[rameshnanda]

Originally Posted by SBR

Need suggestion.

I plan to travel to Chennai tomorrow morning (Sat) and come back by Monday afternoon.

Plan to leave Bangalore (Hutchins Road) at 4:00 AM on Saturday.

Considering the recent developments, which is the safest route to take as I will be traveling with Wifey & my little kid.

My ride - M-800 MPFI.

advise.

Hosur route shouldn't be a problem being a very important NH. This is the best route in terms of stress free drive. If you are too much worried about the current situation, then take the route via Kolar and Mulbagal. 4AM is perfect if you are planning via Mulbagal as you can cover most of the distance before the traffic starts during the daytime.

[SBR]

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

Hosur route shouldn't be a problem being a very important NH. This is the best route in terms of stress free drive. If you are too much worried about the current situation, then take the route via Kolar and Mulbagal. 4AM is perfect if you are planning via Mulbagal as you can cover most of the distance before the traffic starts during the daytime.

Thanks Ramesh. Will start around 4:30 AM and take the Kolar - Mulbagal - Palamaner - Pallikonda - GQ route. This should be fine. Plan to reach Chennai by or before 11:00 AM.

[binand]

Did BLR-MAA yesterday (Sunday) via Hosur-Vellore. Wanted to go via Kolar-Chittoor, but a snafu - had to drop my in-laws who were to take the Shatabdi at the City station, but then got lost and ended on the wrong side of KBS on the way there - made me skip that plan. My Android phone directed me flawlessly to Hosur Road (I was skeptical - but it nicely took me through Cottonpet-Mysore Road-Kalasipalaya-Lalbagh-Dairy Circle).

Six-laning is in full swing almost all the way up to Vellore. Several stretches are opened with fresh surface and lane markings. No service lanes yet, and shoulders (in fact, at places even the left lane) have this trend of ending abruptly. Got stuck in Guindy, but could have actually picked up my in-laws at Central if I wanted to with about 15-20 minutes to spare Areas near Sriperumbudur has deteriorated very badly, hopefully someone's planning to resurface this stretch.

[csateesh]

Update on the route conditions

BLR - Chennai

Observations

1. If you drive carefully and not cross 100km/hr speeds I would still recommend the BLR-Hosur-KGiri-Vellore-Chennai route over the Chithoor route.
2. Was able to do the distance 6 ~ 6.5 hrs
3. Roads are pathetic in some stretches and the cars suspension is tested as you hit the potholes at good speeds since they show up with out much of warning
4. Breakfast was at Shree Krishna Inn - Soolagiri - To say the place was crowded is an understatement at around 7:15am. There were a group of bikers with some fancy rides but couldn't capture them



Chennai - BLR

1. Potholes are more on this side of the road especially before Vellore
2. Breakfast was at HSB Vellore
3. Did the trip in 7 hrs.

Watch out for morons who think the only way to enter the diversion is to cut the other off. Have taken a vow to not try and send a strong message off late and I am glad I was to keep it up.

Is there a way to let NHAI know that 2 sections where toll is 65 is definitely not eligible to be called a tolled highway

Happy journey to other BHPians

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by csateesh

Update on the route conditions
1. If you drive carefully and not cross 100km/hr speeds I would still recommend the BLR-Hosur-KGiri-Vellore-Chennai route over the Chithoor route.
Is there a way to let NHAI know that 2 sections where toll is 65 is definitely not eligible to be called a tolled highway

How is the road between Bangalore - Krishnagiri, usually this is the part which gets all messed up on weekends.

Regarding updating NHAI, I guess there are suggestion / complaint books kept at all toll booth. Remember a forum member mentioning about him mentioning in the book regarding road condition in that sometime back.

[VW2010]

Is there a way to let NHAI know that 2 sections where toll is 65 is definitely not eligible to be called a tolled highway

There are lot of ways to let NHAI know. Fact is they dont really care what you tell them.


Take for example the OMR toll is day light robbery. The government is deeply involved to exploit that sector and there is no light at the end of the tunnel with respect to toll.

Only option is to avoid the road once for all by all IT commuters there which in this world of "selfless- Sarcastic" pleasures will never happen.

[binand]

Originally Posted by VW2010

There are lot of ways to let NHAI know. Fact is they dont really care what you tell them.

Take for example the OMR toll is day light robbery. The government is deeply involved to exploit that sector and there is no light at the end of the tunnel with respect to toll.

Which OMR? The one in Chennai? That is not an NHAI road. The one in Bangalore has not started toll collection yet.

I think some people (NH 47 in Kerala, for example) have taken NHAI to the court and got toll collection suspended until all amenities promised are delivered.

[Vizay]

Originally Posted by csateesh

Update on the route conditions

BLR - Chennai

Is there a way to let NHAI know that 2 sections where toll is 65 is definitely not eligible to be called a tolled highway

I remember few days strike by truckers against Hike in toll fee (That too for 6 lanes even before they were completed IIRC). And they are still WIP.

Add to what you say, The stretch from Chennai to Vellore (both sides more on Chennai to Vellore) is not worth any toll. Same with 50 Rs for Krishnagiri - Hosur (Though lot better compared to few years ago).

OMR in chennai is a joke. It's not even like signal free BETL and wouldn't have costed so much. But Govt charges toll for regular roads too.

[csateesh]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

How is the road between Bangalore - Krishnagiri

Regarding updating NHAI, I guess there are suggestion / complaint books kept at all toll booth. Remember a forum member mentioning about him mentioning in the book regarding road condition in that sometime back.

