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-   -   Landslides? Updates on the road to The Nilgiris. (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/69134-landslides-updates-road-nilgiris-4.html)

A picture of the old revetment and new revetment as mentioned my Shankar.

@ Shankar, there is a new team designated for Slope Management now in the Nilgiris.

I am not sure what they will be doing.

Slope Management Indeed!!
All they need to do is to listen to some of the local old timers and they will know exactly what to do!
And put a complete stop to any kind of foolish construction in the Nilgiris like Madam Jayalalitha did when she was in power.
The current regime is too corrupt for their own good and the worst part is that they arent even doing any progressive good work for our beloved Nilgiris!

Here is a report of my trip to Nilgiris (Civic-AT, self-drive with my wife and a servant for help).

Came back safe. 15th November up, 16th Nov down, made 925 kms in my Civic-AT.
I missed this thread before I left, which is a good thing because I might have cancelled my trip fearing for my life seeing those photos! :eek:
(I had an appointment with the Principal of Laidlaw school, Ketti).

On 15th Nov morning got up from bed thinking to myself that I must not go.
Then suddenly made the plan to go after confirming with a bunch of people I called up in Nilgiris and watching all the news channels that it may be safe.

Started at 11 am from Tuticorin, reached Mettupalayam at around 6 pm (380 kms).
Was in a hurry to go up the ghat roads before it became dark, but now it started to get dark.
Reached Kothagiri at around 6:45pm.
The roads were good and there was no rain till now.
Had a tea in Kothagiri and left for Coonoor taking the left turn a few kms after Kothagiri.
It was raining like hell and saw a lot of previous land slides already repaired. Since it was dark and raining heavily, could not see much. Went very slowly behind a few truck and cars for safety.
Reached Coonoor at around 8:30 pm. (Stayed at Hotel Vivek). It rained till around 10 pm into the night.

Morning woke up very early and left for Ketti from the Hotel at around 7am.
There was no rain now.
From Coonoor the right-turn for the regular Ooty road was blocked.
Asked some auto guys who directed me to take a route which took me through some extremely narrow and very bad roads to join the regular road a few kms away.(I never scrapped my Civic even once during this whole trip).

Reached Yellanalli and took the left fork to the school.
The regular road, right-fork was blocked anyway.
Reached the school at 7:45am. (though my appointment was only at 9:30 am, I was now feeling relieved!).
Had packed breakfast in the car itself.

Started my way back to the Hotel at around 11:30 am.
There was slight rain. Reached hotel, checked-out and left.
I was in a hurry to reach the plains so that I may not get stranded in Nilgiris due to some new landslide! :D.
This time at day-time saw a lot of places where the sand had collapsed on the road sides and had already been repaired.
However the road surface was very good.
Reached home at around 10 pm. Extremely tired and collapsed into a well deserved deep-sleep!

Conclusion:
The whole experience in Nilgiris was very good.
In fact the worst experience was the last 60 kms on my return to Tuticorin, where 4-laning is going at a snail's pace and continous stream of lorries blinding me with bright lights.
My car was great and as an AT it was stress free and took all those mountains with those rains well.
I never missed the absolute-control you might want with the manual in ghat roads.

FE for the whole trip:
935.9 kms, 70.51 lts giving 13.2 kmpl.
Great, considering the fact that I had to climb 2000 meters up!

Follow-up to my earlier post:
Since I was NOT on a tourist trip, did not take photos except this.

This is the big clearing near the Ketti Railway station.

Manim, guess you came to drop your kids to school.

Schools have reopened today after a week long closure. School timings have changed temporarily until further notice 10.30AM to 3.30PM.

Hi

There was a programme on Vijay TV last night- what was terrible, was that houses have been buried during a land slide. THey were showing interviews of neighbours who were mentioning that their neighbours house disappeared in the landslide- collapsed perhaps. Nine people died, 8 bodies recovered, May those poor souls rest in peace.

Regards
Prasad

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The homeless are now being accommodated in schools and other halls.
A relief package has been announced and they are being provided with homes elsewhere.

Laidlaw is nearly a full-boarding school and they never had any leave during these landslides. The school is functioning normally.
My children were already there and I had come to meet their teachers (and them).

My next visit will be in December middle and I hope all the roads are better by then!

Schools had reopened yesterday from 10.30 to 3.30.

This morning there was a slight drizzle and they shut school again. The administration does not want to take any risk.

Hey Beejay, Any improvement int he situation? Is it still raining there? I have planned Ooty from 28th Nov for 4 days.

Its not raining now, however schools have been asked to shut till Monday as mets had forecast rain. I don't see any coming though.:D

The Ooty Coonoor highway has been opened to LMVs. Things are slowly getting back to normal. Should not be a problem.

Wow!! That was a super fast response. Thanks

@Beejay

We are planning to drive up to Lovedale from CBE to pick up my nephew on thursday. How's the kotagiri road ? and also any idea on the Ooty to Lovedale bit ? Thanks.

The route you are planning has no problem has such. The Kotagiri road is the only route to Coimbatore so apart from traffic there is no other problem.
Ooty- Lovedale is also open to traffic.

Hi Beejay, is there any improvement in the situation? How is the weather? As mentioned before I am starting to Ooty on 28th Nov and can I include Coonoor, Kotagiri in my itinerary? Also if you can let me know the Masingudi - Ooty route condition, it would be helpful. Thanks in advance mate. BTW let me know if you need something from bangalore, I will surely get it for you for the help :)