For more Road routes click on the Travel_Guides page

Chennai - Thiruvallur (42) - Tiruthani (86) - Nagari (100) - Puthur (120) - Renigunta (140) - Tirupathi (150)

View Larger Map

 

 

Distance: 150 Kms by NH 205

This is a relatively short route on a recently converted National Highway. The road conditions have certainly improved after the conversion and there are rumours (proposals) to convert it to a four lane. All descriptions as of August 2005 and distances approximate.

Chennai - Thiruvallur (42 KMs) can be reached by two different roads. The main MTH road via Ambattur, Avadi is part of the National highway, is congested and not so good. The other option is a little after Poonamallee, turn right on the Bangalore highway (NH 4) at Thirumazhisai and take the very good state highway. The two roads meet just before T’vallur. I hope the flyover under construction (it is) last year is completed, else it could be a long wait at the railway gate.

From T’vallur to Tiruttani, it is a decent road of 45 kms and we bypass the town itself. The state border is reached almost at 100 Km mark, followed by Nagari. Road condition varies between good and bad after the border. About 23 kms before Tirupathi, there is a shorter, rural road via Tiruchanoor which saves about 9 kms.

The journey takes about 3 to 3.5 hours by Car and a little longer by bus. Adequate fuel facilities are available. While there maybe decent South Indian restaurants on the highway, I prefer to eat in Tirupathi, where ‘Bheemas’ is a famous place for Andhra food.

There is an alternate route to Puthur via Uthukkottai but it was horrible when I travelled (5 years back).

Scenery wise, much of the route is pretty dull. After the border you get to see the mountain ranges of eastern ghats, and dramatically improves the closer you get to Tirupathi.

Tiruttani is the only major tourist place enroute. Even it is a religious place, with a famous Murugan Temple, being one of the Arupadai Veedu (6 abodes) of Murugan. Situated on a hillock, the temple is a famous one attracting regional devotees.

Thirumazhisai, a suburb of Chennai, is the birth place of Thirumazhisai Azhvar (a Vaishnavite saint) and has big, historic Shiva and Vishnu temples.

Puthur, in AP, is famous for mending broken bones (fractures).

Nothing much need to be said about Tirupathi as a tourist / pilgrimage centre, getting the highest number of visitors.