[hvkumar]

More bad news on the rain front, for those travelling to Manali & Kinnaur Valley:

Himachal rivers in spate, alert sounded - India - The Times of India

SHIMLA: Rivers in Himachal Pradesh are in spate again following continuous moderate to heavy rainfall is several parts of the state, officials said on Friday. A high alert has been sounded in Kullu, Mandi, Kinnaur, Bilaspur and Shimla districts.

"Continuous rainfall (since Thursday) in Kinnaur and Shimla districts has abnormally increased the water level in the Satluj river and its tributaries," Shimla Deputy Commissioner J S Rana said.

"An alert has been sounded in the villages and towns along the river and people advised to move to safer places," Shimla Deputy Commissioner J S Rana said.

He said the discharge in the Satluj has increased to 2,300 cubic metres per second against the normal flow of 1,850 cubic metres.

Likewise, the water level of the Beas has also increased.

"The water level has increased in the Beas, owing to heavy rainfall in entire Kullu district last (Thursday) night, but the river is still flowing below danger mark," Kullu Deputy Commissioner B.M. Nanta said.

He said the Satluj, which also passes through Kullu district, is in spate due to heavy rainfall.

The water level of the Beas has increased so much that at some places the river is touching the Chandigarh-Manali national highway.

Incessant rains have also caused massive landslides on National Highways 21 and 22 in Shimla, Kinnaur, Mandi and Kullu districts, hampering vehicular traffic.

Himachal Pradesh has been experiencing moderate to heavy rainfall since Thursday.

According to the Met office here, Shimla has got 34.8 mm of rain since Thursday, Dharamsala 34.4 mm and Mandi 75.9 mm.

The met department predicted light to moderate rain in the state on Friday.

Read more: Himachal rivers in spate, alert sounded - India - The Times of India Himachal rivers in spate, alert sounded - India - The Times of India

[anilisanil]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Lovely roads. No problem. But Mahabaleswar-Pholadpur (NH17) road is bad. But happily, you do not have to go that way.

Thanks for the prompt reply, much appreciated

[ampere]

Flood and Cloud Burst in Leh

Over 85 killed, 10000 hit by Leh flash floods - India News - IBNLive

[issigonis]

Originally Posted by issigonis

>>> Any updates on the NH4A? And on the Sankeshwar-Amboli- Sawantwadi stretch?

It seems to be less rainy now, in the last two days as compared to last week.



>>> My steeds glides on highways and twisties too but I've to be careful on the potholes and the 'Himalayan' speed breakers.

Regards

Originally Posted by hvkumar

No news if the landslide in Amboli towards Savantwadi has been cleared. But why take that route, best is to go via Belgaum & Ramnagar.

hvk,

Its decided then, I stick to the
Poona Expressway-Satara-Kolhapur-Belgaum-NH4A-Ramnagar-Anmod-Mollem NP- Margao route for my Bombay -South Goa run.
I start on 9th morning at 6 am and hope to arrive in Margao around 6pm.
I will return the same way after six days' time.

Originally Posted by ampere

Flood and Cloud Burst in Leh

Over 85 killed, 10000 hit by Leh flash floods - India News - IBNLive

ampere,

I think it is a good idea to check the IMD website for weather updates on Leh/Ladakh for prospective travellers. IMD also provides satellite imagery of various regions on its site. Hope all travellers are safe. Residents of Leh have been badly affected; hope casualties don't rise. HT Mumbai reported today that all foreigners are safe : they may not have been at the place of the cloudburst at that time.

Regards

[ampere]

Originally Posted by issigonis

I think it is a good idea to check the IMD website for weather updates on Leh/Ladakh for prospective travellers. IMD also provides satellite imagery of various regions on its site. Hope all travellers are safe. Residents of Leh have been badly affected; hope casualties don't rise. HT Mumbai reported today that all foreigners are safe : they may not have been at the place of the cloudburst at that time.

Regards

News channels are reporting that still lots of folks are missing. Washed away in flood.
What an irony! Called a desert at an altitude.

[frequentflyer]

I plan a trip to Malshej ghat from Pune ..and onwards to Bhandardara. A state highway 46 connects Malshej to Bhandardara, but is it a motorable road? The few pictures on the net show a dirt track. Which is the best way to go from Malshej to Bhandardara?

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by frequentflyer

Which is the best way to go from Malshej to Bhandardara?

NH222 is Ahmednagar - Kalyan highway. It will cross NH50 (Pune - Nasik) at Ale (Phata).

To go to Malshej, you can stick to NH222 or take the deviation from Narayangaon.

To come to your query, Malshej to Bhandardara can be done like this -
Malshej - Kotul - Rajur - Shendi - Bhandardara.

It is a twisty road, and there is a bus going from Pune to Rajur via this road.

ashishpallod can give you a detailed route map.

However, I don't have any idea of its persent conditions.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

NH222 is Ahmednagar - Kalyan highway. It will cross NH50 (Pune - Nasik) at Ale (Phata).

To go to Malshej, you can stick to NH222 or take the deviation from Narayangaon.

