[Samurai]

Originally Posted by sushrutha

Now it's almost a breeze to drive from Nelmangala-Kunigal, most of the road humps have been removed and many diversions too.
Today I hardly took an hour to reach my office @ Lavelle Road from Nelmangala, the only road block was the Yeshwanthpur Rly station, where the road is too narrow.

Yesterday I did NH4/OOR junction to Bellur Cross in just 2 hours, that too in my Jeep without exceeding 60kmph. Now this stretch is indeed a breeze.

Originally Posted by sushrutha

Magadi Town road surface has been slightly flattened, huge potholes have been flattened, still it's a rough road from Magadi Entrance to Exit.

Aldur - Balehonnur, the road is deteriorating quite fastly due to Rains.
Aldur - Sangameshwara Pete stretch is bad, from thereon till Balehonnur is in Good condition

There is a Magadi between Aldur-Balehonnur too. And I agree with the road conditions. Yesterday I did Bangalore-Chikmagalur in 5.5hours on great roads, despite keeping to top speed of 60kmph. Everybody kept passing me.

After Chikmagalur, tables turned, I started passing everybody. The Agumbe ghats is in pretty bad shape too. I did Chikmagalur-Manipal in just 3 hour 45 minutes (175kms) despite the bad roads. But this stretch is not dusty unlike the Shiradi. That was an important consideration for me since I was driving a doorless Jeep.

[ampere]

How is the Thirthahalli-Nagara-Nittur-Kollur route as of today?
Or is it that one needs to go around if he needs to hit Kollur (starting from BLR).

[sushrutha]

Originally Posted by ampere

How is the Thirthahalli-Nagara-Nittur-Kollur route as of today?
Or is it that one needs to go around if he needs to hit Kollur (starting from BLR).

Not much Idea, but as it has rained very heavily over there, so u can't expect the roads to be in good condition over there.
Be Careful abt the stretch from Tiptur -Tarikere... some potholes are quite deep and of a sudden u'll realize a pothole in this road ..

[carlosTHEjackal]

Originally Posted by ampere

How is the Thirthahalli-Nagara-Nittur-Kollur route as of today?
Or is it that one needs to go around if he needs to hit Kollur (starting from BLR).

Good road condition till Thirthahalli. From there to Nagara and beyond, bad roads till Kollur.

From BLR - Thirthahalli, the road from Arasikere to Banavara has lots of pot holes. Also Birur - Tarikere some repair work is being carried out. Road may be bad. Apart from these 2 streches, roads are very good.
You can reach Thirthahalli from BLR within 6:30 hrs including break.

For better road conditions I have another option.
Thirthahalli - Mastikatte - Hulikal - Hosangadi - Siddapura - Ampar - Vandse - Kollur has very less bad streches. This may add about 20 Kms more than your Thirthahalli-Nagara-Nittur-Kollur route.

About 35 Kms strech before Mastikatte to Siddapura has bad potholed roads. Other than these 35 Kms other strech of road are good. Easily can maintain 80 Kmph to 100 Kmph.

From Ampar to Kollur it is about 35 Kms and can easily be done in 0.5 hrs.
I had taken this route in last week of November and was satisfied with this route.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by carlosTHEjackal

Good road condition till Thirthahalli. From there to Nagara and beyond, bad roads till Kollur.

From BLR - Thirthahalli, the road from Arasikere to Banavara has lots of pot holes. Also Birur - Tarikere some repair work is being carried out. Road may be bad. Apart from these 2 streches, roads are very good.
You can reach Thirthahalli from BLR within 6:30 hrs including break.

For better road conditions I have another option.
Thirthahalli - Mastikatte - Hulikal - Hosangadi - Siddapura - Ampar - Vandse - Kollur has very less bad streches. This may add about 20 Kms more than your Thirthahalli-Nagara-Nittur-Kollur route.

About 35 Kms strech before Mastikatte to Siddapura has bad potholed roads. Other than these 35 Kms other strech of road are good. Easily can maintain 80 Kmph to 100 Kmph.

From Ampar to Kollur it is about 35 Kms and can easily be done in 0.5 hrs.
I had taken this route in last week of November and was satisfied with this route.

Thanks. Thats very good info. I was not aware of the good condition of the alternate routes. Thanks again.

