Landslides? Updates on the road to The Nilgiris.

beejay · 11th November 2009, 16:32

Guys for any of you planning to head this side anytime soon,

Torrential downpour in the district of Nilgiris have created havoc.
35 people have lost their lives dues to landslides.

Most of the highways have been cut off.

Coonoor-Kotagiri-Mettupalayam highway has been cleared for LMVs only.
Ooty- Coonoor road has caved in and landslides at many places on route.
Coonoor Mettupalayam road has been cut off to traffic and the road has given way in may places apart from landslides in many places.

The Blue Mountain railways will take a month to regain services as the track has been cut off with huge trees falling on the tracks and landslides.

The internal roads in town have been blocked and electericity was cut off for three days. Some parts of town are yet to receive power supply.

kannan666 · 11th November 2009, 16:37

Seeing that you are from Coonoor, does that mean that currently you do not have access to Ooty or can you get there by a different route ?

klassics45 · 11th November 2009, 16:47

hey, we have planned a trip to ooty this month and we are coming there on 25th. Do you think, will there be improvement in roads by then?

beejay · 11th November 2009, 17:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by kannan666

Seeing that you are from Coonoor, does that mean that currently you do not have access to Ooty or can you get there by a different route ?

LMVs are allowed through a small village off Kotagiri highway. Sometime back my friend from Gudalur and I sent his fuel tankers to Ooty via Kattabettu of Kotagiri highway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by klassics45

hey, we have planned a trip to ooty this month and we are coming there on 25th. Do you think, will there be improvement in roads by then?

They have prmoised war footing measure to have the raods done as soon as possible. Will keep you upadted.

kannan666 · 11th November 2009, 17:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by beejay

LMVs are allowed through a small village off Kotagiri highway. Sometime back my friend from Gudalur and I sent his fuel tankers to Ooty via Kattabettu of Kotagiri highway.

Can your Xylo make it ? Reason I am asking is because a friend of mine in a Qualis will be traveling from Mysore to Coimbatore and he wants to go via Ooty.

beejay · 11th November 2009, 17:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by kannan666

Can your Xylo make it ? Reason I am asking is because a friend of mine in a Qualis will be traveling from Mysore to Coimbatore and he wants to go via Ooty.

It would be best for him to take the Ooty-Kotagiri highway. The Qualis can surely make it. However I would advise him against doing it for sometime. They have blocked some roads to clear the landslides. Wait for a week. Will keep you updated.

14000rpm · 11th November 2009, 17:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by beejay

Guys for any of you planning to head this side anytime soon,

Torrential downpour in the district of Nilgiris have created havoc.
35 people have lost their lives dues to landslides.

i was headed to ooty over the weekend. i was set to travel from b'lore to ooty. i read about the rain and its effects on the nilgiris and cancelled the trip. as of now, the bandipur-ooty road doesn't seem to have been affected but nevertheless, safer the better.

kannan666 · 11th November 2009, 17:23

Thanks Beejay, will wait for your update, he is planning to leave this Saturday.

sanjaykk · 11th November 2009, 17:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by beejay

Guys for any of you planning to head this side anytime soon,

Thanks for the update, beejay.
Was planning a trip to Ooty. Will cancel it for the time being.

hvkumar · 11th November 2009, 21:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by beejay

LMVs are allowed through a small village off Kotagiri highway. Sometime back my friend from Gudalur and I sent his fuel tankers to Ooty via Kattabettu of Kotagiri highway.

Beejay, is the Kattabettu road the new bypass road for Kotagiri? Interested in knowing the exact coordinates for this road.

beejay · 12th November 2009, 09:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by kannan666

Thanks Beejay, will wait for your update, he is planning to leave this Saturday.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanjaykk

Thanks for the update, beejay.
Was planning a trip to Ooty. Will cancel it for the time being.

The met has forecast rain for 48 hours. Its shining like hell now though.
The roads will take some time to get ready. The trip would not be worth without a trip on the BMR, which will take 2 months to resume service. So that's it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Beejay, is the Kattabettu road the new bypass road for Kotagiri? Interested in knowing the exact coordinates for this road.

