Hubli-Yellapur-Ankola road conditions?

magiceye · 31st March 2009, 10:44

Hi guys,
What are the latest road conditions between Hubli-Yellapur-Ankola and onwards to Murudeshwar. Am planning to drive down in the 3rd week of April.
Or should I take the Haveri-Sirsi_kumta?
Grateful for any inputs.

Thank you

Guna · 31st March 2009, 11:24

From where are you starting? Mumbai?
Hubli Ankola Road was considered as one of the best roads in India according to ACI. It has suffered to large extent because of the overloaded manganise trucks using it continuosly for many years. But still is far better then the Haveri-Kumta road. I am told that even the trucks are not seen in such big numbers these days.

Shan2nu · 31st March 2009, 11:42

Hubli-Ankola road is in good shape.

Truck traffic is not consistant these days. There have been times when we've had to overtake over 100 trucks, but last time, i found none.

Sirsi road is not worth it. The roads have bad patches and are very narrow. Id still recommend the Ankola road.

Shan2nu

kiren · 31st March 2009, 12:01

Hubli - Tadas-Mundgod - Sirsi road also is not very bad however is narrow. Hubli - Yellapur - Ankola road was better except for the truck traffic & jams near Ankola.

DDDHRUV · 31st March 2009, 12:30

My brother had been to Manipal through Hubli-Yellapur-Ankola road in the first week of March and the roads were good. I think you wouldn't have any problems till the rains. Additionally iron ore exports are down so the heavily overladen mining trucks are fewer in number.

magiceye · 31st March 2009, 12:41

Thank you so much guys! Will definitely take the Hubli-Yellapur-Ankola route!

h_man · 17th January 2010, 20:23

Folks - Can any one please confirm that this road is still good post monsoons? Thanks!

ravibhat · 17th January 2010, 21:06

Over all road is very smooth and nice except increase in traffic in last 4 years. Expect heavy truck traffic but I don't have latest updates.

Regards,

Ravi.

h_man · 17th January 2010, 21:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by ravibhat

Over all road is very smooth and nice except increase in traffic in last 4 years. Expect heavy truck traffic but I don't have latest updates.

Regards,

Ravi.

Thanks Ravi.

I am planning a road trip from Mumbai - Mangalore/Udupi. Apart from crossing the western ghats using NH 63 I(Hubli>Yellapur>Ankola), is there any other option?

ssbiitm · 17th January 2010, 23:19

Hi,

I did the Ankola - Yellapur - Hubli NH63 route about 3 weeks back while travelling from Murudeshwar to Hampi. The road is not particularly wide and is effectively a two lane highway. Although the road surface per se is very good, the lorry traffic (in both directions) takes the zing out of the drive. To make matters worse, every now and then the lorries breakdown and end up creating long jams. Unfortunately, these jams end up taking longer to clear because many of our morons that drive buses and SUVs think that the trucks & cars that have stopped in a disciplined fashion have done so simply for the pure thrill of it and that they can approach and bypass the problem point by proceeding on the right hand side of the road, creating additional jams in the process. I saw right in front of my eyes a jam that would have been cleared in about 10 mins taking more than 45 mins because an idiot of a bus driver chose that moment to come in on the RHS blocking all traffic completely! I have more choice (and more apt) words to call these guys, but I am sure the moderators will evict me from this website for ever! I did get a chance to chat with the lorry drivers during one of these jams. Very nice guys and they were actually helping clear some of these jams. Said that it was a daily affair for them. They kept on asking me to go on ahead since my vehicle was small and that they would try to keep making some space for me!

Anyway, the basic points are that

NH 63 is good from road surface point of view, but is overloaded with heavy lorry traffic in both directions up to Hubli. Hubli to Gadag is bearable and Gadag to Hospet is fine.
You can expect traffic jams because of breakdowns, which will also test your patience progressively as you find more and more idiots breaking rules (and, in the process, making the jams much longer)
No matter what colour your car is, it will become "rust red" after the trip! I could not believe the colour of my oyster grey i10 Asta when I reached Hubli.
Its a choice of the devil. The other routes (according to the locals and the lorry drivers) are not that good. So, in stretches when you get past one lorry convoy, you have the chance of speeding up till you encounter the next convoy.

Wish you good luck in this. Happy driving!

cheers,
ssbiitm

h_man · 18th January 2010, 22:29

ssbiitm - Thanks!

