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Any confirmed update on the situation in Gudalur (Nilambur border)? Need to see if I can make an evening drive to native.

I was in Ooty yesterday - lots of KL registered cars were roaming around there. KeSRTC services via Gudalur too came in as usual. So, I guess that route is fairly safe as of now. But, there is an agitation on December 21, 2011 - they have announced to block all the roads leading to Kerala on this day - the situation might change after that. I am scheduled to go through Gudalur (to Bangalore) on December 24th - I am having my fingers crossed.

First of all if you start at 4PM, it would be difficult to make it to the Bandipur check-post by 6PM. (Not sure if the new rule has been enforced)

Nilambur town has a restaurant. But I dont know when it closes at night.

Like Ampere already mentioned,a 1600 departure from Bangalore city IMHO is cutting it too fine to cross the CP by 2100.

3 hours to Mysore,1-1.5hr to Gundulpet,30mins to CP.

As for veg restaurants after Gudalur,at that time of the night,it is going to be very difficult finding exclusive veg places anywhere once you cross into Kerala.

I was always there but no time to travel and so no posting of road updates in the last couple of months :-(

And I was reading the posts weekly or so and so by the time I read it, the ever-enthusiastic bhp-ians would have responded to any query which I would have otherwise responded.

A couple of points:
1) The checkposts beyond Gundlupet (both Wayanad and Ooty roads) still closes at 9 PM. Expect the timings to change to 6 PM after Sabarimala season.
2) If you are doing night journeys by bus towards Calicut, be aware that only 2 KarnatakaSRTC buses (A/c Corona Sleeper and A/c Volvo) cruises through NH-212 forest roads non-stop. All other buses, obviously all private buses too, either take Hunsur-Kutta-Mananthavady-Kalpetta route or wait outside the forest checkpost(esp. the Rajahamsa buses) from around 3 AM to 6 AM.

A couple of open questions:
1) Even though the road goes through similar forest area, why is the road to Virajpet (and incidentally also to Kannur) don't have travel restrictions?
2) Why same scenario for Nanjangud-ChamarajaNagar-Sathyamangalam route?

The timings remain at 9 pm - 6 am. Govt has announced that it does not plan to extend timings to 6 pm.

Nilambur has KTDC Tamarind.
Watch out for elephant & gaurs in Bandipur-Mudumalai-Gudalur-Nilambur sector.
Govts have decided not to extend timings, will remain 9 pm - 6 am.


Apparently, some elephants were knocked down by trucks, although I find no difference in the wildlife traffic on the other 2 routes. Ban has been imposed by Karnataka - isn't there something fishy in that only KaSRTC buses are allowed through the closed roads at night, creating a monopoly situation in what was a busy night bus route?

I think passing the forest CP before 9 PM should be very comfortable with a 4PM start from Bangalore University. Driving at decent speeds one should be able to enter the forest at around 8 PM. (The latest departure I've succesfully managed was around 5:15 PM from Kanakapura Rd near Khodays, managed to cross the Gundlupet-Bathery road checkpost at around 8:45 PM)

I agree regarding the problem in finding Veg restaurants once you get into Kerala. Most restaurants that would be open at Nilambur after 10PM would be nonveg ones. So Gudalur would probably be the best bet.

1. The Hunsur-Gonikoppa-Virajpet/Kutta route passes on the outskirts of the Rajiv Gandhi National Park (Nagarhole) and hence the restriction is somewhat non-existent. The Gundlupet-Sultan Bathery/Ooty road passes through the heart of the Bandipur National Park. No idea about Virajpet to Kannur. Maybe this section has lesser traffic??

2. In the Chamarajnagar-Sathyamangalam route too, the road passes on the outskirts of the BRT Tiger Reserve (in Karnataka). The forest becomes thicker when the road enters Tamil Nadu (Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary). I guess the Karnataka forest dept didn't see the need to close a road which passes through the outskirts (atleast in Karnataka):)

Its hard to find a Veg restaurant in Kerala irrespective of timings. The ones by KTDC (although they are not pure veg restaurants) are better off, since they are clean and not 'smelly'. The Veg restaurants one finds in Kerala are usually "Aaryaass" or "Saravana Bhavan" and such restaurants (they usually have no relation to famous hotels bearing the same names in TN).

The timings are expected to change only after April. The Karnataka government has promised the Kerala government not to impose the new timings until the route via Kutta is repaired.

