[Rudra Sen]

Note from mods: Thread merged.

[girish.r]

Originally Posted by viveklk

On the way, between Davangere & Ranebennur, one silver color Swift DZire was toppled and lot of people were around to help. One more Palio had badly hit the truck from behind, it looked like truck was trying to take U turn & the car went & hit him, looking at the car I doubt if the driver survived. One Zen had hit a corsa from one side & both were parked as it is with couple of police around... After this couple of truck accidents from Tumkur till Dharwad by pass road.

Vivek, even I did Blore - Hubli on 25th Oct morning and yes I did observe all the accidents that you have mentioned. The palio incident might be slightly different from what you have mentioned though I am not an eye witness. The actual U turn for Kamat Upachar is little ahead and most of them take this unmarked U turn. Looks like there was a slight opening in the divider and somebody used this to cut short the next turn. From then onwards most of them use this unmarked turn. Now the opposite road has a slight curve to the right and any vehicle in the right most direction with good speeds will not able to judge the vehicles trying to get into this unmarked U turn.
I went ahead for the actual U-turn and what I saw was that the front portion of the truck was completely smashed. From this we could make out that the truck was trying to get into the unmarked turn and the vehicle from the opposite direction hit the truck head on. The effect of this collision would have pushed the truck all of a sudden. The palio might have been tailgating the truck to take the same U turn and because of the sudden push from the truck, even the palio's front got smashed.

I just visited NHAI site .:NHAI:.Completed Stretches on Golden Quadrilateral and after so many years for the first time Haveri-Harihar, Harihar-Chitradurga, Chitradurga By pass status has been changed from Contract Terminated to Under implementation. Contractor details not disclosed for Haveri-Chitradurga stretch. On the other hand Tumkur Bypass contract has been terminated.
Anyways we should be happy that atleast 151 KM would be ready in couple of months and the drive between Haveri-Chitradurga will be pleasure and an enjoyable stretch.

[trrk]

Hi folks,

I thought I will use an existing thread to get some information.

Way back in 1982, I did a trip from Belgaum to Alleppey (via Erode - sister lives there) in an old 1969 Toyota Corona.

I have been to Belgaum twice after that in an Omni, once with family and once alone.

The last I went to Belgaum was for a meet in 2002, but took other surface transports.

Now there is a scheduled meet on the 6th of December. I plan to do it by car this time, mostly the CVT. I will be alone. I have 4 days for travel. 4 and 5 for the up journey and 7 and 8 for the down journey. Then I have to attend a function at Erode at 6.30 PM on the eighth and so would be traveling to Alleppey only on the ninth.

Whenever I have driven to Bangalore, it has been the traditional NH47 route.

With speeds restricted to say 90kph, how should I split the distance? Left to me, I would take Bangalore (or its outskirts) as the first stopover. I can get to Belgaum, but may halt at Hubli to visit / stay with friends.

Suggestions, please, about stopovers, hotels, etc. I prefer daytime driving as my family prefers it that way.

[hvkumar]

Rajesh,

You have several route choices, assuming that some of teh existing bad road sections get repaired. I would choose one route for onward journey and another for the return. Since you have to touch Erode on return, let me suggest you an itinerary:

Choice 1: Alleppy-Cochin-Trissur-Palakkad-Coimbatore-Sathyamangalam-Chamarajanagar-Nanjangud-Mysore-Srirangapatnam-K R Pet-Channarayapatna-Tarikere-Bhadravati-Shimoga-Honnali-Harihar-Ranebennur-Haveri-Hubli-Dharwad-Belgaum.

Problem with the route currently is bad road sections in Karnataka Border-Nanjangud, Tarikere-Shimoga.

You can ideally halt at Shimoga for the night, or at Mysore - the latter will give you some time to spend an evening.

Choice 2: (Return) Belgaum-Dharwad-Hubli-Haveri-Ranebennur-Harihar-davangere-Chitradurga-Tumkur-Nelamangala-Bangalore-Hosur-Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri-Toppur-Mettur-Bhavani-Erode-Perunthurai-Coimbatore-Palakkad-Trissur-Cochin-Alleppy.

Problem with return is that you have a challenge to reach Erode by evening even if you leave Belgaum early in the morning, so maybe you could stay over the previous evening in Hubli or somewhere else further down like Chitradurga. The main time-waster is crossing Bangalore from NH4 to NH7.

