[samaspire]

Originally Posted by ampere

So the above in quotes are the big updates. What are the expected timelines for the full update for this stretch? Once done should be a good option.

Anyway many people have been already using this route and had been reporting Chitradurga-Shimoga to be the weak link. Hope this gets done soon.

It looks like the road is almost done but I could not see any workers or machinery anywhere, probably because of Ayudha Pooja. The breaks in the tarmac are all at minor bridges and culverts. Completion shouldn't even need 10 days if they put their mind to it - but....

The road from Channagiri to Chitradurga is not marked anywhere (no lines, demarcations or lane separators) and vehicles / buffalo carts just drive anywhere on it. Very dangerous when you are doing high speeds.

Another thing I noticed is that people all along this route do not have any driving sense or courtesy - vehicles just keep darting across your car with impunity. 2 wheelers will merge into traffic without even looking behind. I found my horn to be my best friend here.

Food stops: Thirthahalli, Shivamogga and just before Chitradurga bypass. Not a single restaurant/restroom anywhere else. Just 2 others inside Chitradurga "village".

[ampere]

Originally Posted by samaspire

Food stops: Thirthahalli, Shivamogga and just before Chitradurga bypass. Not a single restaurant/restroom anywhere else. Just 2 others inside Chitradurga "village".

Its the usual problem on this route. Even Thirthahalli just has a place. Not a great place. The only location for that is Shimoga. Chitradurga also I would place it low.

Instead if you take the Mandagadde-SH65-Bhadra-Tarikere-Arsikere-CR Patna option, you at least get some decent eating places once you join the Hassan Bangalore highway. Plus a Coffee day near Arsikere.

However iif they make the Chitradurga-Shimoga access fast, then it makes good sense to take it.

But of course one needs to look out for the humps!

[rahulb22]

Has anyone done the Channarayapatna -> Madikeri -> Puttur -> Mangalore route recently? If so, please update the conditions.

Thanks

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by rahulb22

Has anyone done the Channarayapatna -> Madikeri -> Puttur -> Mangalore route recently? If so, please update the conditions.

Thanks

Not those roads that have taken the beating due to rains or freight traffic that Shiradi witnesses. So all is well:

• Bangalore - CR Patna - Good
• CR Patna - HN Pura - Good
• HN Pura - Hampapura - KR Nagar - Good
• KR Nagar - Hunsur - Good
• Hunsur - Kushalnagar - Madikeri - Good

You may also want to consider the Arkalgud - Somvarpet - Madikeri option too.

[Gany]

Been to Vittal and back. Took NH 75 (via Shiradi).

Both entry and exit of the ghat section are in bad shape! At curves especially, they are really bad! The road leading in and out of ghat also has some deeper pot holes.

The concrete road is somewhat holding up, but I don't think it will hold up another season of rain with this traffic. There are some sections which have started either cracking or chipping away. One of the newly laid bridge also has taken some beating especially at the entry (or exit when coming from Mangalore side. This is when you notice also) the mid section (where they have junctions) has a deeper wound with slightly protruding steel bars, that can do serious damage to your tyre!

I saw construction materials being lined up on road side. Saw few folks filling really bad pot holes. I hope they fill all those damaged section as a temporary measure!

In a local news paper I saw the road will be closed sometime late December/early January!

With all the technological advances made in road construction, it seems like a distant dream to have a good & motorable road between 2 big & beautiful cities of Karnataka!

[rahulb22]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Not those roads that have taken the beating due to rains or freight traffic that Shiradi witnesses. So all is well:

• Bangalore - CR Patna - Good
• CR Patna - HN Pura - Good
• HN Pura - Hampapura - KR Nagar - Good
• KR Nagar - Hunsur - Good
• Hunsur - Kushalnagar - Madikeri - Good

You may also want to consider the Arkalgud - Somvarpet - Madikeri option too.

And how is it beyond Madikeri? I heard someone mention it is in very bad shape near Puttur.

[JMaruru]

Originally Posted by Gany

Been to Vittal and back. Took NH 75 (via Shiradi).

Had a horror of a ride between Uppala and Kanyana. The top surface is completely off and it is potholes galore on the entire stretch. Once you cross the border at kanyana, the road gets better until Vitla, and then some rough surfaces here and there until kalladka.