I think these routes do not go through the wildlife sanctuary, but goes around it. May be thats why there are no restrictions.

The Karnataka government has announced that the new timings would be implemented, but only after alternative routes are opened. As for the Karnataka-Kerala connection, the Govt. of Karnataka has promised the CM of Kerala that the Hunsur-Gonikoppa-Kutta-Tholpetty section would be widened and repaired. The works are expected to finish by April end. Until then, the 9PM to 6AM timings would continue. Once the alternative road is opened, the timings would be extended to 6PM to 6AM. I am not sure what alternative is proposed for the route to Gudalur.

Both KaSRTC and KeSRTC are allowed to send equal number of buses. Both corporations get two passes each way, each on both routes (Via Gudalur and via Bathery). KeSRTC is using only one Pass at the moment (AFAIK), while KaSRTC is using all its passes. (AFAIK, KaSRTC is not running any night operations via Gudalur to Kerala).

Thanks Ampere.

Thanks Ranjitp1, since I stay on the outskirts of Bangalore (towards Mysore), I am reasonably sure of reaching Mysore within 2.5 hrs.

Thanks hvkumar. Looks like we will have to settle for KTDC Tamarind.

Thanks Kala. You have boosted my morale of making it happen.

Thanks binaiks.

I travelled yesterday(19th Dec) day time(7 am start from blr) in Blr-Bandipur-Nilambur-Cochin route. There was no issue yesterday in this route. Saw lot of KL vehicles in Gudalur. Mine was KA registered Scorpio. Though I used to go on high speed usually, today I put max 100 till Kerala Border. But inside Kerala roads were not good( in perinthalmanna-pattambi area) compared to rest of the route. So if travelling in this route expect delay. I took 10.5hrs driving time with lot of traffic in Vadakanchery, Perinthalmanna area. When asked about the proposed road blocks and agitations in border area, the hotel guy told none of the residents have got any odea on the so called blocks or agitations in that route. I visit this hotel in all my trips on this route in Vazhikkadavu. In this trip I did not stop for tea/breaks in between other than breakfast in Lokaruchi and Vazhikkadavu.
- Sunil

That certainly is a risky proposition ! :)

If you pass the forest CP at 8PM it'd probably be past 9PM when you pass Gudalur. The distance is only around 35 kms, but it isn't advisable to drive inside the forest at any speed exceeding 50kmph (especially at night when visibility can be an issue), and after you enter the TN there are speedbreakers every 100 meters or so which will slow you down anyway.

From Gudalur to Nilambur is around 50 kms and includes a ghat section, so it would be pretty late by the time you reach there - past 10:30 PM most probably. Most hotels start closing around that time, KTDC may not be an exception. So I think it'd be safer to try finding some place in Gudalur itself for dinner.

Thanks Kala. Greatly appreciate the information. Unfortunately, I do not have much choice on the time of the departure, at best a -15 minutes probability. I know it is a bit tight in terms of crossing the CP and subsequent forest area, but I might as well attempt it. My target should be to reach Mysore within 2 hours of departure, max another 1.5 hours to Bandipur, if the traffic wills, it should happen. Gudalur it will have to be for food then.

Just blew a fortune on flight tickets :Frustrati

I didn't want to risk driving (Chennai - Kochi, originally planned for 24th). I thought the risks were too high and not worth it. Even if there are no agitations, I'm wary of heavier traffic, blockades and diversions. And I can't imagine the event of even a single stone being pelted at my beloved, with wife and kid inside.

And, anyday, I would blindly take an extensive & experienced traveller like hvkumar's opinion as advice :D

Just a doubt, why are we keeping the message thread dated from 2007? The road condition in any monsoon affected area keeps changing unless its a cement road.

Also the emotion level has changed for some unknown factors, wish we had a same language and a central govt. regn for the vehicles. We all pay road taxes, right? Why the local govt cannot ensure smooth traffic on its roads?

Heard that none of the TN vehicles are getting damaged in KL but some anti-social elements are creating the trouble in TN; none of the main stream politics involved. Madurai-Thenmala-Punalur route is said to be peaceful.

Is there any travel tips (for a family trip) from Bangalore- Mysore-Gundulpet-Sultan's Battery-Kozhikode ?

Thanks so much.

Vasoo, heard that Vaiko has something in mind for 21st Dec.