[guyfrmblr]

Originally Posted by NPV

Spoke to a friend today who is familiar with routes around these places. He mentioned that there is an alternate route via Agrahara that one can take to avoid this horrendous 2 Km stretch at Holenarasipura, so yes there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Anyone knows this route ?

Any more information on this alternate route? I searched for Agrahara around Holenarasipura on the map but couldn't find any. I have planned a drive to Sullia tomorrow morning via Mysore. I'll take the Holenarasipura route if my mood changes. I'd earlier asked locals for any alternate route but the answer was negative.

There is a small circle and a road to the right after you take a right at Channarayapatna - Mysore road. That road goes to Holenarasipura according to maps. Is your friend mentioning this route?

[Thunderbird]

Originally Posted by NPV

Here's how NH 17 looks near Uduma, just before you reach Kappil beach & Bekal.
This construction zone is till you reach about 2-3 Km near Bekal fort.
Attachment 1297060

Hello NPV,

I hope you enjoyed your trip to Bekal.

I just want to point out a minor correction .. the road you have indicated here is actually not NH 17. This is SH 57 - the state highway connecting the towns of Kasaragod and Kanhangad.

On your drive to Bekal, you entered NH 17 at Cherkala and exited it once you took the right after Chattanchal towards Kalanad.

I have noticed that couple of maps (including Google Maps) have wrongly indicated SH 57 as NH 17.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Thunderbird

I have noticed that couple of maps (including Google Maps) have wrongly indicated SH 57 as NH 17.

Even I was of the same opinion. Google shows NH17 as SH and vice versa. Many have even marked it the same way even in Wikimapia. Thats what confused me too!

Only mapmyindia maps depict it as NH17.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by guyfrmblr

Any more information on this alternate route? I searched for Agrahara around Holenarasipura on the map but couldn't find any.

Could not reach my friend to clarify this, I remember him mentioning that the route he takes from Channarayapatna via Agrahara to Holenarasipura passes through some scenic hills and there are windmills as well in the area, will get more details soon

Originally Posted by Thunderbird

On your drive to Bekal, you entered NH 17 at Cherkala and exited it once you took the right after Chattanchal towards Kalanad.

Thanks for pointing that out. As @ampere mentioned we discussed this and were confused looking at the maps since they're incorrectly marked

[ampere]

Originally Posted by guyfrmblr

Any more information on this alternate route? I searched for Agrahara around Holenarasipura on the map but couldn't find any.

Is this what he may have meant?

Route Link

[guyfrmblr]

Took the Channarayapatna - Holenarasipura - Somawarapete - Madikeri - Sullia - Jalsoor - Mulleria - Badiyadka - Kumbla route last weekend. Many bad patches between Sampaje - Jalsoor has been re-laid. Work is in progress on other small bad stretches. Hopefully the work should get completed in another 2-3 months.

Originally Posted by ampere

Is this what he may have meant?

Route Link

Yes, this is the route. I saw the direction boards indicating Agrahara on the turn after Channarayapatna. Didn't try the route this time as I was traveling with family and the route condition was unknown. Will try it next time while driving alone.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by guyfrmblr

Didn't try the route this time as I was traveling with family and the route condition was unknown.

And of course in a car with no turbo thanks to rats? Hope they fix your car soon. I really hope they fix the main Channarayapatna-Holenarasipur road.

[guyfrmblr]

Originally Posted by ampere

And of course in a car with no turbo thanks to rats? Hope they fix your car soon.

The turbo issue wasn't there during onward journey but the car was packed with 5 adults and the boot was loaded to hilt, hence didn't try this route . The turbo issue is fixed now .

I really hope they fix the main Channarayapatna-Holenarasipur road.

I guess there is some kind of court case pending for this 2 km bad stretch. Else there is no reason for them to leave the stretch as it is. I think they had planned for an alternative straight road for this 2 km stretch right through the fields as I see a bridge built across the small stream which flows through the fields.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by ampere

Is this what he may have meant?
Route Link

Originally Posted by guyfrmblr

Yes, this is the route. I saw the direction boards indicating Agrahara on the turn after Channarayapatna. Didn't try the route this time as I was traveling with family and the route condition was unknown. Will try it next time while driving alone.

So, I think at Holenarasipura when we get to the junction (usual route is to make a right turn at railway gate and then we get the bad road towards Government Polytechnic), one should proceed further and then make a right turn to go towards Agrahara. Right ?

[guyfrmblr]

Originally Posted by NPV

So, I think at Holenarasipura when we get to the junction (usual route is to make a right turn at railway gate and then we get the bad road towards Government Polytechnic), one should proceed further and then make a right turn to go towards Agrahara. Right ?

Yes, according to the maps, you need to proceed further instead of taking a right at railway gate at Holenarasipura. The board which I saw is located 2-3 km after Channarayapatna town. It's at a small circle named "H.D.Revanna Circle" which you get just after taking a right from the Mysore road at Channarayapatna.

[vharihar]

We plan to go from Bangalore - Bekal - Bangalore in late Dec in our SX4, with a stayover in Bekal. On our return we have another stayover in Madikeri, so we will definitely return via Madikeri/Mysore. So for a more diverse trip, we were thinking of doing our onward journey via Hassan.

There was lots of rain in Karnataka in Oct, and there are reports of road damage in general.

How is the route via Hassan? Is this route via Gundya, Kukke Subramanya, Jalsur the recommended route? Anyone done this stretch recently in Nov 2014?

Does Shiradi Ghat come on the way? There are reports of Shiradi Ghat being closed from Dec 15th onwards due to road repairs.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by vharihar

We plan to go from Bangalore - Bekal - Bangalore in late Dec in our SX4, with a stayover in Bekal. On our return we have another stayover in Madikeri, so we will definitely return via Madikeri/Mysore. So for a more diverse trip, we were thinking of doing our onward journey via Hassan.
...
How is the route via Hassan? Is this route via Gundya, Kukke Subramanya, Jalsur the recommended route? Anyone done this stretch recently in Nov 2014?

Does Shiradi Ghat come on the way? There are reports of Shiradi Ghat being closed from Dec 15th onwards due to road repairs.

If you go via Hassan, then route is Hassan-Sakleshpura-Shiradi Ghat-Gundya-turn left to Kukke/Subrahmanya-Jalsoor-Cherkala-Bekal.
Shiradi will be closed between December 15 and June 2015 so you may not be able to go by that route in late December.

I traveled in October taking the Shiradi-Kukke route and returned via Madiker-Somwarpet-Channarayapatna.

See my earlier post on this thread - here

[Bibin]

Did drive via the following route on last Saturday (6th Dec 2014)
Bangalore-Hunsur-Madikeri-Bhagamandala-Karike/Panathur-Nileswaram

And I should say the road is amazing thorough the dense forest, the 1st 15kms from Bhagamandala via forest is in superb condition then around 10kms not that good though you can easily negotiate it with a sedan and then another 5kms is again good, but the roads are narrow and dont expect anybody to come that easily to you if you have your car broke down inside the forest and you will hardly see any vehicles in the opp direction thoughout the 30kms stretch

[Bibin]

More photos follow from the same route
Bhagamandala- Panathur forest stretch inside Talakavery forest

[reignofchaos]

Heading to Bekal in early jan for a few days. If shiradi ghat is closed, is Hunsur/Madikeri the only way to reach?