[Leepower]

Which is the best Bangalore-Kochi route during the rains??? I will be travelling on a motorcycle.

[vnabhi]

Any updates on the roads to Goa from Hyderabad----via Raichur, Gangawati and Hubli and also via Solapur, Kolhapur and Amboli?

Some of us are planning to drive down to Goa next week.

Thanks.

[Leepower]

Help me out guys. Which is the best Bangalore-Kochi route during the rains??? I am starting on 2nd August on my 1978 Bullet 350.
And guys, can someone suggest a good hotel in Bangalore where they have 'sheltered' parking space for two-wheelers. In most hotels, the parking space for bikes are out in the open and lack security. I want to protect my baby from rains and low-lifes who like to fiddle with it.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by Leepower

Help me out guys. Which is the best Bangalore-Kochi route during the rains???

BLR-KRISHNAGIRI-SALEM-COIMBATORE-PALAKKAD-THRISSUR-ERNAKULAM

BLR-SALEM via NH7 and from thereon NH47,this is the best route for you to Cochin.Coimbatore,Palakkad & Thrissur towns are bypassed.BLR-Avinashi is 4 laned.

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Any updates on the roads to Goa from Hyderabad----via Raichur, Gangawati and Hubli and also via Solapur, Kolhapur and Amboli?

Solapur-Mangalwedha section is bad.The Bijapur route would be a better option.Also NH17 has taken a huge hit with the rains in the past week,sections near Sawantwadi had reported flooding so expect bad sections on NH17 as well.

The other option would be to go via NH4A from Belgaum via Londa-Ponda-Panjim.The road has been relaid and has been reported to be in very good condition at the moment.This is the infamous potholed iron ore route.

[hvkumar]

Leepower, I agree with ranjitp1 - it is better to stick to the NH7/NH47 combo to go from Bangalore to Kochi, despite it being heavily congested by day and having some bad sections between Palakkad and Trissur.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Any updates on the roads to Goa from Hyderabad----via Raichur, Gangawati and Hubli and also via Solapur, Kolhapur and Amboli?

Some of us are planning to drive down to Goa next week.

Thanks.

I think it is not a bad idea to drive down via Raichur, Hospet, Gadag, Hubli, Kittur, Khanapur, Molem and Ponda. Not heard of the roads deteriorating in the Raichur-Bellary region, and NH4A (as ranjitp1 mentioned) is in good shape. However, you have the option of turning off NH4 (Hubli-Belgaum) at Kittur (instead of going via Belgaum), and the Kittur-Khanapur road is not in good condition.

I would avoid all roads around Kolhapur - they have seen heavy rains last week - including in Konkan coastal region of Kanakavali/Savantwadi - so expect roads to have broken down.

[Leepower]

Thanks, ranjitp1 & hvkumar.
Guys, any clue about a good, decent hotel in Bangalore with 'sheltered' and secure two wheeler parking facility? I will be coming to the city through NH 4.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by Leepower

Thanks, ranjitp1 & hvkumar.
Guys, any clue about a good, decent hotel in Bangalore with 'sheltered' and secure two wheeler parking facility? I will be coming to the city through NH 4.

I would reccomend you stay near NH7(Hosur Road)so that getting out of the city would be easy.There are zillions of hotels & service apartments with all kinds of budgets in that area.I usually stay in a place called Casa De Bengaluru at Koramangala.range of 2500 per night.

www.casadebengaluru.com you could refer to this thread for further info.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-rates-21.html

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Heavy rains in South coastal Karnataka affects Udupi, Dakshin Kannad and Kodagu districts, affecting traffic on NH17 between Karwar and Mangalore, and roads to Puttur.

Travelled from Pune to Mangalore via Hubli, Yellapur, Honnavar, Bhatkal (NH 63 - I think, & NH17) on 24/7, 25/7, 26/7 and this was the condition -

NH4 - Pune to Hubli. No problems. Except near Kohlapur the Krishna River appeared to be swollen. Heavy rain spells. A few broken patches between Satara - Kohlapur. Kohlapur - Belgaum is in excellent shape.

NH 63 - Hubli to Ankola via Yellapur. No problems. Road is in good shape. Very few mining trucks. Despite the rains, the ghat is OK.

NH17 - Ankola - Kumta - Honnavar. Road is OK in most places, and there were a few broken patches. This is an indication of things to come!

NH17 - Honnavar to Udupi. Completely broken. There are some really deep pits. (I got an idea what the Raid-de-Himalaya would be like!!) The trip took about three-and-a-half hours to complete (usually done in two hours). Scraped the underbody of my car in several places. One stretch of 12 kms near Bhatkal took about an hour to complete

NH17 - Udupi to Mangalore. Same as above, except for the excellent stretches were work has been completed (unfortunately very few!!) Took about half-an-hour more than the usual time.

Proceeding to Calicut via Kasargod, Kanzhangad, Cannanore & Tellicherry tommorrow. Will update the conditions after the trip.

My advice - it is raining cats and dogs here in Mangalore. So conditions would have got worse. Don't use this route unless it can be avoided. Night time travel will be even worse. (Even in the afternoon / evening time couldn't judge some of the potholes due to heavy rains...)

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

NH4 - Pune to Hubli. No problems. Except near Kohlapur the Krishna River appeared to be swollen.

Little correction,
Near kolhapur, its not krishna but panchganga river.

@VRP,
i hope, everything is alright for college start up and hostel stay at Manipal.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

Little correction,
Near kolhapur, its not krishna but panchganga river.

@VRP,
i hope, everything is alright for college start up and hostel stay at Manipal.

Thanks, AP. Goofed up - as usual. So many rivers and so many bridges!! The river I meant was the one before Kolhapur (there is an old bridge as well as a new bridge, side by side). How are the monsoon conditions, out there? A good omen for the Kaas trip?

Daughter is very happy with the college and hostel. We have opted for Mangalore campus. Makes me recollect my college days. How things have changed!!

Let me get back to the thread with this update -

My host informs me that the route from Mangalore to Davengere is also in bad condition. I am also told that the route between Mangalore and Kasargod is in poor shape - will give first hand experience in a couple of days.

And, I have to return to Pune from Mangalore (decided to take the KSRTC Volvo), so keeping my fingers crossed...

[hvkumar]

Thanks, that was a timely update on NH17, Prabhu ji.
Despite banning iron ore trucks this monsoon, am shocked that the roads have broken up again this year. And to imagine, till a few years ago, NH17 used to be an all-weather road.

Which route from Mangalore to Davangere are you talking off - via Karaka, Tirthahalli, Shimoga?

[MX6]

that's great. Let us know about NH17 - NH63 when you traverse it by airavat. I'm mostly doing this route Mid aug till yellapura then branching off to jog and sringeri.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Which route from Mangalore to Davangere are you talking off - via Karaka, Tirthahalli, Shimoga?

Yes, I think that is the one. Because I was told that the road upto Tirthahalli was not in good shape (in fact was told that there were two huge craters near Belthangdy!)

Originally Posted by MX6

that's great. Let us know about NH17 - NH63 when you traverse it by airavat.

OK - Will do. Booked the ticket for Saturday evening bus (Yesterday's bus has reached safely) BTW, airavat to Hyderabad also goes by this route - saw a couple of volvo's bound for Hyd on NH17.

[vnabhi]

Thanks @ranjitp1 and hvk. We'll decide next week as right now the trip is tentative.