Suhas - I guess it is still motorable. Luckily we haven't had heavy rains yet. Just be mindful of the diversions and let the morons have the right of way

With regards to the complaints book I wouldn't think too much about it as we don't have any indications that a correction action followed the entries in the book

Originally Posted by VW2010

Fact is they dont really care what you tell them.

Take for example the OMR toll is day light robbery.

Only option is to avoid the road once for all by all IT commuters there which in this world of "selfless- Sarcastic" pleasures will never happen.

VW2010 - The BOT model is probably one of the things here. I still do not know when will NHAI own these highways.

The problem of taxing a few individuals has been the bane of this country. When ever there is a way to make quick money the State Head's decide to go for it. This is akin to killing the golden egg laying goose.

Originally Posted by binand

Which OMR? The one in Chennai?

I think some people (NH 47 in Kerala, for example) have taken NHAI to the court and got toll collection suspended until all amenities promised are delivered.

Binand - This is possible but we need collective efforts. This was done in Bangalore too when they decided to levy tolls on the road connecting the city to the New Airport.The road discussed here is the main life line hence it needs a much larger effort

Originally Posted by Vizay

I remember few days strike by truckers against Hike in toll fee (That too for 6 lanes even before they were completed IIRC). And they are still WIP.

Add to what you say, The stretch from Chennai to Vellore (both sides more on Chennai to Vellore) is not worth any toll. Same with 50 Rs for Krishnagiri - Hosur (Though lot better compared to few years ago).

OMR in chennai is a joke. It's not even like signal free BETL and wouldn't have costed so much. But Govt charges toll for regular roads too.

Vizay - The tolls are high , roads are in bad shape. What choice do we have ? Take Chithoor route ? It is a reasonable alternative but doesn't offer the safety and convenience of NH7. And it is only a matter of time before they start collecting toll in NH4 !!

Some interesting reading for folks like us. Got it as an email fwd

[CBlazer]

I just returned last Sunday from a trip to Mayuram-Trichy. All was well till I came to the Krishnagiri flyover where the Chennai, Salem traffic merge. I waited for an hour each at the Krishnagiri and Attibele toll booth.

It was just around 12 mid-night when I reached the Attibele toll booth. Was nearly 1 am by the time I got my turn to pay the toll.

Of course there were few folks who managed to get through earlier than the others. I think there were about 6 lanes at the toll booth, but our "intelligent" Bangalore crowd in all their fancy rides had formed an extra 2 lanes at least, muscling out people whenever they got a chance. Especially at the Krishnagiri toll booth I found people using the service roads to cut into the highway. The road conditions might be poor, but it is shameful to say that you don't miss the Bangalore road manners any time you find a semblance of a congestion on the highway.

[Tempelhof]

Trip Update of 4th November

Started from Paalavaakam at 0540 towards Bangalore. Recent storm has created many "carpet holes" on the stretch from Madras to Vellore. Each one is about an inch in depth and about 1 to 2 sq. ft. in area.

Reached Vellore at 0740. Breakfast at HSB. Many deviations due to six-laning work. In some long stretches the six-laning is complete and marked.

Reached Chinar at around 1000. Not much queue at either Attibele or BETL or any of the toll plazas.

Reached Whitefield at 1140.

[VW2010]

Bangalore road manners any time you find a semblance of a congestion on the highway

This is not specific to Bangalore. Its common in Chennai as well. To me these drivers are bunch of morons who do not give a damn about rules or regulations and they are the same bunch blaming traffic. The whole point that staying the lane in queue would take lesser time than jamming the traffic will never get into their heads and they will do whatever it takes to make them feel like they are going fast.

[ampere]

The entry and exit toll booths to both the cities are in utter state of chaos. I was on a flyover leading to the first toll both on NH7 (Attibele).
Immediately while climbing up I saw many vehicles coming back by taking a reverse. I thought there was an accident up on the floyover
and I too did the same. Went below the flyover and arrived at the other end only to realize that this was being done to beat the queue!
Never thought it can come down to this.

The times at toll booth itself would add to at least 1 to 1.5 hours to commute time. The diversions on GQ also do not help.
And off course not to mention potholes here and there and caved in roads around Sriperumbudur.

I think during festive seasons and holidays, taking the Chitoor route is definitely a better option.

[Vizay]

Originally Posted by ampere

The entry and exit toll booths to both the cities are in utter state of chaos. I was on a flyover leading to the first toll both on NH7 (Attibele).
Immediately while climbing up I saw many vehicles coming back by taking a reverse. I thought there was an accident up on the floyover
and I too did the same. Went below the flyover and arrived at the other end only to realize that this was being done to beat the queue!
Never thought it can come down to this.

The times at toll booth itself would add to at least 1 to 1.5 hours to commute time. The diversions on GQ also do not help.
And off course not to mention potholes here and there and caved in roads around Sriperumbudur.

I think during festive seasons and holidays, taking the Chitoor route is definitely a better option.

If it was around 10th Nov 11:30 to 12 noon, I did the same at the same spot.

But for this time, I have to give it to Toll booth folks. They were clearing it quickly and controlling pity good by guiding vehicles at least 20 car length before the booths.

All these may not be required if only we follow road manners and self discipline.

Stopped for lunch at A2B Sholagiri. Got caught after the Krishnagiri toll before turning left to Chennai due to an accident blocking the entire road. (30 mins standstill).

[Tempelhof]

Originally Posted by ampere

The times at toll booth itself would add to at least 1 to 1.5 hours to commute time.

Choose your time ! Choose your time, very carefully... in either direction, leave your home between 0500 and 0530.