Coastal Karnataka National Highways: Monsoon 2007 - Team-BHP

Samurai · 2nd July 2007, 15:06

This is an answer in advance to many queries regarding the road conditions in the beautiful coastal Karnataka this season. The place looks great, if you can manage to drive here.

This is the state of NH17 after 2 weeks of delayed monsoon. One can easily extrapolate how it will look after a month or two. Usually no repair work is undertaken until after monsoon.

This is NH17 near Mangalore.

This is NH48 near Shiradi ghat.

This is NH17 near Kundapur.

This is my town, here it only took two days of rain to reach this stage.

Source: All images are scanned from the local Kannada daily Udayavani.

vid6639 · 2nd July 2007, 15:08

whoa looks like 4X4 territory. bad real bad. Almost unmotorable.

theMAG · 2nd July 2007, 15:13

Thanks for sharing Samurai. This should be invaluable for those planning to drive in/out of MLR area in the months to come.

They should use concrete instead of asphalt to rebuild all such NH stretches that get a combination of heavy tonnage traffic and heavy rains; else this problem will simply reoccur everytime it rains.

BunnyPunia · 2nd July 2007, 15:15

NH17, between udipi n mlore has always been the same. felt it first hand in oct 2006 as well as may 2007

Desert fox · 2nd July 2007, 15:17

Thanks a million Samurai,i was planning a trip next week. I guess it has to be an SUV like vid said!

1 request,can you kindly consider to update this thread as and when road situation changes from time to time???

Thanks in advance.

Samurai · 2nd July 2007, 15:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by theMAG

They should use concrete instead of asphalt to rebuild all such NH stretches that get a combination of heavy tonnage traffic and heavy rains; else this problem will simply reoccur everytime it rains.

Concrete roads are 10 times expensive than tar roads. But that isn't the real problem. These roads are laid such that it will get destroyed thoroughly every year, so that new contracts can be given out every year. The PWD department and their contractors wouldn't have it any other way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desert fox

1 request,can you kindly consider to update this thread as and when road situation changes from time to time???

That shouldn't be a problem.

akroy · 2nd July 2007, 16:13

Some more of Shiradi Ghat (NH48) taken by my friend Satya who did this last week...

and there are many more....so far still far far better than Sept2006.

Abhi

Prithvi · 2nd July 2007, 16:36

Looking at these so called Hi-Ways, you really need a good SUV with a Highhhhhhhhhh ground clearance to get through. We must be ashamed to call it a hi-way.

I really dont think we are ever going to change. We keep talking about infrastructure but looks like all the money goes into the babu's pockets rather than the roads.

What is the use of paying such high road tax ?
MERA BHARATH MAHAN

rjstyles69 · 2nd July 2007, 16:54

Abhi yes thats right far better than Sept 2006

. Samurai thanks for that, postponing my trip.

moralfibre · 2nd July 2007, 17:06

Goodness gracious, do these roads qualify to be highways!! The best part of NH-17 is when it enters Goa. I haven't seen potholed highways in this state. I am not sure of the stretch between Goa to Bombay but it used to be one of the best.

spadival · 2nd July 2007, 17:09

Road contractors must be rubbing their hands with glee and waiting for the monsoons to get over.. :(

As I said b4, take the flight if u need to go to M'lore now !!

ravibhat · 2nd July 2007, 17:20

I feel this bad highway issue is from 2005 onwards, When I travelled in 2003 and 2004 in and around NH48, bangalore, mangalore, udupi, baindoor, Honnavar roads were very nice also inner roads around mangalore and kollur.

My relatives who stay that area told me from last 2 years roads are pathetic. no proper maintanance.

Goa has very good roads.

Regards,

Ravi.

superavi · 2nd July 2007, 17:55

So Samurai San, when are you getting your Force 4*4? These roads are made for the Gama!

akroy · 6th July 2007, 08:03

There is a nice article about Shiradi ghat (NH48) in TOI today (Page 6).... Finally the road has been awarded to a contractor but the work will start from October, presently only NHAI is dumping gravel and sand at places to patch up the potholes (which is costing them in lakhs)...
Lets keep our fingers crossed and expect an excellent shiradi ghat road by December 2007...

Abhi

chandan · 8th July 2007, 23:13

Finally,the culprits are off NH48......Iron ore trucks have been stopped on this route to prevent further damage.Hopefully,we will have good roads by the year end.But God save the alternate route these truckers are using.

2nd July 2007, 15:06	#1 (permalink)
Samurai Team-BHP Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Coastal Karnataka Posts: 5,512 View My Garage	Coastal Karnataka National Highways: Monsoon 2007 This is an answer in advance to many queries regarding the road conditions in the beautiful coastal Karnataka this season. The place looks great, if you can manage to drive here. This is the state of NH17 after 2 weeks of delayed monsoon. One can easily extrapolate how it will look after a month or two. Usually no repair work is undertaken until after monsoon. This is NH17 near Mangalore. This is NH48 near Shiradi ghat. This is NH17 near Kundapur. This is my town, here it only took two days of rain to reach this stage. Source: All images are scanned from the local Kannada daily Udayavani. __________________ Samurai The notchy gearshift of GV has become buttery smooth after I started driving the Jeep.

