a dam some 15 Kms after gudiyattam towards palamaner. The place name is morthana. Will try these when I go back to chennai in 10 days and update.