[trrk]

Hi Kumar,

Thanks for the prompt response!

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Choice 1: Alleppy-Cochin-Trissur-Palakkad-Coimbatore-Sathyamangalam-Chamarajanagar-Nanjangud-Mysore-Srirangapatnam-K R Pet-Channarayapatna-Tarikere-Bhadravati-Shimoga-Honnali-Harihar-Ranebennur-Haveri-Hubli-Dharwad-Belgaum.

What would be the approximate distance in this route? My last mental arithmetic puts 675 from Alleppey to Bangalore via NH47 & NH7 and 525 from Bangalore to Belgaum via NH4, making it about 1200kms.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Problem with the route currently is bad road sections in Karnataka Border-Nanjangud, Tarikere-Shimoga.

Some bad sections are bound to happen and that is fine.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

You can ideally halt at Shimoga for the night, or at Mysore - the latter will give you some time to spend an evening.

I would rather go as far as possible as I would like to have some time in Hubli where I have friends rather than in Mysore where I don't have any contacts.

What would be the time frame I must keep in mind to reach Shimoga? In this route, beyond Coimbatore and upto Harihar, I am not in familar territory.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Choice 2: (Return) Belgaum-Dharwad-Hubli-Haveri-Ranebennur-Harihar-davangere-Chitradurga-Tumkur-Nelamangala-Bangalore-Hosur-Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri-Toppur-Mettur-Bhavani-Erode-Perunthurai-Coimbatore-Palakkad-Trissur-Cochin-Alleppy.

This is fine and I have done this except for the Thoppur - Bhavani stretch. Why is this recommended than the regular Thoppur Salem Bhavani stretch? Either way is fine for me.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Problem with return is that you have a challenge to reach Erode by evening even if you leave Belgaum early in the morning, so maybe you could stay over the previous evening in Hubli or somewhere else further down like Chitradurga. The main time-waster is crossing Bangalore from NH4 to NH7.

I think I have made a mistake here. On the seventh, I intend to reach Bangalore or Hosur and then on the 8th will proceed to Erode. The function is on the 8th at 6.30PM. My return to Alleppey will be only on the 9th.

I would definitely need help in the crossover from NH4 to NH7. But wouldn't this be easier via the Ring Road?

Any good convenient hotels in Shimoga?

[hvkumar]

Let me list out the distances:

Choice 1: Alleppy-Cochin 65 kms-Trissur 65-Palakkad 60-Coimbatore 50 -Sathyamangalam 70-Chamarajanagar 80-Nanjangud 40-Mysore 25-Srirangapatnam 10-K R Pet 40-Channarayapatna 40-Arsikere 50-Birur 45-Tarikere 25-Bhadravati 25-Shimoga 15-Honnali 40-Harihar 40-Ranebennur 20-Haveri 35-Hubli 70-Dharwad 30-Belgaum 70, totalling 1010 kms.

This means the Alapuzha-Shimoga sector is 690 kms, and the balance distance to Belgaum is 320 kms.

If you leave Alapuzha early in the morning (say, 5 am or before), you can breeze through Kerala and be in Coimbatore for breakfast by 9 am. Navigating Coimbatore City (no bypass for Sathyamangalam) is not too much of a problem, but you must have your city route charted out beforehand to avoid getting lost. You can also bypass Mysore city - saves you time and avoids getting lost in the city - since the bypass is good and take syou directly to Bangalore road.

May be very difficult to go beyond Shimoga on day 1 - Hubli looks quite difficult unless you are prepared to go on for till late at night - and Hotel Jewel Rock is a good hotel to stay at Shimoga.

From Srirangapatna to Shimoga, you have to be careful, the ride is not on NH part of the way and you should not miss your turns. Road is 2 lane.


Choice 2: (Return) Belgaum-Dharwad 70-Hubli 30-Haveri 70-Ranebennur 35-Harihar 20-Davangere 20-Chitradurga 55-Tumkur 130-Nelamangala 50-Bangalore 30-Hosur 40-Krishnagiri 50-Dharmapuri 50-Toppur 25-Mettur 35-Bhavani 50-Erode 20-Perunthurai 20-Coimbatore bypassed 90-Palakkad 35-Trissur 70-Cochin 65-Alleppy 65, totalling 1,125 kms.

Toppur-Mettur-Bhavani route is preferred because you save 20 kms, avoid the clutter around Salem city, plus the road is good.

