[sajidclt]

I drove from Bangalore to Calicut yesterday afternoon. Started from Bangalore around 2 PM, took the Kanakapura - Malavalli - Bannur - Mysore ORR route.

Construction activity is happening on some sections on Kanakapura road. If one is driving at night, please be careful on these sections. Traffic was less compared to my previous trips and was a breeze after Harohalli.

Nothing significant to add about Nanjangud-Gundlupet-Bathery section. The sunflower fields were in full bloom between Gundlupet and the forest section. Got to see lot of deer and a few elephants.

The drive through the Thamarassery Ghat section was uneventful - I entered around 8:30 PM and reached Adivaram before 9:00 PM. A bus and a truck were asked to turn back at the entrance of the Ghat section. Downhill traffic had to take the diversion after the 4th hairpin. Though there were signboards indicating to take the diversion, this did not seem to be strictly enforced - the vehicle behind me proceeded normally. Maybe because it was night. Even at Adivaram, there were signboards indicating heavy vehicles not being allowed.

The ghat section is in good condition. The rain seems to have affected only the section between the first and second hairpins. The road through the diversion is also in good condition. Traffic was light throughout and there was no heavy vehicle traffic from Kalpetta till Thamarassery.

I will be passing through the repaired section on my way back. This seems to be okay now as it is planned to allow KSRTC buses in three days with alternating one-way traffic along the repaired stretch (read this in today's newspaper). For the moment, there are no plans to allow other heavy traffic.

Overall, it was a pleasant drive. Less traffic, wildlife sightings and only very light drizzles.

PS: Note to Mods - if possible, could this post be please merged with the previous one so as to avoid back-to-back posts.

[sajidclt]

Originally Posted by sajidclt

I will be passing through the repaired section on my way back.

Update on the return journey: I started late afternoon on Sunday from Calicut. On the Thamarassery Ghat section, KSRTC (both Kerala and Karnataka) buses were running. Other heavy vehicles are still not allowed.

The damaged stretch is hardly 200 meters and is in decent condition. Work is still going on in the section. This is approximately 1 km before the start of the second hairpin. I have attached a few pictures.


View of the damaged section


Start of the repair work


End of the repair work

There is also a section immediately after the 7th hairpin where a fallen down tree has narrowed the usable road. This could have been cleared by now.

Apart from this, there were a few collapsible barricades between Gundlupet and Nanjangud. There were not these many on my onward journey. Possibly, these barricades were put in for the weekend.

Took the Bangalore-Mysore road on the way back and was surprised to see moderate traffic even after passing Mysore at 9 PM. Also, many new speed-breakers have come up near Channapatna, Ramanagara and Bidadi. This could be due to the road expansion work going on around these towns.

P.S. Request to Mods: Please merge the above posts if needed as I have inadvertently ended up creating back to back posts.

[asinghal]

What is the situation of the Calicut-BLR road (wayanad) ? A family member needs to travel from Calicut to BLR via KSRTC bus (did not get a clear answer from KSRTC)

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by asinghal

What is the situation of the Calicut-BLR road (wayanad) ? A family member needs to travel from Calicut to BLR via KSRTC bus (did not get a clear answer from KSRTC)

Latest updates was that the route is open including the thamarassery ghats.Rains have also reduced over the last couple of days.

[mpksuhas]

Did Calicut - Bangalore drive on 19th Aug.

Started from Calicut at 1.30 PM and reached S Bathery by 3.45 PM. Traffic was thin and ghats are in good condition.

There are numerous landslides which are cleared all way from Adivaram to Kalpetta. It's alarming to see the magnitude of the same.

Almost half of vehicles I came across were those carrying relief materials.

Stopped at Mathais bakery for around 45 mins and started again accompanied by rains.


Stopped for second break at Nanjangaud CCD before taking Bannur - Mallavalli - Kanakpura route.

Water logging near Nanjangaud due to over flowing river has receeded by now.

There was more than usual traffic on Bannur route, not sure if it's due to tourists returning from Shivanasaudra.

Past Mallavalli there is continuous road work. We reach Bangalore by 10.30 pm.

[tharian]

I'll be travelling to Calicut in couple of days via the usual route of Mysore, Nanjangud and Gundlepet.
'
From the previous posts, it seems all is good. Is there anything that I need to be aware of or watch out for since it has been around 18 months since I traveled this road.

[Vysakh]

Did Bangalore-Calicut-Bangalore over the weekend. Roads are in great condition for the most part. A 2-3km stretch in the forest region is patchy. They've laid new tarmac at some stretches but haven't done anything about the speed breakers. So there's a dip just before taking the speedbreaker and a dip just after it. On the ghat section, hairpins 3 & 5 are in bad condition. Also, there's a small 30-40m stretch that's a single lane due to ongoing work, but there are people controlling it.

[mpksuhas]

Did Bangalore Calicut today morning. No changes in road conditions apart from what Vysakh mentioned above.

Started at 4.20 am today after picking cousin from Bellandur, took NICE road - Kanakapura road - Mysore route. Reached home at 10.50 with a 15 mins stop at Nanjangaud CCD.

Wasn't aware of hartal till I reached Gundlupet. Most major towns had small blockages, but nothing major apart from Thamarassery where police diverted us to a parallel road which connected at Koduvally.

[Vysakh]

There's tarmac being laid on the forest roads. Most of it is complete I guess. They're still not doing anything about the speed breakers though. So more often than not, you'll have to go down to the first gear for them. Two of the hairpins are in bad shape. Other than that, roads are great.

[Rajeevraj]

Did Calicut-Bangalore on 2nd via the usual Bathery, kalpetta, Mysore route. Apart from 2 hair pins and a slightly patchy section in the forest on the Karnataka side (where relaying is in progress), the route is as perfect as it can get. Traffic was low and with Mysore-Bangalore also relatively free, was one of the quicker drive in recent times.

[mpksuhas]

Looks like the Bandipur - Wayanad elevated road plan is still under consideration even though chances of the same looks bleak.

From today's Hindu.

[balenoed_]

Anyone know on how is the road condition via Bandipur after the recent fire incidents. Is it all normal?

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by balenoed_

Anyone know on how is the road condition via Bandipur after the recent fire incidents. Is it all normal?

Should be fine. I don't think the fire came anywhere near the road. And the closure was on the Bandipur Mudumalai route.

[vinjosep]

Originally Posted by balenoed_

Anyone know on how is the road condition via Bandipur after the recent fire incidents. Is it all normal?

Don't know the condition after the fire.

However, had been to Wayanad on 16th of last month. The road was being relaid on the Karnataka stretch within the forest. It was mostly done except for the speed breakers.

[balenoed_]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Should be fine.

Originally Posted by vinjosep

Don't know the condition after the fire.

However, had been to Wayanad on 16th of last month. .

What time does the Bandipur check post closes? 6pm or 9pm?