[sureshurs]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Suresh, If you are going via Kurnool just for the cyclonic system, then I would say its unnecessary. Go with the Naidupet, Chittoor route.

At present the system is east of Pondy and drifting further south, so it might be as damaging to south AP as it was originally predicted.

Thanks. I checked IMD site and realised that the impact may not be as severe as predicted earlier. However I would still prefer the Kurnool road (if Guntur-Kurnool is in good condition) to avoid the heavy traffic for New Years at Tirupathi

[rkg]

Originally Posted by sureshurs

Thanks. I checked IMD site and realised that the impact may not be as severe as predicted earlier. However I would still prefer the Kurnool road (if Guntur-Kurnool is in good condition) to avoid the heavy traffic for New Years at Tirupathi

Don't take this route. guntur-dormala may be ok.

dornala-atmakur is single lane with big potholes either side of the road. road surface is reasonably good, but if one has to give side to vehicle coming in opposite direction or overatking will be very difficult. Further don't travel in night in this route, it is dense forest area

Atmakur to kurnool is good.

i had traveled yesterday from srisailam to bangalore, via dornala-atmakur-kurnool.

Vizag-vijayawada-gudur-tirupati route is still better

[narayans80]

Agree with rkg, maybe after Chittoor you can head towards Ranipet and catch the GQ thereon, if you are worried about traffic on Bangalore-Chittoor route.

[sureshurs]

Originally Posted by rkg

Don't take this route. guntur-dormala may be ok.

dornala-atmakur is single lane with big potholes either side of the road. road surface is reasonably good, but if one has to give side to vehicle coming in opposite direction or overatking will be very difficult. Further don't travel in night in this route, it is dense forest area

Atmakur to kurnool is good.

i had traveled yesterday from srisailam to bangalore, via dornala-atmakur-kurnool.

Vizag-vijayawada-gudur-tirupati route is still better

Thanks for the update. In all likely, I will do a overnight stay in Vijayawada tommorrow and then decide on the route based on the cyclone update. Do you think getting off and back to the road would be difficult for a high GC vehicle (I drive a Vitara). Further how much time will one take to cover Doranala to Kurnool?

[rkg]

Originally Posted by sureshurs

Thanks for the update. In all likely, I will do a overnight stay in Vijayawada tommorrow and then decide on the route based on the cyclone update. Do you think getting off and back to the road would be difficult for a high GC vehicle (I drive a Vitara). Further how much time will one take to cover Doranala to Kurnool?

It took us one hour from dornala to atmakur, 2 hours from atmakur to kurnool
4.5 hours from kurnool to hebbal.
car is Innova.

some times the pot holes are too big by the side of the road. it was managable with Vitara.

But still i feel tirupati route is better. because i do not know the road conditions between guntur to dornala

tirupati-chittor-palamaner-kolar is better. because from mulbagal till bangalore (100 km) is 4 lane. so only 180 odd KM will be 2 lane road between vizag-bangalore.
i have done this route three times in the past. it is doable in one day. tirupati to vizag will take 12-13 hours including brakes for nature calls, food
tirupati to bangalore 4.5 hours

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by sureshurs

Thanks for the update. In all likely, I will do a overnight stay in Vijayawada tommorrow and then decide on the route based on the cyclone update. Do you think getting off and back to the road would be difficult for a high GC vehicle (I drive a Vitara). Further how much time will one take to cover Doranala to Kurnool?

Like rkg has already mentioned its not worth taking the dornala atmakur route.it runs through the dense srisailam reserve and i wouldnt reccomend it.roads in those areas are hardly maintained.

Just for interesting info sakes dornala-atmakur forest areas was the place where the ex AP CM's chopper crashed.

Stick to the tirupati route.cyclone thane seems to have moved towards pondy as of now and lowered in intensity.

[rtandon]

Was looking for this thread.
Anyways here is an update on passing through Kota.
When coming from shivpuri and going to Chittorgarh then go via Kunhari in Kota.

The bypass is not ready completely - pending bridge completion.

There is another (older?) route that goes through villages but is a single lane metalled road.

