Re: Bangalore-Kuruva Island Roa Condition Required Quote:
Originally Posted by prasad14 Has anyone did this stretch recently. We plan to holiday in Waynad. We plan to take the following route:
Bangalore-Mysore-Gundlupete-Vythiri-Kuruva-Kabini-Mysore-Bangalore
Any updates on the road conditions for the non Blore-Mysore part would be very helpful.
Prasad |
Mysore-Nanjangud : Rough roads even after the potholes have been patched up, and heavy traffic. Plan for about 30-35 minutes for this 20 km stretch.
Nanjangud-Gundlupet : A bit rough in the initial 5 or 10 kms (plenty of roller strip style speedbreakers). Excellent from thereon.
Gundlupet-SulthanBatheri : Good roads. All potholes have been patched up, but it wouldn't be advisable to drive too fast since there are some unmarked speedbreakers, and possibility of wildlife crossing (Not too many these days because of the rather heavy traffic). Bad potholes only at a couple of places - one immediately after the Ponkuzhi temple (Between Kerala-Karnataka border and Muthanga checkpost) and another near the Muthanga checkpost itself.
Batheri - Vythiri : Generally good roads
Vythiri - Kuruva : You have two options here.
The first is to turn left at Vythiri onto SH54 (about 200 meters after you cross Vythiri bus-stand when coming towards Bangalore) and proceed to Mananthavady through Padinjarethara / Banasurasagar dam. Very scenic drive though the road is pretty narrow and curvy. Road is good till Padinjarethara, but there are a few rough patches between there and Mananthavady.
The second option is to go on NH212 till Kalpetta and turn left to the Kalpetta Mananthavady road (the junction is called Kainatty - comes about 2 kms after you cross Kalpetta town centre). Much better and wider road than the first option. Also you might save some distance if you bypass Mananthavady. Take a right at Kaithakkal junction exactly 2 kms after you pass Panamaram town. (This right turn as well as straight road takes you to Mananthavady, and distances are more or less the same either way). After travelling about 5 kms from this junction, you get a place called Koyileri where you can take a right turn towards Kattikkulam avoiding passing through Mananthavady town. Roads are good from Vythiri to Panamaram, and slightly rough from thereon till Mananthavady / Kattikkulam. Kattikkulam to Kuruva is quite close and the road is quite good unless you choose to take some shortcuts (there are quite a few of these on the way, but not fit for a Sedan)
Good to use the first alternative only if you plan to visit Banasurasagar dam en-route, otherwise going via Kalpetta would be faster.
Kuruva - Mysore (via Bavali-Kabini on SH33 ) : Excellent roads till the forest checkpost where you need to deviate towards Karapur through some village roads. Quite a few speedbreakers on the way though, but well marked, and good possibility of spotting some wildlife. The deviation through Karapur has a non-tarred portion of 1km or so at the start, and then average to bad roads for the next 10-12 kms till you join back SH33 on the other side (But still doable on a Sedan). For the 65 kms or so from thereon till Mysore the road is excellent. |