Gundlupet to Calicut - Road Condition

jnonesix · 14th December 2009, 12:44

I'm planning to drive down to Calicut from Bangalore on Dec 19th. Can anyone who has traveled this route in the recent past please update me regarding the condition of the road between Gundlepet and Calicut?

Knight Rider · 14th December 2009, 14:47

Just went to calicut and came back yesterday as well, The roads are great except for a stretch between mysore - nanjangod, after that it was all fine, I didn't find the ghat section roads a pain like a lot of other people mentioned, We did the trip in 7.30 hours. drive safe and make sure that you reach the checkpost before 9pm

csentil · 14th December 2009, 19:26

I assume you are talking about the Sultan Battery - Kalpetta - Vythiri route. The road is good. There is a night time ban on vehicular traffic 9 PM - 6 AM.

The first 20 kms from Gundulpet used to be so-so. But I believe it got tarred and should be ok. The Kerala side roads are excellent. Watch out for wildlife atleast till Sultan Battery and drive safe.

ampere · 14th December 2009, 22:34

Mysore-Nanjangud section is OK. I would say so-so. Gundlupet to Kalpetta is just fine. Amazing to drive. No issues whatsoever.

jnonesix · 16th December 2009, 11:04

Thank you Knight Rider, csentil and ampere. I am driving to Cochin from Bangalore. Majority opinion on this forum seems to favor the Blr-Salem-Palghat route to Kerala as it is shorter and faster. But, I have heard from people who did the Wayand route that the scenery is breathtaking. Hence, the query regarding the road condition especially after the late monsoon season.

Will post a trip-sheet after I reach Cochin.

Sportsmind · 28th April 2010, 22:43

Could someone update me on the present road conditions to calicut, especially to the ghat section/hair pin bends. This stretch is bad most times, is it still the same or has it improved.
Iam doing a week end trip to Calicut on my swifty.

ampere · 28th April 2010, 22:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sportsmind

Could someone update me on the present road conditions to calicut, especially to the ghat section/hair pin bends. This stretch is bad most times, is it still the same or has it improved.
Iam doing a week end trip to Calicut on my swifty.

I have driven till Vythri many times and its amazing till then!
Not gone beyond that.

addyhemmige · 29th April 2010, 12:20

I traveled on the Gundlupet-Kalpetta-Lakkidi-Calicut route last November and it was very good. Hopefully the conditions will be the same this time around.

rjstyles69 · 29th April 2010, 13:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

I traveled on the Gundlupet-Kalpetta-Lakkidi-Calicut route last November and it was very good. Hopefully the conditions will be the same this time around.

Nanjungud -- Lakkidi(via kalpetta) is quite good with a few potholes scattered here and there within Karnataka.

sportsmind just take it easy in the ghat section at the curves. Usually these are the places which is devoid of something called TAR. Otherwise its a breeze all the way till Palayam in Calicut.

sbraj · 30th April 2010, 00:03

I drove till Sultan Bathery on this route last month. Road condition is very good except for a small stretch near the Muthanga checkpost. Due to the untidy parking of lorries there, one may have to navigate off the road into pot holes a bit.

Ghat section is nothing to worry.

Nitin · 30th April 2010, 00:16

Relief to know that this stretch is in good condition. I hope it doesn't change a whole lot once the monsoon's set in. Its a nightmare to do this drive if its raining cats and dogs!

sbraj · 30th April 2010, 00:23

Another option is the Nilambur route. Gundlupet-Bandipur-Mudumalai-Gudalur-Nilambur-Manjeri-Ferok-Calicut. Traffic is less on this route compared to Bathery route (NH212). Roads are good, but ghat section is little more twisty and curvy.

NH212 is open for traffic between 6am and 9pm. Not sure whether the same timing restriction holds for the Nilambur route.

Sportsmind · 30th April 2010, 10:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbraj

Another option is the Nilambur route. Gundlupet-Bandipur-Mudumalai-Gudalur-Nilambur-Manjeri-Ferok-Calicut. Traffic is less on this route compared to Bathery route (NH212). Roads are good, but ghat section is little more twisty and curvy.

NH212 is open for traffic between 6am and 9pm. Not sure whether the same timing restriction holds for the Nilambur route.

Is this route shorter?. I was in Bandipur a few weeks back, and the roads were good. Is the roads better after Bandipur on the route you mentioned.
Would not mind trying it this time round.

ampere · 30th April 2010, 10:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sportsmind

Is this route shorter?. I was in Bandipur a few weeks back, and the roads were good. Is the roads better after Bandipur on the route you mentioned.
Would not mind trying it this time round.

It is definitely worth trying! Very good roads with few potholes between Gudalur and Nilambur on the Nadugani ghat section. But on the whole, very good !