Originally Posted by trrk

What would be the approximate distance in this route? My last mental arithmetic puts 675 from Alleppey to Bangalore via NH47 & NH7 and 525 from Bangalore to Belgaum via NH4, making it about 1200kms.

What would be the time frame I must keep in mind to reach Shimoga? In this route, beyond Coimbatore and upto Harihar, I am not in familar territory.

This is fine and I have done this except for the Thoppur - Bhavani stretch. Why is this recommended than the regular Thoppur Salem Bhavani stretch? Either way is fine for me.


I think I have made a mistake here. On the seventh, I intend to reach Bangalore or Hosur and then on the 8th will proceed to Erode. The function is on the 8th at 6.30PM. My return to Alleppey will be only on the 9th.

I would definitely need help in the crossover from NH4 to NH7. But wouldn't this be easier via the Ring Road?

Any good convenient hotels in Shimoga?

[trrk]

Hi,

Thanks for the details.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Let me list out the distances:
Choice 1: Alleppy-Cochin 65 kms-Trissur 65-Palakkad 60-Coimbatore 50 -Sathyamangalam 70-Chamarajanagar 80-Nanjangud 40-Mysore 25-Srirangapatnam 10-K R Pet 40-Channarayapatna 40-Arsikere 50-Birur 45-Tarikere 25-Bhadravati 25-Shimoga 15-Honnali 40-Harihar 40-Ranebennur 20-Haveri 35-Hubli 70-Dharwad 30-Belgaum 70, totalling 1010 kms.

This means the Alapuzha-Shimoga sector is 690 kms, and the balance distance to Belgaum is 320 kms.

Oh! 690kms! I have done it in a day several times but that was To Erode and back the same day.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

If you leave Alapuzha early in the morning (say, 5 am or before), you can breeze through Kerala and be in Coimbatore for breakfast by 9 am. Navigating Coimbatore City (no bypass for Sathyamangalam) is not too much of a problem, but you must have your city route charted out beforehand to avoid getting lost. You can also bypass Mysore city - saves you time and avoids getting lost in the city - since the bypass is good and take syou directly to Bangalore road.

I have done the 4 hr to Coimbatore early morning in my Safari even with speeds never crossing 80kph. Let us see how it unfolds if I make this trip.

Naviagating Coimbatore would not be a problem. It is our favorite halt and the roads are more or less familiar. Checked Google Earth and have checked the route.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

May be very difficult to go beyond Shimoga on day 1 - Hubli looks quite difficult unless you are prepared to go on for till late at night - and Hotel Jewel Rock is a good hotel to stay at Shimoga.

From Srirangapatna to Shimoga, you have to be careful, the ride is not on NH part of the way and you should not miss your turns. Road is 2 lane.May be very difficult to go beyond Shimoga on day 1 - Hubli looks quite difficult unless you are prepared to go on for till late at night - and Hotel Jewel Rock is a good hotel to stay at Shimoga.

It will be too much if I try more than Shimoga. I am totally unfamiliar with the routes between Coimbatore and Haveri. By your reckoning, at what time would I reach Shimoga?

Would that hotel be easily reachable?

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Choice 2: (Return) Belgaum-Dharwad 70-Hubli 30-Haveri 70-Ranebennur 35-Harihar 20-Davangere 20-Chitradurga 55-Tumkur 130-Nelamangala 50-Bangalore 30-Hosur 40-Krishnagiri 50-Dharmapuri 50-Toppur 25-Mettur 35-Bhavani 50-Erode 20-Perunthurai 20-Coimbatore bypassed 90-Palakkad 35-Trissur 70-Cochin 65-Alleppy 65, totalling 1,125 kms.

Toppur-Mettur-Bhavani route is preferred because you save 20 kms, avoid the clutter around Salem city, plus the road is good.

That is more or less familiar territory as I have done that a few times in the olden days. Thoppur Mettur Bhavani does have good roads as the Volvo bus in which I came from Banaglore did take that route and the roads indeed were good, though it is a two lane road.

Since this trip is not a sight seeing trip for me, would it be better for me to stick to the NH Route throughout instead of the Shimoga route? Since I am alone, it won't matter either way.

Thanks for all the details.