To come to your query, Malshej to Bhandardara can be done like this -
Malshej - Kotul - Rajur - Shendi - Bhandardara.

It is a twisty road, and there is a bus going from Pune to Rajur via this road.

Few months back, someone had posted that it is drivable via kotul but confirm at otur about route condition.

otherwise, take the usual route of ale phata-sangamner-akole.

for pune - malshej, i will recommend

pune-narayangaon-junner-ganesh ghat-madh-malshej.
it is good road and will save at least 25 km compared to ale phata route.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

To come to your query, Malshej to Bhandardara can be done like this -
Malshej - Kotul - Rajur - Shendi - Bhandardara.

It is a twisty road, and there is a bus going from Pune to Rajur via this road.

Did not know there was such a route! Is this the road going to Harsihchandraghat from Malshej-Ale road?

Normally, these roads do break up during rainy season, although last few years roads in Malshej area have been pretty good.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Did not know there was such a route! Is this the road going to Harsihchandraghat from Malshej-Ale road?

Its not harishchandraghat but harishchandra gad[ fort].

There is no drivable route from malshej to hari'gad.
usually, people get down at the village named khubi on malshej-ale road to go hari'gad via khireshwar village.

The route to bhandaradara from malshej is via kotul which forks at otur.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Did not know there was such a route!

Is this the road going to Harsihchandraghat from Malshej-Ale road?

Normally, these roads do break up during rainy season

There is no direct road to Harishchandragad; but this route which takes you close to the gad exists (some village called 'hireshwar', I think), believe me. I have stayed in that area from 1994-1997.

You can approach Harishchandragad from this side - which is usually done by trekkers from Pune, Mumbai.

If you really want to do the real climb up the 'gad', then from Rajur you have to go down the valley to a village called 'Pachnai' and then climb. It is an exhilarating experience. I have done the climb - twice
(OT - This area has taught me some lessons in life, which I can never forget. I will recount one such, if permitted)

Actually these roads aren't so bad during monsoon - only if the road work is in progress, there will be problem, because during rain everything stops - except for the sowing.

[hvkumar]

Thanks, AP and Prabhu, for the useful info. I tried climbing up Harishchandragad once - in 1995 - but did not complete the climb. Please do tell us more.

Somehow, whenever I have driven the Malshej-Otur road, it has been bad during the rains. But I think it has improved over the years.

[Judemayne]

Dear All,

May i request for an update on the route conditions from Bangalore to Kodaikanal. I know that till Salem its excellent. Onwards to Dindigul to Kodai. plan to go there next weekend??
Regards,

Col J H Mayne

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Judemayne

Dear All,

May i request for an update on the route conditions from Bangalore to Kodaikanal. I know that till Salem its excellent. Onwards to Dindigul to Kodai. plan to go there next weekend??
Regards,

Col J H Mayne

Via Dindigula & Vathalagundu, road is lovely all the way.
Via Perunthurai & Palani also the road is good.
Update from 7-10 days ago.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Thanks, AP and Prabhu, for the useful info. I tried climbing up Harishchandragad once - in 1995 - but did not complete the climb. Please do tell us more.

Somehow, whenever I have driven the Malshej-Otur road, it has been bad during the rains. But I think it has improved over the years.

At least you did reach the place. But the Shiva temple atop Harishchandragad is worth the trek. Think Uddhav Thackeray has uploaded aerial shots of the temple somewhere in the net.

Otur and Junnar - the roads in areas like these don't have any maintenance to speak of. And, in the month of July/August the rains never cease - so no wonder the roads turn bad.

- The experiences which have humbled me -

The people in this area are backward (majority ST). Some have been branded 'adivasis'. Extremely poor.

The area which I speak of consists of a hamlet with about 50 houses, at the base of Harishchandragad.

The moment we landed there (in the month of Dec / Jan, when it is bitterly cold - I was wearing a sweater and a jacket, jeans and woolen socks with leather shoes. Twice I had to remove my shoes and put my feet on the bike's silencer for warmth!), we are given a warm welcome.

How? The villagers use a coarse woolen blanket - you and I won't be able to use it, as it is pretty heavy and smelly (because made from the hairs of goats, which is not processed). It serves two purposes - provides warmth and good protection from rain.

So when we reach their home, the first thing they do is remove the blanket from their shoulders and put it on the floor, so that we can sit on it (many of the children run around naked).

Why?

Because, their house is for everything - humans + cattle. So if you step in the house you'll probably step on cow or goat dung. The cattle in the house helps - warmth from the animals for the people staying in and the animals are protected from the leopards in this area (that's another story).

The goat is milked and you are offered tea.

The nature of my job entails me to follow-up with these people for repayment of debts.

The husband whispers something in his wife's ears. She goes out and comes back a little later.

In repayment of the debt, the husband hands over some money (for which the wife was sent out, to borrow from neighbour), so that I don't return empty handed , as I have come so far away!

Such is their simplicity and humbleness.

If you can recollect the image with Shahrukh Khan portrays in 'Swades', you can understand what I have gone through.

I will always repent that I couldn't help them.... and also the stupid rules and schemes which the government brings out to uplift these people

To these people, the roads and ST buses are the only life line.....