[narayans80]

Originally Posted by locusjag

The larger question - why do we even allow dairy farmers to let their cattle roam around our streets in this manner?

Well this has become a huge annoyance post-pandemic.

Today alone I saw one on 200 ft Road. Another on Tambaram-Irumbuliyur stretch. The latter was scary. I stopped just in time. The cabbies behind me too stopped without incident. This was at 40, there was a vehicle on the right, so I spotted exactly when the calf darted right in front, I had enough time to stop about 5-10 feet clear

Another day, there was a buffalo, ambling around fast lane on OMR between Indira Nagar and Madhya Kailas

[irdevanand]

Originally Posted by irdevanand

Hi All,

Got into a nasty traffic jam yesterday night while returning to chennai from Nagercoil. We crossed the last but oneth toll at 7.30PM and the last 33 KMs to my home took me 6 hours !!!!!. Took a detour via uthiremerur etc and then reached the last toll by 1.06 AM and reached home by 1.30 :-)

Regards
Dev

Hi All,

As per this news article the palar bridge work is finally over and traffic towards chennai is now allowed in the bridge without any detour via uthiramerur road. Now waiting for someone in this forum to confirm this first hand.

https://tamil.news18.com/news/tamil-...kr-718294.html

Regards
Dev

[Gannu_1]

We have the metro rail construction work going on between the Ramapuram - Poonamallee stretch for some time now. One good thing that I’ve observed is, the barricades erected are being moved closer to the pillars after the pillars are constructed so that gives some extra space for the road users. Can’t wait for this work to get wrapped up. The roads would be redone and I am just hopeful it will be spacious like the Guindy stretch.

[marsbhp]

Originally Posted by irdevanand

Hi All,

As per this news article the palar bridge work is finally over and traffic towards chennai is now allowed in the bridge without any detour via uthiramerur road. Now waiting for someone in this forum to confirm this first hand.

https://tamil.news18.com/news/tamil-...kr-718294.html

Regards
Dev

This is good news indeed. I just returned from Nagercoil last evening. Did not want to take a chance and took the route via Karunguzhi and Thirukazkhukundram to OMR and on to Pallikaranai. Guess we will have to wait for some more time to confirm this!

The route through Thirukazhukundram was quite manageable but for the poor (or lack of) lighting. Road conditions were decent except for a small stretch.

Ram

[saisree]

Originally Posted by irdevanand

Hi All,

As per this news article the palar bridge work is finally over and traffic towards chennai is now allowed in the bridge without any detour via uthiramerur road. Now waiting for someone in this forum to confirm this first hand.

Regards
Dev

Originally Posted by marsbhp

This is good news indeed. I just returned from Nagercoil last evening. Did not want to take a chance and took the route via Karunguzhi and Thirukazkhukundram to OMR and on to Pallikaranai.

Ram

Palar bridge is open for traffic. No need to take any detours. Confirmed by my neighbor, on his return to Chennai from Trichy yesterday.

[locusjag]

I went on a short motorcycle ride from Camp Road junction to Tambaram East railway station pick up someone at 7:30 PM tonight. Lo and behold, for the roads doth overfloweth with pre-pandemic levels of traffic! It's been years since I've experienced such harassment and discomfort on Chennai's roads.

Although I guess tonight's traffic spike might've had to do with the long weekend (4 days off in one shot).

[prabhu7944]

Originally Posted by locusjag

I went on a short motorcycle ride from Camp Road junction to Tambaram East railway station pick up someone at 7:30 PM tonight. Lo and behold, for the roads doth overfloweth with pre-pandemic levels of traffic! It's been years since I've experienced such harassment and discomfort on Chennai's roads.

Although I guess tonight's traffic spike might've had to do with the long weekend (4 days off in one shot).