[hvkumar]

Assuming you take 4 hours to Coimbatore, 4 more from there to Mysore, I would do the rest of the distance to Shimoga in 6 hours, which means a total time of 14 hours - if you leave at, say, 4 am, you could reach at 6 pm. From there to Harihar would be another 2 hours. I would prefer to stay at Shimoga - the Hotel Jewel Rock is very conveniently located (just 1 km into town, afraid I don't k now the landmark), and being well-known, anyone would guide you to it. The problem with Harihar is I can think of a good hotel only in Davangere which is the other direction. Besides, the road from Shimoga to Harihar is best done in daylight, being a small ghat road and narrow 2-lane road.

I would take the Shimoga route, being more interesting and also because you care coming back via Bangalore anyway.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by trrk

Naviagating Coimbatore would not be a problem. It is our favorite halt and the roads are more or less familiar. Checked Google Earth and have checked the route.

If you are broadly familiar with Coimbatore, navigating it is no problem:

You come on NH47 till the big junction (Sungam, I think), where the right road goes to Pollachi and left turns towards Ukkadam in Coimbatore city.

Follow the Ukkadam road, cross the Ukkadam bus stand in 1 km or so, drive straight through Oppanakara Street till you reach its end, where it is a T-Junction.

Turn right at the T-Junction and go on, cross the flyover, and go over to the other side.

Take the left into the Jail Road after the flyover, and go on straight to Gandhipuram.

At Gandhipuram signal proceed straight - it is called the Sathy road - via Ganapathy (rail overbridge) and you are through.

[trrk]

Hi,

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Assuming you take 4 hours to Coimbatore, 4 more from there to Mysore, I would do the rest of the distance to Shimoga in 6 hours, which means a total time of 14 hours - if you leave at, say, 4 am, you could reach at 6 pm.

That looks reasonable except for the fact about what time I would take to do those distances. Since I am alone, I have an advantage of stooping anywhere even in any dump when I feel 'enough' for the day.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

From there to Harihar would be another 2 hours. I would prefer to stay at Shimoga - the Hotel Jewel Rock is very conveniently located (just 1 km into town, afraid I don't k now the landmark), and being well-known, anyone would guide you to it.

Shimoga would be my aim and nothing beyond on a single day. Its fine. Should be easy enough to find.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

The problem with Harihar is I can think of a good hotel only in Davangere which is the other direction. Besides, the road from Shimoga to Harihar is best done in daylight, being a small ghat road and narrow 2-lane road.

If I am not mistaken, Harihar is a small town with a private air field. It was a small place if I remember correctly. It had something of importance - was it a factory / mill? That ghat road sounds interesting.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

I would take the Shimoga route, being more interesting and also because you care coming back via Bangalore anyway.

Ok. I would take that route. I aim to make tracks of where I travel this time with GPS. Hope it works out.

Had I more freedom and time, i would have gone via Mangalore to Karwar and then a cross country run to the NH4 and then on to Belgaum.

Thanks for the tips.

[gd1418]

What GPS would you be using?

Originally Posted by trrk

Hi,
I aim to make tracks of where I travel this time with GPS. Hope it works out.

[trrk]

Hi,

Originally Posted by gd1418

What GPS would you be using?

I bought an (external) Altima GPS unit. I woupld be using my HTC phone with that, since my regular phone (Reliance) would be the one for me to call or receive.

[trrk]

Hi Kumar,

Originally Posted by hvkumar

If you are broadly familiar with Coimbatore, navigating it is no problem: At Gandhipuram signal proceed straight - it is called the Sathy road - via Ganapathy (rail overbridge) and you are through.

Thanks for the detailed route. In fact, I should have written 'well familiar' above. City Tower hotel is almost a second home to us.

Regards,

[trrk]

Hi hvkumar,

I did leave Alleppey on the 4th of December and came back on the 9th. I did 2366kms.

I did the Alleppey - Belgaum via Mysore - Bangalore as I found that some of my classmates were in Bangalore and so dropped the Shimoga route. Coming back was anyway via Bangalore only.

The Karnataka section of the road to Mysore was just horrible!

I did not break anything in my CVT, fortunately!

[anandkumargb]

Dear Team -

I am planning to go from Bangalore - Davanagere this Sunday and wanted to know what is the latest condition of the roads.

Also, I am in a dilema whetner to take my swift which has 205/50/R16 wheels or my Dad's Indica Vista Quadrajet with 175/65/R14 wheels? I am scared if there are huge potholes which might dent my alloys?

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!
Anand