Landslides? Updates on the road to The Nilgiris.

beejay · 25th November 2009, 14:11

The weather is fine now.

Masinagudi to Ooty is normal and there should be no problem.

You can include Coonoor and Kotagiri, the only thing is that you would need to take a small diversion off Lovedale to enter Coonoor main road at Yelanhalli.
From Coonoor you can travel to Kotagiri without any problem.
Thanks for your nice gesture, I wouldnt need anything.
All the best with your trip. Have fun.

ampere · 25th November 2009, 15:26

How is the Gudalur - Nilambur segment? I plan to go there next week.

beejay · 25th November 2009, 15:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere

How is the Gudalur - Nilambur segment? I plan to go there next week.

There is no problem on this route.

sabsubs · 6th December 2009, 13:23

Hi Guys,

I am planning to take one-day trip to Ooty tomorrow (07/12/2009).

An urgent trip and I need to come back on the same day.

I am going to start from Salem. Go to Avinashi and take a right on the Avinashi - Coimbatore NH. Traverse Annur and reach Mettupalayam.

On a normal day it wouldn’t take more than 6 hours to reach Ooty but due to the land slides I think it would become really difficult to drive on the ghat roads.

Now my dilemma is that do I take Mettupalayam - Coonoor road or Mettupalayam - Kotagiri road and go to Ooty.

I have few questions:

1. Is the route Mettupalayam to Conoor motorable now?
2. Have they opened Coonoor to Ooty road for public?
3. How is the road condition between Mettupalayam to Kotagiri to Ooty?

Could someone update me on how the road condition is now?

beejay · 7th December 2009, 17:20

Sorry, I just got to see your message. I was not in town.

1. Mettupalayam- Coonoor road is not open as yet.
2. Coonoor-Ooty Road is open for LMV.
3. The road is good.

sabsubs · 7th December 2009, 18:24

Thank you Beejay.

I just finished the trip and posting this message. I started at 5:00 in the morning from Salem and reached Ooty around 10:00 am. A non stop drive with for five hours.

I took Mettupalayam - Kotagiri - Ooty road. Finished the work in Ooty in less than an hour and started around 12:00. Came back to Mettupalayam along the same route but while coming back I wanted to see Doddabetta, so went there and relaxed for a while. This trip brought back my memories of young age where I & my family were staying in Aruvankadu.

Coming to the point, the route from Mettupalayam to Kotagiri and to Ooty is in good condition. Actually I did not except such good roads after reading in newspapers the havoc land slides had created. However Mettupalayam - Kotagiri - Ooty roads are very narrow and not broad like the normal route.

Total KMS covered: 449.7 KMS. This includes more than 100 KMS of driving on steep ghat roads and mainly in 2nd & 3rd gear. I have a hunch that my i10 would have given a mileage of close to 18 KMPL. I am yet to do a full tank. I will post the mileage and the some pics that I had taken.

manim · 7th December 2009, 21:46

I am driving to Coonoor & Ketti from Mettupalayam (regarding Laidlaw school pick-up) next Sunday and Monday. Thanks to this thread, I will now drive stress-free knowing the roads are good.

(I expect around 400+ cars to Ketti next Monday for the school alone, so there could be traffic-jams).

I will post my experience after this visit.

sabsubs · 8th December 2009, 10:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by manim

I am driving to Coonoor & Ketti from Mettupalayam (regarding Laidlaw school pick-up) next Sunday and Monday. Thanks to this thread, I will now drive stress-free knowing the roads are good.

Hi Mani,

I am not sure about the road from Mettupalayam to Coonoor. This road is yet to be repaired and no vehicles are allowed on this road.

However you can go to Kotagiri and from there you can go to Coonoor. Right now they are not allowing traffic from Coonoor to Ooty on the conventional road, you may have to take the Coonoor -> old Aruvankadu -> Achaanakkal route to reach Ketti.

But I read on newspaper that one way traffic is allowed from Ooty to Coonoor. That is when you are going from Ooty to Coonoor you could take the conventional route.