Google maps also show a route from Anandapuram to Hosanagara. Any idea about it?

[hallik9]

Originally Posted by ampere

Thanks. Thats very good info. I was not aware of the good condition of the alternate routes. Thanks again.

Google maps also show a route from Anandapuram to Hosanagara. Any idea about it?

Ampere,
I did this route in October end.
Started from Bangalore-Tumkur-Tiptur-Arsikere-Shimoga.

From Shimoga,I took the route via Sakrebail and drove to Thirthahalli.
Then to Agumbe,Someshwar,Haladi,Vandse,Kollur

I could do this stretch in 8.5 hours with 2 breaks.
The roads were pretty good apart from the odd potholes near Tarikere.

[ampere]

How about this option: (The option involving CKM)

Once you hit Koppa from CKM, I see route directly to Someshwar.
Then there is no need to go to Thirthahalli. How is this route?

[chandan]

Looks like the second phase of four laning NH48 has started. The stretch between Devihalli & Hassan has been cleared of vegetation by the roadside. Just a matter of time before the trees are chopped.

[hallik9]

Originally Posted by ampere

How about this option: (The option involving CKM)

Once you hit Koppa from CKM, I see route directly to Someshwar.
Then there is no need to go to Thirthahalli. How is this route?

Ampere,
This is a good one as well.Though,I feel there are narrow roads on this stretch.I couldnt maintain speeds above 40 on this route.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by hallik9

Ampere,
This is a good one as well.Though,I feel there are narrow roads on this stretch.I couldnt maintain speeds above 40 on this route.

The only reason, I asked was, if I do Kollur, I will do with a break either at CKM or somewhere else (Kalasa/Horanadu). Hence this route through Koppa seemed very good.

[sushrutha]

Originally Posted by ampere

Google maps also show a route from Anandapuram to Hosanagara. Any idea about it?

Last time, almost 3 months back when I took this route, the road was deteriorating rapidly. Instead of Shimoga - Ayanur-Anandapura-Hosnagara, take Shimoga-Ayanur-Ripponpete-Hosnagara, it's lil shorter. Road condtion is almost as same as above route.

Originally Posted by ampere

How about this option: (The option involving CKM)

Once you hit Koppa from CKM, I see route directly to Someshwar.
Then there is no need to go to Thirthahalli. How is this route?

if I do Kollur, I will do with a break either at CKM or somewhere else (Kalasa/Horanadu). Hence this route through Koppa seemed very good.

If someshwara & Kollur are your points of interest, Take Sringeri-Agumbe-Someshwara route. Road is good all the way till Agumbe.

[carlosTHEjackal]

Originally Posted by ampere

Google maps also show a route from Anandapuram to Hosanagara. Any idea about it?

This route is bad. Unless you are travelling in a SUV do not try this route now, till roads are repaired.

Originally Posted by ampere

How about this option: (The option involving CKM)

Once you hit Koppa from CKM, I see route directly to Someshwar.
Then there is no need to go to Thirthahalli. How is this route?

Yes you can avoid Thirthahalli. But good roads are only till Agumbe. After Agumbe, from someshwar road conditions are not so good. But can drive without any issues. Need to maintain 35 - 45 Kmph.

Originally Posted by hallik9

Ampere,
This is a good one as well.Though,I feel there are narrow roads on this stretch.I couldnt maintain speeds above 40 on this route.

+1 Roads are narrow, curvy and can't speed above 40 Kmph.

Originally Posted by ampere

The only reason, I asked was, if I do Kollur, I will do with a break either at CKM or somewhere else (Kalasa/Horanadu). Hence this route through Koppa seemed very good.

If you plan to break in between then your plan seems to be right. You have one more option to break at Sringeri in that route.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by chandan

Looks like the second phase of four laning NH48 has started. The stretch between Devihalli & Hassan has been cleared of vegetation by the roadside. Just a matter of time before the trees are chopped.

When have they started this work? Have they started chopping trees between CR Patna and Hassan?

[ampere]

Thanks guys for all the responses. Horanadu/Kalasa/Kollur was something which I was thinking about. Will do this circuit soon.

[Samurai]

Is the Sampaje Ghat closed? Can we get some confirmation on this?