[Rajeevraj]

Just back from a 10 day trip to Calicut. Went on 20th and returned on 29th. Took the Kanakpura-Kollegala-Ch Nagar route both ways.

• Roads continue to be mostly great. Slightly patchy between Ch nagar-Gundlepet and terrible between Bathery and Kalpetta
• Left at 4.30am- was at Calicut (Meenchanda) 12:45pm. 45 min of breaks and around 45 min lost due to jams at the border and in Kalpetta and Thamarassery town
• I dont think I'll take the Kanakpura route again when leaving early morning. Lot of blinding truck traffic between Bangalore and Kanakpura and then very deserted between Kanakpura and Kollegala. Was a little scared thinking about a potential issue or breakdown in that stretch. There is a rocky stretch after Kanakpura where the road is winding and narrow and bare mountains/rocky terrain all around. Mine was the only vehicle for kilometers in that stretch. That's when I felt scared.
• Blocks at Muthanga are now becoming a regular feature.
• Return journey left Calicut at 5am on Monday morning. Was at Gundlepet at 8.40am-break till 9.30 at CCD-Reached NICE Road at 1:10pm and home in Belandur at 1:40pm
• The Kanakpura route gives me mixed feelings. On one hand it is a great route with minimal traffic and good roads and definitely saves significant time over the Mysore route. But on the other hand it is a two lane highway and hence there is an extra effort required in sections when there is some traffic. The family also does not really prefer it due to lack of any decent stopping points in case of emergency.

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

[*]I dont think I'll take the Kanakpura route again when leaving early morning. Lot of blinding truck traffic between Bangalore and Kanakpura and then very deserted between Kanakpura and Kollegala.

It does not make sense to take Kanakpura route if you leave early in the morning. I drove via the Bangalore - Mysore road on 20th and could reach Mysore in 2 hrs 15 mins and Gundlupet in 4 hrs with a 30 min break for breakfast at Mysore. This wouldn't have been possible via Kanakpura route. I took the Kanakpura route for the return on 28th

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

It does not make sense to take Kanakpura route if you leave early in the morning. I drove via the Bangalore - Mysore road on 20th and could reach Mysore in 2 hrs 15 mins and Gundlupet in 4 hrs with a 30 min break for breakfast at Mysore. This wouldn't have been possible via Kanakpura route. I took the Kanakpura route for the return on 28th

Actually technically Kanakpura route also takes the same time. I left at 4.30am on 20th from Belandur and was at Gundlepet by 8am.

But you are right. Its not worth taking this route early morning. Mysore route is safer and maybe a little faster also in most cases

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

• Left at 4.30am- was at Calicut (Meenchanda) 12:45pm. 45 min of breaks and around 45 min lost due to jams at the border and in Kalpetta and Thamarassery town
• Blocks at Muthanga are now becoming a regular feature.

Yes, Kanakpura road is a mixed bag. On my trips to Calicut I take Mysore road if starting early from Bangalore and on way back take Kanakpura road since mostly it will be over weekends/ evenings.
If starting early from Bangalore as you did I guess Mysore road is better since traffic will be low and also you have options for bio/break on way. To add another point, if its possible to start bit more early you can bring down the travel time to a great extent. I try starting at around 3AM which helps me to cross Mysore before 6AM. Cross KA-KL border around 7~ 7:30 and you can reach Calicut around 9 / 9:30. Even though you have to start early drive fatigue will be less since traffic will be less.
Yes, traffic snarls at Muthanga is becoming regular affair. And with no signs of a solution in sight its only going to get worse I guess.

[yo222]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

... I try starting at around 3AM which helps me to cross Mysore before 6AM. Cross KA-KL border around 7~ 7:30 and you can reach Calicut around 9 / 9:30. Even though you have to start early drive fatigue will be less since traffic will be less.
Yes, traffic snarls at Muthanga is becoming regular affair. And with no signs of a solution in sight its only going to get worse I guess.

Hey @mpksuhas, by any chance do you have any idea whether it is allowed to take the Gundlupet-Bandipur-Sultan Bathery road in the night?

If no, then what other best options are available?

Need this info for a friend who is likely to have to drive down to Sultan Bathery with his family and is trying hard to avoid night travel but may still have to, in the eventual case.

[kala]

Originally Posted by yo222

Hey @mpksuhas, by any chance do you have any idea whether it is allowed to take the Gundlupet-Bandipur-Sultan Bathery road in the night?