Had driven from kodambakkam to madurantakam on 15th apr. Thought it would be a breeze to drive but was wrong. Too much of traffic for a holiday. Ended up with a frustrating drive. As usual perungalathur - mother of mismanaged traffic

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by locusjag

I went on a short motorcycle ride from Camp Road junction to Tambaram East railway station pick up someone at 7:30 PM tonight. Lo and behold, for the roads doth overfloweth with pre-pandemic levels of traffic! It's been years since I've experienced such harassment and discomfort on Chennai's roads.

It is probably the worst possible day and time to head out I was doing reconnaissance for alternatives for weeks leading up to that date. Fortunately I left work early and reached home about 10-15 minutes later than the usual time.

Traffic has already been rising to pre-pandemic levels after Delta lockdowns last summer.
---
Concreting works on the median are being done on the Guduvancherry-SRM stretch. Currently is happening right outside the A2B-KFC complex. I would expect the work to resume later today/tomorrow. This would mean you will have only one lane available.

Have been using the Kelambakkam-Mambakkam-Vandalur road these days. Wow, this stretch has become very busy these days. Except for early morning hours when its a breeze. Any other time, you are going to see some traffic in the enroute localities like Kandigai, Mambakkam. A decade back, this was on desolate stretch.

Went for an alignment-balancing to Vandalur. Was surprised to see the entire region only taking up dealerships with Apollo and Bridgestone. Is this the trend in the suburbs in Madras alone?
---

Originally Posted by prabhu7944

Had driven from kodambakkam to madurantakam on 15th apr. Thought it would be a breeze to drive but was wrong. Too much of traffic for a holiday. Ended up with a frustrating drive. As usual perungalathur - mother of mismanaged traffic

Could be that lot more ventured out on Good Friday over the New year day. I went out on 14th and it was a breeze inside the city.

For a Kodambakkam start, you can try ECR-Thirukazhukundram-Chengalpattu on busy days. I used to regularly take from T. Nagar in pre-pandemic days to avoid trigger happy delays

Its not just Perungalathur that's a mess, things start from Chromepet Saravana Stores to Chitalapakkam bridge, MEPZ, Mudichur turnoff, Tambaram station, narrow Irumbuliyur bridge, Iraniyamman kovil, Guduvancherry, Valliammai College to Potheri turnoff, MM Nagar industrial corridor, Singaperumal Koil turn to Oragadam. All these are pain points enroute.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Traffic was awful over the weekend holiday days, and I am only going out in the evenings. The peak of the experience was nearly getting trapped in the traffic nearby that temple next to Kalakshetra on the full-moon evening. Luckily I managed to take a turning before getting committed to a long, hard jam.

I had just dropped my friend in Thiruvanmiyur. He even warned me against taking that route that day . But once I reached the Marundeeswarar tank, I had a clear run on the back streets, avoiding ECR until I had to cross it, all the way to Palavakkam Beach.

Yesterday evening, things were back to normal, but still not approaching pre-covid intensity.

[thanixravindran]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Have been using the Kelambakkam-Mambakkam-Vandalur road these days. Wow, this stretch has become very busy these days. Except for early morning hours when its a breeze. Any other time, you are going to see some traffic in the enroute localities like Kandigai, Mambakkam. A decade back, this was on desolate stretch.

For a Kodambakkam start, you can try ECR-Thirukazhukundram-Chengalpattu on busy days. I used to regularly take from T. Nagar in pre-pandemic days to avoid trigger happy delays

Forget about 10 years ago, even 4 years ago, Kelambakkam - Vandalur road was desolate when I moved into Mambakkam locality. Now there is a steady flow of vehicles at any time of day. There is even traffic jam in Mambakkam junction in the school timings (morning) and the junction is closed out. I believe it will increase further once the Kilambakkam bus stand (to south bound) that may open in a year. Essentially it will become a bypass for ECR/OMR/Velachery folks to reach there.

