[rex_varghese]

Originally Posted by Latheesh

I just checked with my friend. He suggested 2 hotels
Names are
Greens and Pommanam

Both are very near to Iritty bridge on Thaliparamba road, as per him there is no baaaar attached to these.

Thanks, Latheesh!

Since I did not have any response till Friday morning I requested one of my contacts in Iritty to book Falcon Plaza. I had their number from the web, but looks like that line was down for few days.

Falcon Plaza is a decent place, located on Nerampokku Road (can we translate this to 'Time Pass Road'? Curious to know why this road is called so), and has ample parking. Rooms are decent, there is a restaurant (Rose Gaden, bill boards of which can be seen around Iritty town and on the roads approaching Iritty) on the basement. An A/C double room was costing us 900 INR.

Regarding the trip, we started around Noon on Friday and reached Kootupuzha bridge by 6:30pm. We had a 45 minute lunch break at Kamat Upachar on Mysore Road. I had to stop at a small junction after Kootupuzha to join a call. After the hour-long call, we reached Iritty by 8pm and checked into the hotel.

Roads around Gonikoppa and Virajpet are ok type, with some parts of the road really bad to drive. You really need to stop and look around to find a less dangerous pothole to drive through. After Virajpet the road is pretty decent and the Ghat section is excellent. After the ghat section, road is decent till Iritty with lot of patch work being done.

The ghat section, compared to many I've driven, was little strange and scary with no safety walls or guard rails for most of the section. It also appeared deserted at 6pm and the forest growth is very dense with 6pm apprearing to be nearly dark. We passed through the ghat section just after what appeared to be a heavy rain. It was really great to drive down the beautiful roads, enjoying the aroma of the forest and listening to various nature sounds.

One word of caution for first timers on this ghat section is better to be careful since some of the curves are really sharp and the post-rain slush on the road could make it hard for most of the vehicles to negotiate a hard curve.

We drove back on Friday starting at 5pm and reaching our Hennur road home by 10:45pm, non-stop. Interestingly, it was raining heavily while we were covering the ghat section on our return journey, adding to the thrill.

Regards
Rex

[RajeshK]

Had a quick trip to Payyanur yesterday to attend a marriage. Started from Bangalore around 3am and reached PAY by 10am. Returned the same day 4pm and reached Bangalore by 11.45pm. Vehicle was an Indigo CS.

The road condition is better compared to last Jan. Hunsur - Gonikkoppal - Perumpadi Checkpost patched up many places, but still there are many potholes. It is manageable even though the road is uneven at many places.

While going I took the Mysore ring road and return came via Yelwale - Srirangaptna bypass. There are many diversions in the ring road and not much of time savings. At the same time the bypass is ok except few bad stretches in between. You will still save few kms and time.

Thanks
Rajesh

[ampere]

Originally Posted by RajeshK

There are many diversions in the ring road and not much of time savings. At the same time the bypass is ok except few bad stretches in between. You will still save few kms and time.

Rajesh,
What are these diversions for on the Mysore ORR?
Any more details on that? This is news indeed.

[NPV]

@ampere I heard from a friend last week that the Mysore ORR is being widened at few places, maybe that's what RajeshK is refering to.

Also, from my experience of traveling towards Nanjangud, Sulthan Bathery, etc it's better to go right in to Mysore city (assuming you are driving in during non-peak hours) and take the Nanjangud road via the Palace than taking the ORR near Columbia Asia hospital.

[RajeshK]

Originally Posted by ampere

Rajesh,
What are these diversions for on the Mysore ORR?
Any more details on that? This is news indeed.

This is due to the Road widening and construction only. Construction is in full swing between the Mysore - Bangalore road and Mysore Madikeri road joints.

Thanks
Rajesh

[ampere]

Thanks guys. I was aware of some news stating that they wanted to do a 6 lane of the ORR. Is it that part of the construction? Or is it something else?
Are they coming up with fly-overs?

-Amp

[ad75]

Originally Posted by ampere

I was aware of some news stating that they wanted to do a 6 lane of the ORR. Is it that part of the construction? Or is it something else?
Are they coming up with fly-overs?

-Amp

its the ORR. not sure if its a 6 lane.to me the current construction looks like a 4 lane one with a divider in between.

there are diversions on this route which slow you down, as of now only one side of the road is usable at most places.Once completed, it will surely be a breeze to bypass mysore towards hunsur,barring one junction/signal, which might delay you.

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by NPV

@ampere I heard from a friend last week that the Mysore ORR is being widened at few places, maybe that's what RajeshK is refering to.