I don't know whether it's the state of interior roads in kerala, or is it one off and limited to kasargod district.

[AmazeGuru]

Originally Posted by rahulb22

And how is it beyond Madikeri? I heard someone mention it is in very bad shape near Puttur.

I did Madikeri -> Mangalore last week and very good roads throughout. I did not find any 'bad' stretch anywhere, though near Puttur town, there are very few potholes. On the whole, it's a bliss compared to Shiradi, with very good roads and very less traffic. One can do Madikeri -> Mangalore in < 2.5 hrs.

[JMaruru]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

You may also want to consider the Arkalgud - Somvarpet - Madikeri option too.

How is the Madikeri - Somwarpet - CN Patna section?
I would have to consider this routing to get back to B'lore from M'lore.

As i might be doing it for first time, Is it one single stretch or will there be any detours one needs to keep in mind.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by JMaruru

As i might be doing it for first time, Is it one single stretch or will there be any detours one needs to keep in mind.

This should be fine, it is a twisty road via estates, very scenic. Not aware of any detours as such - did you mean due to Dasara, etc ?

At Somwarpet, turn towards Shanivarasanthe and at Shanivarasanthe turn towards Arkalgud. If I remember correctly, both are right turns

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by JMaruru

How is the Madikeri - Somwarpet - CN Patna section?

Remains good.

As i might be doing it for first time, Is it one single stretch or will there be any detours one needs to keep in mind.

Nothing specific to keep in mind at all. Rely on Googlemaps - And take the route passing these points - CR Patna - HN Pura - Somwarpet and you will be routed properly.

[Makin Rulesz]

Originally Posted by ampere

Instead if you take the Mandagadde-SH65-Bhadra-Tarikere-Arsikere-CR Patna option, you at least get some decent eating places once you join the Hassan Bangalore highway. Plus a Coffee day near Arsikere.

But of course one needs to look out for the humps!

I took this route yesterday, while driving from Kundapur. Roads around Tarikere had lot of potholes and fully broken inside the town. For quite sometime, I have been stopping at Suruchi at Kadur and the food(pure veg) is decent over there with clean washrooms. This falls just after crossing the Kadur town while driving toward Bangalore. Below is the image of this place from my dashcam grab.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Makin Rulesz

I took this route yesterday, while driving from Kundapur.

Did you take the Ampar-Hulikal-Hosanagara-Ripponpete-Ayanur-Shimoga route? Or you came via Agumbe and took the Mandagadde route?

If the first, then I wanted to know how is the condition around Hulikal?

[Makin Rulesz]

Originally Posted by ampere

Did you take the Ampar-Hulikal-Hosanagara-Ripponpete-Ayanur-Shimoga route? Or you came via Agumbe and took the Mandagadde route?

If the first, then I wanted to know how is the condition around Hulikal?

No, it was Halady-Agumbe-Thirthahalli and then the diversion at Muduba. Since my starting point was on Koteshwar-Halady road, this route was more convenient to me.

[Shubbi]

Along the lines of other BHPians doing Bangalore-Udupi drives during this past long weekend, here is my report -

Onward Oct 7th - Bangalore HSR Layout [4.50AM] - Hassan - Belur - Charmadi - Ujire - Guruvayanakere - Moodabidri - Kinnigoli - Mulky - Udupi [12.30PM]
Good breakfast @Hotel Suvarna, Hassan (one auto guy recommended this place)
Highlights -
1) Sparse traffic in the ghats, with nice weather made it blissful.
2) Took a worthy 10 mins break at Charmadi view point.
Sore points -
1) Snail pace between Ujire and Guruvayanakere having to follow slow moving buses, trucks, autos
2) Rough patches between Guruvayanakere and Venur

Return Oct 11th - Udupi [5.45PM] - Manipal - Agumbe - Hariharpura - Narve - Jayapura - Balehonnur - CKM - Belur - Hassan - Bangalore [1.45 AM]
Sore points -
1) Manipal-Parkala stretch, though short, is painful
2) Top half of Agumbe ghats is bad
2) Dasara processions in Jayapura, Balehonnur having to just switch off and wait for someone to finally let us go through after 15 mins
Highlights -
1) Excellent roads from Balehonnur - Aldur - CKM

This was more of an experiment to figure out the route to take once Shiradi is closed. I don't think I have it figured yet; would try out few other routes checked out by others here.