Green route and very nice views.

sbraj · 30th April 2010, 10:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sportsmind

Is this route shorter?. I was in Bandipur a few weeks back, and the roads were good. Is the roads better after Bandipur on the route you mentioned.
Would not mind trying it this time round.

This is a longer route. I have driven on both the routes, but I don't have the exact difference in distance. My guess is this route is longer by 50-70 KMs.
But traffic on this route is lesser, is a more scenic route. Once you are in Nilambur, take diversion towards Manjeri and further to Calicut. Nilambur-Manjeri-Calicut stretch is good, but two lane (as usual, in Kerala).

Once past Gundlupet, you would find shops and facilities in Gudalur, and then near Nilambur. Similar to NH212, where once past Gundlupet, you would find facilities near Sultan Bathery, and then near Kalpetta.

14th December 2009, 12:44	#1
jnonesix Newbie Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: B'lore Posts: 5 Thanked: 0 Times	Gundlupet to Calicut - Road Condition I'm planning to drive down to Calicut from Bangalore on Dec 19th. Can anyone who has traveled this route in the recent past please update me regarding the condition of the road between Gundlepet and Calicut?
	() Thanks

14th December 2009, 14:47	#2
Knight Rider BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 282 Thanked: 28 Times	Just went to calicut and came back yesterday as well, The roads are great except for a stretch between mysore - nanjangod, after that it was all fine, I didn't find the ghat section roads a pain like a lot of other people mentioned, We did the trip in 7.30 hours. drive safe and make sure that you reach the checkpost before 9pm
	() Thanks

14th December 2009, 19:26	#3
csentil Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,349 Thanked: 38 Times View My Garage	I assume you are talking about the Sultan Battery - Kalpetta - Vythiri route. The road is good. There is a night time ban on vehicular traffic 9 PM - 6 AM. The first 20 kms from Gundulpet used to be so-so. But I believe it got tarred and should be ok. The Kerala side roads are excellent. Watch out for wildlife atleast till Sultan Battery and drive safe.
	() Thanks

14th December 2009, 22:34	#4
ampere Team-BHP Support Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,951 Thanked: 12,939 Times View My Garage	Mysore-Nanjangud section is OK. I would say so-so. Gundlupet to Kalpetta is just fine. Amazing to drive. No issues whatsoever.
	() Thanks

16th December 2009, 11:04	#5
jnonesix Newbie Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: B'lore Posts: 5 Thanked: 0 Times	Thank you Knight Rider, csentil and ampere. I am driving to Cochin from Bangalore. Majority opinion on this forum seems to favor the Blr-Salem-Palghat route to Kerala as it is shorter and faster. But, I have heard from people who did the Wayand route that the scenery is breathtaking. Hence, the query regarding the road condition especially after the late monsoon season. Will post a trip-sheet after I reach Cochin.
	() Thanks

28th April 2010, 22:43	#6
Sportsmind BHPian Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 399 Thanked: 32 Times View My Garage	Could someone update me on the present road conditions to calicut, especially to the ghat section/hair pin bends. This stretch is bad most times, is it still the same or has it improved. Iam doing a week end trip to Calicut on my swifty.
	() Thanks

29th April 2010, 12:20	#8
addyhemmige Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Bangalore/Hassan Posts: 1,527 Thanked: 487 Times View My Garage	I traveled on the Gundlupet-Kalpetta-Lakkidi-Calicut route last November and it was very good. Hopefully the conditions will be the same this time around.
	() Thanks

30th April 2010, 00:03	#10
sbraj Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: B L R / T V M Posts: 1,071 Thanked: 9 Times	I drove till Sultan Bathery on this route last month. Road condition is very good except for a small stretch near the Muthanga checkpost. Due to the untidy parking of lorries there, one may have to navigate off the road into pot holes a bit. Ghat section is nothing to worry.
	() Thanks

30th April 2010, 00:16	#11
Nitin Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 3,294 Thanked: 20 Times View My Garage	Relief to know that this stretch is in good condition. I hope it doesn't change a whole lot once the monsoon's set in. Its a nightmare to do this drive if its raining cats and dogs!
	() Thanks

30th April 2010, 00:23	#12
sbraj Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: B L R / T V M Posts: 1,071 Thanked: 9 Times	Another option is the Nilambur route. Gundlupet-Bandipur-Mudumalai-Gudalur-Nilambur-Manjeri-Ferok-Calicut. Traffic is less on this route compared to Bathery route (NH212). Roads are good, but ghat section is little more twisty and curvy. NH212 is open for traffic between 6am and 9pm. Not sure whether the same timing restriction holds for the Nilambur route.
	() Thanks