I am going to try and avoid the lorry traffic by getting a early morning start from Belgaum - lets see how that works.

roamingrao · 30th April 2010, 20:47

Update : 27.04.2010

Excellent road condition from Ankola to Hubli, as also from Karwar to Ankola. However, avoid this road at night / early morning to avoid mining truck menace.

During the day, these trucks are parked on open grounds on either side of the highway for almost 5 kms from ankola towards Hubli - driver groups sit almost on the highway ! These trucks are allowed into Karwar port only after 9 pm - stipulated 400 trucks per day !

We drove from Ankola to Karwar at 9.30 pm and had to pass 200 odd trucks parked on the highway

NH63 ( Ankola - Hubli stretch ) photographs

ampere · 1st May 2010, 06:14

Nice snaps. Took me back 10 years in time, when I used to frequent this route. Good to note the road still retains its glory of yore. The trucks were famous then also. But I failed to understand why were they so many in number. Now thanks to Kadri007, have a good idea of them.

Some one in fact told me that this road (NH63) is a world bank funded road. So any hitch and they would tar in no time to fix it. Not sure how much of this is true.

Karwar-Ankola is also very nice NH17 30Km stretch which is amazing to drive through hills and sea view!

MX6 will know the latest status on NH63. He keeps prowling these areas

.

gajadonga · 1st May 2010, 10:43

Thanks roamingrao for the photographs.I have travelled this route a couple of times and I found the quality of the road always good.The route is scenic too and whenever I went to Goa I always go through this route.The Kamat upachar near Ankola was my favourite place for short break.

LongDrive lover · 1st May 2010, 11:33

Thanks mates. Nice snaps and useful real-time info flowing in there, will be very handy for our trip during this June when we plan to pass through that area.

31st March 2009, 10:44	#1
magiceye BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: mumbai Posts: 239 Thanked: 117 Times	Hubli-Yellapur-Ankola road conditions? Hi guys, What are the latest road conditions between Hubli-Yellapur-Ankola and onwards to Murudeshwar. Am planning to drive down in the 3rd week of April. Or should I take the Haveri-Sirsi_kumta? Grateful for any inputs. Thank you Last edited by magiceye : 31st March 2009 at 10:48.
	() Thanks

31st March 2009, 11:24	#2
Guna Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 4,010 Thanked: 4,202 Times	From where are you starting? Mumbai? Hubli Ankola Road was considered as one of the best roads in India according to ACI. It has suffered to large extent because of the overloaded manganise trucks using it continuosly for many years. But still is far better then the Haveri-Kumta road. I am told that even the trucks are not seen in such big numbers these days.
	() Thanks

31st March 2009, 11:42	#3
Shan2nu Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Hubli - Karnata Posts: 5,533 Thanked: 125 Times View My Garage	Hubli-Ankola road is in good shape. Truck traffic is not consistant these days. There have been times when we've had to overtake over 100 trucks, but last time, i found none. Sirsi road is not worth it. The roads have bad patches and are very narrow. Id still recommend the Ankola road. Shan2nu
	() Thanks

31st March 2009, 12:01	#4
kiren BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: mumbai Posts: 454 Thanked: 33 Times	Hubli - Tadas-Mundgod - Sirsi road also is not very bad however is narrow. Hubli - Yellapur - Ankola road was better except for the truck traffic & jams near Ankola.
	() Thanks

31st March 2009, 12:30	#5
DDDHRUV BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: MUMBAI Posts: 116 Thanked: 13 Times	My brother had been to Manipal through Hubli-Yellapur-Ankola road in the first week of March and the roads were good. I think you wouldn't have any problems till the rains. Additionally iron ore exports are down so the heavily overladen mining trucks are fewer in number.
	() Thanks

31st March 2009, 12:41	#6
magiceye BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: mumbai Posts: 239 Thanked: 117 Times	Thank you so much guys! Will definitely take the Hubli-Yellapur-Ankola route!
	() Thanks

17th January 2010, 20:23	#7
h_man BHPian Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Thane Posts: 25 Thanked: 5 Times	Folks - Can any one please confirm that this road is still good post monsoons? Thanks!
	() Thanks