2nd July 2007, 15:08	#2 (permalink)
vid6639 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 3,336 View My Garage	whoa looks like 4X4 territory. bad real bad. Almost unmotorable. __________________ \ / ][ \|) `/ [_] "!" (\./) (o.o) ( X ) This is Bunny. Copy Bunny into your signature to help him achieve world domination.

2nd July 2007, 15:13	#3 (permalink)
theMAG Team-BHP Moderator Join Date: May 2006 Location: Bengalooru Posts: 3,556 View My Garage	Thanks for sharing Samurai. This should be invaluable for those planning to drive in/out of MLR area in the months to come. They should use concrete instead of asphalt to rebuild all such NH stretches that get a combination of heavy tonnage traffic and heavy rains; else this problem will simply reoccur everytime it rains. __________________ If you lose your temper, you’ve lost the argument

2nd July 2007, 16:13	#7 (permalink)
akroy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,520 View My Garage	Some more of Shiradi Ghat (NH48) taken by my friend Satya who did this last week... and there are many more....so far still far far better than Sept2006. Abhi __________________ ------------------------------------ 2003 Bajaj Caliber115 \| 2006 Alto LXi ------------------------------------

2nd July 2007, 16:54	#9 (permalink)
rjstyles69 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bengalooru.. Posts: 1,697 View My Garage	Abhi yes thats right far better than Sept 2006 . Samurai thanks for that, postponing my trip. __________________ Cheers rjstyles You never really learn to SWEAR until you learn to DRIVE.

2nd July 2007, 15:15	#4 (permalink)
BunnyPunia BHPian Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Pune Posts: 630 View My Garage	NH17, between udipi n mlore has always been the same. felt it first hand in oct 2006 as well as may 2007

2nd July 2007, 15:17	#5 (permalink)
Desert fox BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 210	Thanks a million Samurai,i was planning a trip next week. I guess it has to be an SUV like vid said! 1 request,can you kindly consider to update this thread as and when road situation changes from time to time??? Thanks in advance.

2nd July 2007, 16:36	#8 (permalink)
Prithvi BHPian Join Date: May 2005 Location: BANGALORE Posts: 85	Looking at these so called Hi-Ways, you really need a good SUV with a Highhhhhhhhhh ground clearance to get through. We must be ashamed to call it a hi-way. I really dont think we are ever going to change. We keep talking about infrastructure but looks like all the money goes into the babu's pockets rather than the roads. What is the use of paying such high road tax ? MERA BHARATH MAHAN

2nd July 2007, 17:06	#10 (permalink)
moralfibre Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Back to Pune :-) Posts: 3,165 View My Garage	Goodness gracious, do these roads qualify to be highways!! The best part of NH-17 is when it enters Goa. I haven't seen potholed highways in this state. I am not sure of the stretch between Goa to Bombay but it used to be one of the best. __________________ Ask not what your country can do for you, think of a way you can make them do it!

2nd July 2007, 17:09	#11 (permalink)
spadival Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Pune Posts: 1,498 View My Garage	Road contractors must be rubbing their hands with glee and waiting for the monsoons to get over.. :( As I said b4, take the flight if u need to go to M'lore now !!

2nd July 2007, 17:20	#12 (permalink)
ravibhat Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,443 View My Garage	I feel this bad highway issue is from 2005 onwards, When I travelled in 2003 and 2004 in and around NH48, bangalore, mangalore, udupi, baindoor, Honnavar roads were very nice also inner roads around mangalore and kollur. My relatives who stay that area told me from last 2 years roads are pathetic. no proper maintanance. Goa has very good roads. Regards, Ravi. Last edited by ravibhat : 2nd July 2007 at 17:21.

2nd July 2007, 17:55	#13 (permalink)
superavi BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Pune/Badlapur Posts: 276	So Samurai San, when are you getting your Force 44? These roads are made for the Gama! __________________ Here we go, here we go, here we go again!*

6th July 2007, 08:03	#14 (permalink)
akroy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,520 View My Garage	There is a nice article about Shiradi ghat (NH48) in TOI today (Page 6).... Finally the road has been awarded to a contractor but the work will start from October, presently only NHAI is dumping gravel and sand at places to patch up the potholes (which is costing them in lakhs)... Lets keep our fingers crossed and expect an excellent shiradi ghat road by December 2007... Abhi __________________ ------------------------------------ 2003 Bajaj Caliber115 \| 2006 Alto LXi ------------------------------------

8th July 2007, 23:13	#15 (permalink)
chandan BHPian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: bangalore Posts: 135 View My Garage	Finally,the culprits are off NH48......Iron ore trucks have been stopped on this route to prevent further damage.Hopefully,we will have good roads by the year end.But God save the alternate route these truckers are using.

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