Please post your experience/updates once you finish your trip.

PearlJam · 11th December 2009, 14:44

I was there 4 days back. The Ooty-->Coonoor highway is open one way, with repair work still going on in some parts. No problem for cars, though. The cops were diverting the Coonoor-->Ooty traffic through narrow by-roads (which are shorter, quite narrow and steep, with bad roads in many parts).

Mettupalayam-Kotagiri roads are normal and superb. Same with Ooty-Gudalur. Kotagiri-Ooty (diverted) roads are good. Not sure about Kotagiri-Coonoor.

beejay · 11th December 2009, 14:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by PearlJam

Not sure about Kotagiri-Coonoor.

Kotagiri to Coonoor is open to traffic and the roads are good.

ampere · 12th December 2009, 18:07

Just returned from the Nilambur, Gudalur, Masinagudi, Mysore route. Everything seemed fine. Smooth traffic.

pjay_in · 13th December 2009, 13:02

I will be driving to Ooty with family towards the end of this month and will go from there to Palakkad via Mettupalayam/Coimbatore. En route I want to check out the more popular spots around Coonoor and Kotagiri like Dolphin's Nose, Sims Park and Kodanad view point. What is the recommended sequence and route considering the prevailing roadblocks?

laluks · 13th December 2009, 14:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjay_in

I will be driving to Ooty with family towards the end of this month and will go from there to Palakkad via Mettupalayam/Coimbatore. En route I want to check out the more popular spots around Coonoor and Kotagiri like Dolphin's Nose, Sims Park and Kodanad view point. What is the recommended sequence and route considering the prevailing roadblocks?

Ooty - Coonor - Sims park - lambs rock - dolphins nose - kattapattu - kotagiri - kodanadu viewpoint - kotagiri - mettupalayam - coimbatore - palghat.

pjay_in · 13th December 2009, 19:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by laluks

Ooty - Coonor - Sims park - lambs rock - dolphins nose - kattapattu - kotagiri - kodanadu viewpoint - kotagiri - mettupalayam - coimbatore - palghat.

Thanks, laluks. That's a very useful reply. Can I do it in, say, 4-5 hours?

laluks · 13th December 2009, 20:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjay_in

Thanks, laluks. That's a very useful reply. Can I do it in, say, 4-5 hours?

If you are just seeing around like a tourist

then -
Sims park, is just another green park -1 hour max
Lambs Rock 30 mins max, some walking involved
Dolphins nose - 30 mins max
Kodanadu viewpoint - 30 mins max

ooty - coonor - 30mins max with deviations if any.
Sims park - lambs rock - dolphin nose - kattapattu - kotagiri - 2.5 hour with ample time to see the places.
kotagiri - kodanadu -kotagiri - 1.5 hours with ample time to see around.

So starting from Ooty in 4.5 hour you can finish all this places and be back at kotagiri.

Kotagiri - Mettupalayam - coimbatore - I do not know. I have not travelled on that route. - X hours
Coimbatore - Palghat can be done in 1 hour.

So I feel 5.5 hours + X

25th November 2009, 14:11	#61
beejay Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: The Nilgiris Posts: 1,963 Thanked: 204 Times View My Garage	The weather is fine now. Masinagudi to Ooty is normal and there should be no problem. You can include Coonoor and Kotagiri, the only thing is that you would need to take a small diversion off Lovedale to enter Coonoor main road at Yelanhalli. From Coonoor you can travel to Kotagiri without any problem. Thanks for your nice gesture, I wouldnt need anything. All the best with your trip. Have fun.
	() Thanks

25th November 2009, 15:26	#62
ampere Team-BHP Support Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,948 Thanked: 12,935 Times View My Garage	How is the Gudalur - Nilambur segment? I plan to go there next week.
	() Thanks