Hope this helps someone. We lost 2 hrs because of this.
This info is as of early Dec 2011.

[sureshurs]

Originally Posted by rkg

It took us one hour from dornala to atmakur, 2 hours from atmakur to kurnool
4.5 hours from kurnool to hebbal.
car is Innova.

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Stick to the tirupati route.cyclone thane seems to have moved towards pondy as of now and lowered in intensity.

Thanks for the suggestion. I am planning to take the route through Nellore- Chittoor as suggested by you. The plan is to start at 2.00 PM and reach Vijayawada by late evening. Go for a darshan at the Kanaka Durga Temple and stay overnight at VIjayawada. I will leave tommorrow morning and hopefully the rains would have come have down by then.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by rtandon

There is another (older?) route that goes through villages but is a single lane metalled road.

If you are referring to Kota-Rawatbhata-Singoli-Begun-Chittorh route:

It is a decent 2L (pot holes hear and there). Mostly less traffic.

The first leg (Kota-Borabas-Kolipura-Baroli-Rawatbhata) passes through the beautiful Chambal valley. And yes you can find greenery!

You cross the river at Bhainsroadgarh.

[rtandon]

Originally Posted by ampere

If you are referring to Kota-Rawatbhata-Singoli-Begun-Chittorh route:

The first leg (Kota-Borabas-Kolipura-Baroli-Rawatbhata) passes through the beautiful Chambal valley. And yes you can find greenery!

You cross the river at Bhainsroadgarh.

Right. That's the one I was referring to. Good to know about Chambal valley.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by rtandon

Right. That's the one I was referring to. Good to know about Chambal valley.

Hera are some places to view on the way

- There are old temple ruins at Baroli (3km from Rawat Bhata)
- There is an old fort at Bhainsrodgarh (on a hill, on the ramparts of the river). Makes a nice view
- EDIT: I did a search to check. The fort is now a boutique hotel!
- Rana Pratap Sagar dam.





Coming to the route, many people, use the Rawatbhata route option to drive to Ratlam from Kota
(either via Neemuch or Mandsaur)

[rahul4640]

"Pathetic condition of NH6 in Jharkhand."
Just three days earlier I returned to Calcutta from a place near Sambalpur. The highway is very good all along in Orissa, except may be few KM in Kanjipani Ghat section, which may be easily managed with careful driving. Even in West Bengal the road is in nice shape. But the total length of the road in Jharkhand is in ruins and is in very bad condition. The innumerable potholes are so large that it is difficult for even buses and bigger trucks with longer ground clearance to successfully negotiate them. I repent that I forgot to take picture of a ten wheeler truck full with sacks of potatoes toppled and lying on one of it's side, right in the middle of the road.

The road actually worsened from a place known as Jharpokharia (where NH5 originates), few KMs ahead of Jamsola (Orissa-Jharkhand) border. I suggest that anyone who is using this road in near future to please use the Gopiballabhpur Road instead and return to this road at Feko Ghat. Although it may seem a considerable detour, another advantage of using this road is that you will be able to avoid the long line of trucks at Chichira (Jharkhand-West Bengal) border. I saw that all the locals with private vehicles are presently using this road.
Regards,
Rahul Biswas,
Calcutta

[swiftdiesel]

Highway Info: Tamilnadu.

NH 210 from Trichy to Karaikkudi, passing through Pudukottai, Thirumayam is terrible. Road widening work in progress. Avoid this stretch by all means. If driving from Chennai, take the NH45B to Madurai, take diversion to state highway at Melur by-pass. The state-highway will be clearly signposted. The SH will take you through Thirupathur, Karaikkudi. Broken at a few places but better than NH210.

[vivekkr_99]

Hi,

Does anyone have an update on the latest road condition of NH-17 from Calicut to Goa? Any inputs on this will be very helpful.

Thanks in advance
Vivek

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vivekkr_99

Hi,

Does anyone have an update on the latest road condition of NH-17 from Calicut to Goa? Any inputs on this will be very helpful.

Thanks in advance
Vivek

Condition not all that great around Mangalore/Udupu/Byndoor.
Condition improves beyond Honnavar.