17th January 2010, 21:06	#8
ravibhat Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,256 Thanked: 37 Times View My Garage	Over all road is very smooth and nice except increase in traffic in last 4 years. Expect heavy truck traffic but I don't have latest updates. Regards, Ravi.
	() Thanks

17th January 2010, 23:19	#10
ssbiitm BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 28 Thanked: 5 Times	NH63 - a choice of the devil! Hi, I did the Ankola - Yellapur - Hubli NH63 route about 3 weeks back while travelling from Murudeshwar to Hampi. The road is not particularly wide and is effectively a two lane highway. Although the road surface per se is very good, the lorry traffic (in both directions) takes the zing out of the drive. To make matters worse, every now and then the lorries breakdown and end up creating long jams. Unfortunately, these jams end up taking longer to clear because many of our morons that drive buses and SUVs think that the trucks & cars that have stopped in a disciplined fashion have done so simply for the pure thrill of it and that they can approach and bypass the problem point by proceeding on the right hand side of the road, creating additional jams in the process. I saw right in front of my eyes a jam that would have been cleared in about 10 mins taking more than 45 mins because an idiot of a bus driver chose that moment to come in on the RHS blocking all traffic completely! I have more choice (and more apt) words to call these guys, but I am sure the moderators will evict me from this website for ever! I did get a chance to chat with the lorry drivers during one of these jams. Very nice guys and they were actually helping clear some of these jams. Said that it was a daily affair for them. They kept on asking me to go on ahead since my vehicle was small and that they would try to keep making some space for me! Anyway, the basic points are that NH 63 is good from road surface point of view, but is overloaded with heavy lorry traffic in both directions up to Hubli. Hubli to Gadag is bearable and Gadag to Hospet is fine. You can expect traffic jams because of breakdowns, which will also test your patience progressively as you find more and more idiots breaking rules (and, in the process, making the jams much longer) No matter what colour your car is, it will become "rust red" after the trip! I could not believe the colour of my oyster grey i10 Asta when I reached Hubli. Its a choice of the devil. The other routes (according to the locals and the lorry drivers) are not that good. So, in stretches when you get past one lorry convoy, you have the chance of speeding up till you encounter the next convoy. Wish you good luck in this. Happy driving! cheers, ssbiitm
	() Thanks

18th January 2010, 22:29	#11
h_man BHPian Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Thane Posts: 25 Thanked: 5 Times	ssbiitm - Thanks! I am going to try and avoid the lorry traffic by getting a early morning start from Belgaum - lets see how that works.
	() Thanks

30th April 2010, 20:47	#12
roamingrao BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 340 Thanked: 191 Times View My Garage	Update : 27.04.2010 Excellent road condition from Ankola to Hubli, as also from Karwar to Ankola. However, avoid this road at night / early morning to avoid mining truck menace. During the day, these trucks are parked on open grounds on either side of the highway for almost 5 kms from ankola towards Hubli - driver groups sit almost on the highway ! These trucks are allowed into Karwar port only after 9 pm - stipulated 400 trucks per day ! We drove from Ankola to Karwar at 9.30 pm and had to pass 200 odd trucks parked on the highway NH63 ( Ankola - Hubli stretch ) photographs Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

1st May 2010, 06:14	#13
ampere Team-BHP Support Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,945 Thanked: 12,928 Times View My Garage	Nice snaps. Took me back 10 years in time, when I used to frequent this route. Good to note the road still retains its glory of yore. The trucks were famous then also. But I failed to understand why were they so many in number. Now thanks to Kadri007, have a good idea of them. Some one in fact told me that this road (NH63) is a world bank funded road. So any hitch and they would tar in no time to fix it. Not sure how much of this is true. Karwar-Ankola is also very nice NH17 30Km stretch which is amazing to drive through hills and sea view! MX6 will know the latest status on NH63. He keeps prowling these areas .
	() Thanks

1st May 2010, 10:43	#14
gajadonga Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 1,045 Thanked: 458 Times	Thanks roamingrao for the photographs.I have travelled this route a couple of times and I found the quality of the road always good.The route is scenic too and whenever I went to Goa I always go through this route.The Kamat upachar near Ankola was my favourite place for short break.
	() Thanks

1st May 2010, 11:33	#15
LongDrive lover BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Lucknow Posts: 782 Thanked: 114 Times	Thanks mates. Nice snaps and useful real-time info flowing in there, will be very handy for our trip during this June when we plan to pass through that area.
	() Thanks