I always use the Mambakkam - Kayar - Venbedu junction and then the excellent Thiruporur - Chengalpattu 4 laned road for south bound trips . It is excellent throughout with negligible traffic except a 0.5 Km stretch near Venbedu junction. Also I pat myself on the moral victory that I avoided the atrocious Paranur toll

Google maps should highlight this route (SH 581) at least for Chennai East travellers to reduce the load on GST road till Chengalpattu.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by thanixravindran

Forget about 10 years ago, even 4 years ago, Kelambakkam - Vandalur road was desolate when I moved into Mambakkam locality. Now there is a steady flow of vehicles at any time of day.

I've passed at 730 am and it is free all the way to Kelambakkam. Rest of the day, it is not. I once tried at 430 pm, and was surprised at the traffic jams in Mambakkam and Kandigai. Even at 9 pm returning from Mayajaal, there was steady stream of traffic.

There is even traffic jam in Mambakkam junction in the school timings (morning) and the junction is closed out.

Does this junction ever open? A colleague who is from Ponmar said the junction is open. But whenever I've tried the junction is closed.

I believe it will increase further once the Kilambakkam bus stand (to south bound) that may open in a year.

The bus stand looks ready. I am dreading this inauguration. The exit of the bus stand is at the edge of the Vandalur bridge. One can expect a royal mess exiting out Outer Ring Road, Mambakkam-Vandalur and coming from inside city.

On the flip side, if the bus stand is moving here. What is the use of the bridge at Perungalathur? As the long distance buses are the guilty ones in causing traffic jams. Cross at 1030 am, and its a breeze.

Mambakkam - Kayar - Venbedu

How is this route? I've been toying with the idea of trying Guduvancherry-Kottamedu-Thiruporur route. Have not got the opportunity yet.

[thanixravindran]

Originally Posted by narayans80

I've passed at 730 am and it is free all the way to Kelambakkam.

Does this junction ever open? A colleague who is from Ponmar said the junction is open. But whenever I've tried the junction is closed.

How is this route?

Mambakkam junction is messy after 8 AM because of Schools there (Private and Government). Every vehicle (Bikes, Autos, Vans) turn the wrong way and What not all in the name of dropping kids. It frees up after 9 AM though. Mambakkam junction was closed mainly due to this mess. It is generally open on Holidays and at least when schools are closed. Sometimes I see it is open in Week days itself at non School hours.

Mambakkam - Kayar - Vembedu where it joins SH 581 is good except for the last 0.5Km stretch near Vembedu junction (I used it yesterday enroute to Pondy). It has even decent lighting in few pockets by local panchayat (I came in the night with family couple of weeks ago) and few valid speed breakers near the villages (No back breaking or suspension creaking monsters). SH 581 to Chengalpattu is excellent tarmac and most places it is 4 lanes but no lighting. Only in forest areas it is 2 lane. Biggest advantage is absolutely negligible traffic compared to the dense GST traffic.

Which is your starting point and destination to use this on regular basis?

I guess we can branch out to Manampathy and further to Thirukalukundram before Chengalpattu also but I have not tried. Next time I will try that route.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by thanixravindran

Which is your starting point and destination to use this on regular basis?

I do Potheri-Perungudi-Taramani on a daily basis. For the moment my scope has been limited to avoiding Tambaram and Perungalathur choc-a-bloc.

Whenever the current state government decides to open the Kilambakkam bus stand, I have to come up with wild ideas . There is already one Kattankulathur-Padappai road, but that's been dug up and abandoned for the last 3 weeks

[narayans80]

Medavakkam flyover towards Pallikaranai has been opened since last weekend.

Was pleasantly surprised at the traffic below the flyover during my morning commute yesterday, didn't have to wait long for my answer.

[darkfantasy]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Medavakkam flyover towards Pallikaranai has been opened since last weekend.

Was pleasantly surprised at the traffic below the flyover during my morning commute yesterday, didn't have to wait long for my answer.

There are cows roaming on the flyover probably to eat the Banana trees tied at the sides. I had to brake hard at the last turn before the flyover descends towards Pallikaranai, the day before yesterday. Please keep your speeds in check and be cautious at those sharp turns.