Also, from my experience of traveling towards Nanjangud, Sulthan Bathery, etc it's better to go right in to Mysore city (assuming you are driving in during non-peak hours) and take the Nanjangud road via the Palace than taking the ORR near Columbia Asia hospital.

Yes. ORR is a waste of time and fuel to goto Nanjangud road.
Crossing Mysore city will not take much time and I think the only time you may need to slow down or stop would be the junction between KSRTC and Palace. If you still want an alternative, just at the last right turn (in a T-junction) before KSRTC in the normal route, take a left instead of right and continue till the zoo, proceed further to join NH-212 (Kollegal -> Mysore part) and take right at the junction, again after a small stretch, keep to your left (you have chamundi hills to your left and follow the road along its periphery) and join back Nanjangud road just before the check-post near the ORR end on that side.

[ampere]

Very true. I never take the ORR if I have to go towards Nanjangud.
I was only suggesting usage of ORR, for Hunsur exit. That is because, Ranganthittu stretch is pretty rough at places.

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by ampere

Very true. I never take the ORR if I have to go towards Nanjangud.
I was only suggesting usage of ORR, for Hunsur exit. That is because, Ranganthittu stretch is pretty rough at places.

+1 there is a railway gate (in Ranganthittu stretch) and if you have bad luck, can get stuck for some time too.

Another thing I noticed about ORR is that public living around that road treats it as a private property or back-yard of their homes... kids/youth play in the road and in many stretches, there are some races or rash-driving that can irritate you.. maybe it is just seasonal thing during summer vaccation but just noticed this last month !

[ampere]

Add to it City buses coming in the opposite direction. On the ORR between Columbia and Lalitha Mahal side, there is a bus depot. All the buses dont follow rules and drive on the opposite side, just because, they are too lazy to ahead to the next U-turn.

[luvurride]

Folks,

Another trip is around the corner with a marriage to attend in Payyannur.
Thanks to all active contributors, I have read through the threads and found the latest update on the road conditions.
The original plan was to leave Bangalore on Saturday the 10th early in the morning and reach by late afternoon/early evening assuming about 8-9 hours of total travel time including breaks. But with my kid on her curious 2, it'll be tough to keep her occupied for such a long time. Plus we dont want to end up so tired for the wedding on Sunday morning.
Reading through Rex's post above, a break in Iritty seems to be much more relaxing if I start on Friday afternoon. I'm also thinking this because the return on Tuesday will have to be non-stop and I really dont want to do long drives both ways.
Please suggest if I'm thinking on the right lines by stopping in Iritty or do you think a straight drive to Payyannur is still easily doable.

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by luvurride

Folks,

Another trip is around the corner with a marriage to attend in Payyannur.
Thanks to all active contributors, I have read through the threads and found the latest update on the road conditions.
The original plan was to leave Bangalore on Saturday the 10th early in the morning and reach by late afternoon/early evening assuming about 8-9 hours of total travel time including breaks. But with my kid on her curious 2, it'll be tough to keep her occupied for such a long time. Plus we dont want to end up so tired for the wedding on Sunday morning.
Reading through Rex's post above, a break in Iritty seems to be much more relaxing if I start on Friday afternoon. I'm also thinking this because the return on Tuesday will have to be non-stop and I really dont want to do long drives both ways.
Please suggest if I'm thinking on the right lines by stopping in Iritty or do you think a straight drive to Payyannur is still easily doable.

You may be crossing the ghat section during late evenings. Suggest to consider the heavy rains that started in most of Kerala along with this timing factor before finalizing a plan. Maybe better off staying in Gonikoppal/Virajpet and starting early morning the next day. Am not sure of places to stay though to recommend :-(

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by ajithbr

You may be crossing the ghat section during late evenings. Suggest to consider the heavy rains that started in most of Kerala along with this timing factor before finalizing a plan. Maybe better off staying in Gonikoppal/Virajpet and starting early morning the next day. Am not sure of places to stay though to recommend :-(

Hmm thats a good point too! But does North Kerala also get June monsoon rains? I was thinking it is more of south.
I can plan on leaving early afternoon and cross the ghat section before dusk.

[RajeshK]

@luvurride, I don't think you need a break at Iritty or other places. Iritty to Payyanur it hardly takes 1hr30mts and the road is very good.
I don't think there are good staying options in Gonikkoppal and Virajpet is little de-tour.

If you start by 1pm, you will be able to cross the Ghats easily before the dusk. I used to travel in this strech frequently in late evenings with my little kids (now 2 and 4years).

Mean while, where in Payyanur you are heading to???

Thanks
Rajesh