If no, then what other best options are available?

Need this info for a friend who is likely to have to drive down to Sultan Bathery with his family and is trying hard to avoid night travel but may still have to, in the eventual case.

No - the forest check post on the Gundlupet side closes at 9PM, so he has to make sure that he has crossed it before that.

In case one has to travel in the night and there is no other alternative, you could either take one of the few buses that are allowed through at night (I think 2 buses of Karnataka RTC and 2 of Kerala), or drive through Hunsur-Gonikoppal-Mananthavady-Bathery. The latter has bad roads for quite some distance and will add may be about 100kms or so to the distance.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by yo222

Hey @mpksuhas, by any chance do you have any idea whether it is allowed to take the Gundlupet-Bandipur-Sultan Bathery road in the night?
If no, then what other best options are available?

Second what Kala mentioned, roads are closed and if night travel is unavoidable should have to opt for buses only. 2 KL and KA KSRTC buses each used to ply through the Bandipur forest route. Please note that these are the only buses which has permit to ply during night curfew time on that road (9PM-6AM). Other KSRTC buses and private buses ply through Mananthavady route or wait at Gundelpet checkpost for gates to open at 6AM.
In case your friend is planning to drive down, he can plan an early morning start from Bangalore, around 3 or 4 AM start can get you to Calicut in 6 hour drive.

[VindyWheels]

Hi,

Planning to go to Calicut on 27th early morning. Can start as early as 3:00am from Bangalore. Hopefully Mandya agitation will clear-up by then. Do not want to take the kollegal route before sunrise.

Does it make sense to reach the checkpost after Gundlupet around 6:30 am when they open the gate? Will there be too much of trucks/overnight held up vehicles making a Que at that time?

Cheers

Vindy

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by VindyWheels

Does it make sense to reach the checkpost after Gundlupet around 6:30 am when they open the gate? Will there be too much of trucks/overnight held up vehicles making a Que at that time?

Hi,

The checkpost opens at 6:00 AM. In 15 mins, all traffic will be cleared. Reason is there will be no vehicles coming in the opposite direction. So, @6:30 AM, you should be able to cruise through comfortably.

[kala]

Originally Posted by dhanushs

Hi,

The checkpost opens at 6:00 AM. In 15 mins, all traffic will be cleared. Reason is there will be no vehicles coming in the opposite direction. So, @6:30 AM, you should be able to cruise through comfortably.

I prefer to wait a little more (May be till 7 / 7:30 AM). The forest portion is easy to drive even if there is traffic coming towards you (since it is a pretty wide road). But the bottleneck on that route is the Muthanga checkpost, and you really don't want to be there at the time when everyone who started from the Karnataka side checkpost at 6AM is queued up at that place.

[mpksuhas]

^^ Second what Kala said. More so since in coming days traffic and checking at checkpost is to increase due to Christmas. Last Christmas I had to get down from KSRTC bus which was stuck in a long block and walk all the way to checkpost through forest to get out of the mess.

[arjithin]

Originally Posted by kala

No - the forest check post on the Gundlupet side closes at 9PM, so he has to make sure that he has crossed it before that.

Kala, I thought the road closes at 6 PM, is it 9 PM?

Originally Posted by VindyWheels

Hi,

Planning to go to Calicut on 27th early morning. Can start as early as 3:00am from Bangalore. Hopefully Mandya agitation will clear-up by then. Do not want to take the kollegal route before sunrise.

Does it make sense to reach the checkpost after Gundlupet around 6:30 am when they open the gate? Will there be too much of trucks/overnight held up vehicles making a Que at that time?

Vindy

I too will be starting on 27th morning for CLT from BGLR using Mandya route. From where in BGLR are you starting?

I am planning to reach checkpost by 7-7:30 AM after clearing up all the traffic. Also it will be better to drive in sunlight after Mysore.

[kala]

Originally Posted by arjithin

Kala, I thought the road closes at 6 PM, is it 9 PM?

It is still 9 PM. The proposal to change it to a 6PM closure was never implemented - for whatever reasons.

[mpksuhas]

^ Yes the Gundelpet- Bathery route closes from 9PM- 6AM.

[arjithin]

Originally Posted by kala

It is still 9 PM. The proposal to change it to a 6PM closure was never implemented - for whatever reasons.

thanks for the confirmation. Where exactly they block the traffic? Immediately after we turn right at Gundlupet?