6th December 2009, 13:23	#64
sabsubs BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 324 Thanked: 322 Times	Hi Guys, I am planning to take one-day trip to Ooty tomorrow (07/12/2009). An urgent trip and I need to come back on the same day. I am going to start from Salem. Go to Avinashi and take a right on the Avinashi - Coimbatore NH. Traverse Annur and reach Mettupalayam. On a normal day it wouldn’t take more than 6 hours to reach Ooty but due to the land slides I think it would become really difficult to drive on the ghat roads. Now my dilemma is that do I take Mettupalayam - Coonoor road or Mettupalayam - Kotagiri road and go to Ooty. I have few questions: 1. Is the route Mettupalayam to Conoor motorable now? 2. Have they opened Coonoor to Ooty road for public? 3. How is the road condition between Mettupalayam to Kotagiri to Ooty? Could someone update me on how the road condition is now?
	() Thanks

7th December 2009, 17:20	#65
beejay Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: The Nilgiris Posts: 1,963 Thanked: 204 Times View My Garage	Sorry, I just got to see your message. I was not in town. 1. Mettupalayam- Coonoor road is not open as yet. 2. Coonoor-Ooty Road is open for LMV. 3. The road is good.
	() Thanks

7th December 2009, 18:24	#66
sabsubs BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 324 Thanked: 322 Times	Thank you Beejay. I just finished the trip and posting this message. I started at 5:00 in the morning from Salem and reached Ooty around 10:00 am. A non stop drive with for five hours. I took Mettupalayam - Kotagiri - Ooty road. Finished the work in Ooty in less than an hour and started around 12:00. Came back to Mettupalayam along the same route but while coming back I wanted to see Doddabetta, so went there and relaxed for a while. This trip brought back my memories of young age where I & my family were staying in Aruvankadu. Coming to the point, the route from Mettupalayam to Kotagiri and to Ooty is in good condition. Actually I did not except such good roads after reading in newspapers the havoc land slides had created. However Mettupalayam - Kotagiri - Ooty roads are very narrow and not broad like the normal route. Total KMS covered: 449.7 KMS. This includes more than 100 KMS of driving on steep ghat roads and mainly in 2nd & 3rd gear. I have a hunch that my i10 would have given a mileage of close to 18 KMPL. I am yet to do a full tank. I will post the mileage and the some pics that I had taken. Last edited by sabsubs : 7th December 2009 at 18:26.
	() Thanks

7th December 2009, 21:46	#67
manim BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN69 Posts: 820 Thanked: 916 Times	Glad to know the roads are good I am driving to Coonoor & Ketti from Mettupalayam (regarding Laidlaw school pick-up) next Sunday and Monday. Thanks to this thread, I will now drive stress-free knowing the roads are good. (I expect around 400+ cars to Ketti next Monday for the school alone, so there could be traffic-jams). I will post my experience after this visit.
	() Thanks

11th December 2009, 14:44	#69
PearlJam BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 631 Thanked: 1,660 Times	I was there 4 days back. The Ooty-->Coonoor highway is open one way, with repair work still going on in some parts. No problem for cars, though. The cops were diverting the Coonoor-->Ooty traffic through narrow by-roads (which are shorter, quite narrow and steep, with bad roads in many parts). Mettupalayam-Kotagiri roads are normal and superb. Same with Ooty-Gudalur. Kotagiri-Ooty (diverted) roads are good. Not sure about Kotagiri-Coonoor. Last edited by PearlJam : 11th December 2009 at 14:45.
	() Thanks

12th December 2009, 18:07	#71
ampere Team-BHP Support Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,948 Thanked: 12,935 Times View My Garage	Just returned from the Nilambur, Gudalur, Masinagudi, Mysore route. Everything seemed fine. Smooth traffic.
	() Thanks

13th December 2009, 13:02	#72
pjay_in BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Melbourne Posts: 396 Thanked: 20 Times	Ooty-Coonor-Kotagiri I will be driving to Ooty with family towards the end of this month and will go from there to Palakkad via Mettupalayam/Coimbatore. En route I want to check out the more popular spots around Coonoor and Kotagiri like Dolphin's Nose, Sims Park and Kodanad view point. What is the recommended sequence and route considering the prevailing roadblocks?
	() Thanks