Yes Sir. This is the bypass to Ooty from Kotagiri.
On the Kotagiri Highway you take a right on Katabettu junction. The road goes through Iduhatty, Mynalla, Dodabetta and Ooty.

shankar.balan · 12th November 2009, 09:35

beejay - you remember years back they used to create proper "rivetments" all over the place to keep landslides at bay? that old technique of building a correct type of "grey stone wall" is a dying skill. I remember on the estates it was a much sought after and much used technique especially in new clearings along steeper hillside reaches. also the older trees along the roads had deep roots which acted as a binder to the soil. with the indiscriminate felling of trees and unscientific building techniques that are being used today in the hills, there are bound to be landslides and other things. stupid, really when you think of it because the knowledge and skills exist if only people who are building there would listen to the old timers amongst the work-force!

beejay · 12th November 2009, 09:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

beejay - you remember years back they used to create proper "rivetments" all over the place to keep landslides at bay? that old technique of building a correct type of "grey stone wall" is a dying skill. I remember on the estates it was a much sought after and much used technique especially in new clearings along steeper hillside reaches. also the older trees along the roads had deep roots which acted as a binder to the soil. with the indiscriminate felling of trees and unscientific building techniques that are being used today in the hills, there are bound to be landslides and other things. stupid, really when you think of it because the knowledge and skills exist if only people who are building there would listen to the old timers amongst the work-force!

The newly built revetments inclusive of the steel rails have collapsed in the rain, the older ones till stay strong. I wonder how?

Just to piss you off further, the municipality is being mooted to cut down the big tress bordering the main roads.
Reason, the big trees are a risk to the electric poles and pose a problem if they fall on the road.

Some of these trees are more than a century old.

sgiitk · 12th November 2009, 09:54

I was stunned and shocked. I though by 2008-09 we should have learnt how to protect the environment when development work is carries out. Obviously either we have not or choose not to.

pjordy · 13th November 2009, 09:45

I'm planning to go to Ooty tomorrow morning (from Bangalore). I need to go through Masinagudi hairpins. Is that road safe? Is the city life back to normal? How safe will be the journey. I'm planning to come back on Sunday morning. Please somebody help me to understand the road condition.
I'm planning to take my Altis. Will it be a problem?
Thanks in Advance.

11th November 2009, 16:32	#1
beejay Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: The Nilgiris Posts: 1,963 Thanked: 204 Times View My Garage	Landslides? Updates on the road to The Nilgiris. Guys for any of you planning to head this side anytime soon, Torrential downpour in the district of Nilgiris have created havoc. 35 people have lost their lives dues to landslides. Most of the highways have been cut off. Coonoor-Kotagiri-Mettupalayam highway has been cleared for LMVs only. Ooty- Coonoor road has caved in and landslides at many places on route. Coonoor Mettupalayam road has been cut off to traffic and the road has given way in may places apart from landslides in many places. The Blue Mountain railways will take a month to regain services as the track has been cut off with huge trees falling on the tracks and landslides. The internal roads in town have been blocked and electericity was cut off for three days. Some parts of town are yet to receive power supply.
	() Thanks

11th November 2009, 16:37	#2
kannan666 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: KA-02 Posts: 1,002 Thanked: 128 Times View My Garage	Seeing that you are from Coonoor, does that mean that currently you do not have access to Ooty or can you get there by a different route ?
	() Thanks

11th November 2009, 16:47	#3
klassics45 BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 305 Thanked: 277 Times View My Garage	hey, we have planned a trip to ooty this month and we are coming there on 25th. Do you think, will there be improvement in roads by then?
	() Thanks

11th November 2009, 17:23	#8
kannan666 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: KA-02 Posts: 1,002 Thanked: 128 Times View My Garage	Thanks Beejay, will wait for your update, he is planning to leave this Saturday.
	() Thanks

12th November 2009, 09:35	#12
shankar.balan BANNED Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 11,368 Thanked: 23,148 Times View My Garage Infractions: 0/2 (8)	beejay - you remember years back they used to create proper "rivetments" all over the place to keep landslides at bay? that old technique of building a correct type of "grey stone wall" is a dying skill. I remember on the estates it was a much sought after and much used technique especially in new clearings along steeper hillside reaches. also the older trees along the roads had deep roots which acted as a binder to the soil. with the indiscriminate felling of trees and unscientific building techniques that are being used today in the hills, there are bound to be landslides and other things. stupid, really when you think of it because the knowledge and skills exist if only people who are building there would listen to the old timers amongst the work-force!
	() Thanks

12th November 2009, 09:54	#14
sgiitk BANNED Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Gurugram Posts: 7,969 Thanked: 4,788 Times	I was stunned and shocked. I though by 2008-09 we should have learnt how to protect the environment when development work is carries out. Obviously either we have not or choose not to.
	() Thanks

13th November 2009, 09:45	#15
pjordy Newbie Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20 Thanked: 0 Times	Ooty trip tomorrow.? I'm planning to go to Ooty tomorrow morning (from Bangalore). I need to go through Masinagudi hairpins. Is that road safe? Is the city life back to normal? How safe will be the journey. I'm planning to come back on Sunday morning. Please somebody help me to understand the road condition. I'm planning to take my Altis. Will it be a problem? Thanks in Advance.
	() Thanks