[Samurai]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

So only a proper try from one of us can say how good or bad it is .

It was only 12.30pm when I passed by, I stopped for lunch at Hallimane (Ujire) an hour later. That's a fantastic place, food is very good, but they take a long time to serve though.

[sriturl]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

1. Fresh Bean Cafe, Banakal(Unsure about Breakfast here though but worth a stop for coffee)
   

I stopped at this place while returning from Udupi over this weekend, and the place had good food as well. Tried sandwich and some snacks. Tasty and very quick service as well.
Not sure about breakfast options, even though they have some on their menu.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by sriturl

I stopped at this place while returning from Udupi over this weekend, and the place had good food as well. Tried sandwich and some snacks. Tasty and very quick service as well.
Not sure about breakfast options, even though they have some on their menu.

I have been quite regular here but mostly morning or evenings and have had snacks as well.

It is just the afternoon times where I am skeptical about the food options here and since the OP is leaving at 4 from Bangalore and will pass this only around 8/9, the lunch is ruled out and hence referred to just coffee.

[paragsachania]

Although not fresh news, just a reminder to travelers planning to head towards Mangalore this weekend (and beyond) to take alternate routes as discussed all over on this thread.


No movement of vehicles on Shiradi from Jan 20

The National Highway division of the PWD has issued a circular banning the movement of all vehicles on Mangaluru - Bengaluru NH 75 Shiradi Ghat stretch from 6 am on January 20.

The work on the Shiradi Ghat stretch will be taken up from Kempuhole guest house to Addahole.

Movement of all vehicles on the NH 75 from Maranahalli in Sakleshpur to Gundya in Puttur has been banned to facilitate the second phase of the Shiradi Ghat work. All the vehicles plying on the stretch should take alternative routes till the work is complete

New routes

Light vehicles (ordinary buses, jeeps, vans, light commercial vehicles and two-wheelers) have to use the Hassan - Belur - Mudigere - Charmadi Ghat - Belthangady - Ujire - B C Road - Mangaluru route. Similarly, such vehicles may ply on Hassan - Sakleshpur - Anemahal - Hanbal - Chennapura - Mudigere - Charmadi Ghat - Belthangady - Ujire - B C Road - Mangaluru route; and the Hassan - Mudigere - Kottigehara - Kalasa - Kudremukh - Malaghat - Karkala - Udupi - Mangaluru route.

From Mangaluru, light vehicles can travel on B C Road - Puttur - Madikeri - Hunsur - Mysuru - Mandya - Ramnagar - Bengaluru and from Bengaluru via Shivamogga - Ayanur - Hosanagara - Masthikatte - Balebareghat - Hosangadi - Siddapura - Kundapura route.

I am really skeptical about this one though. Time and again have noticed trucks and other heavy vehicles creating major jams on Charmadi and I am not sure how they will implement them from not taking Charmadi.

On the other hand, all heavy vehicles (KSRTC Rajahamsa, Airavat, private luxury buses, bullet tankers, cargo containers and all long chasis vehicles) have to ply on B C Road - Mani - Puttur - Madikeri - Hunsur - KR Nagar - Holenarasipura - Hassan route; B C Road - Mani - Puttur - Madikeri - Hunsur - Mysuru - Mandya - Ramnagar - Bengaluru route. They can also use Bengaluru - Shivamogga - Ayanooru - Hosanagara - Mastikatte - Balebare Ghat - Shosangady - Siddapura - Kundapura and travel to Bengaluru via Nelamangala - Shivamogga - Sagar - Honnavar - Murudeshwara - Kundapur - Udupi - Mangaluru route.

On who gets to develop this time:

In fact, the development of the 26-km Shiradi Ghat stretch was approved in 2013. In the first phase, a 13.62-km stretch was concreted at a cost of Rs 69.90 crore. In the second phase, 12.38-km stretch will be concreted. In addition, a 21-km stretch will be asphalted from Gulagalale to Maranahalli on Shiradi Ghat.

The first phase of the work was taken up in 2015 and entrusted to Ocean Construction India Pvt Ltd. The road was closed in January to August 2015.

Although the contract for the second phase of the work was entrusted to GVR Infra Project Pvt Ltd, they failed to take up the work till January 2017. Hence, the National Highway division of PWD suspended the contract and handed over the contract for concreting 12.38 km stretch to Ocean Construction India Pvt Ltd

Article

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

No movement of vehicles on Shiradi from Jan 20.

You won't believe me if I say that the closure of Shiradi ghat road has a direct effect on the common man's kitchen in Chikkamagaluru, but it is true. Last time, LPG cylinder delivery schedules had gone haywire because of the ban on plying of large trucks on the route. Apparently (as per my dealer), the HPGas bottling plant in Mangalore supplies cylinders to the city and since the trucks had to traverse the circuitous and longer distance, the supply chain got severely effected. I remember waiting nearly a month to get the refills delivered.

So, the next time you request a hot cup of coffee from your host in Chikkamagaluru and instead receive it only lukewarm, you know who to blame .

The epicentre of the disruption may be Shiradi ghat, but the resulting tremors are likely to be felt in areas far and wide .

[NPV]

Shiradi ghat road will be closed from today for the repair/concretization work.
Here is a report in today's newspaper, also mentions 7 alternate routes that vehicles can take.

Source:New Indian Express, Bangalore 20 January 2018 - Link

[procrj]

Need to go to Kundapura during 26th long weekend. Will not be taking charmadi given that most traffic will be diverting this way. Hence my options are:
1. Belur - Balehonnur - Agumbe - Goliangadi. Not sure of road conditions between Agumbe - Goliangadi
2. Tarikere - Tirtahalli - Agumbe - Goliangadi
3. Chitradurga - Shimoga - Tirtahalli - Agumbe
4. Chitradurga - Shimoga - Nagara - Hulikal
5. Mudigere - Samse - Karkala - Udupi - Kundapura

Tempted to take 4 as I want to drive Hulikal ghat. Any updates on following road conditions will be appreciated:
1. Nagara - Hulikal ghat - Kundapura
2. Agumbe - Goliangadi - Kundapura

Priority: Scenic route + less traffic. Time/Distance not an issue

[Makin Rulesz]

Originally Posted by procrj

Need to go to Kundapura during 26th long weekend. Will not be taking charmadi given that most traffic will be diverting this way. Hence my options are:
1. Belur - Balehonnur - Agumbe - Goliangadi. Not sure of road conditions between Agumbe - Goliangadi

Priority: Scenic route + less traffic. Time/Distance not an issue

Took this route while returning from Kundapura during first week of January. Good roads all the way after crossing Belur and It matches your priority of scenic and less traffic. At the same time most part of the roads are winding and with many blind turns, you should be careful of.

[Shubbi]

Originally Posted by procrj

1. Belur - Balehonnur - Agumbe - Goliangadi. Not sure of road conditions between Agumbe - Goliangadi

This is my usual route. You could follow gmaps which avoids Sringeri town, and takes Jayapura - Narve - Hariharpura. This avoids the traffic to-from Sringeri.

Agumbe - Goliangadi is good, with the recent asphalt on the ghat holding tight. Halady - Bidkalkatte stretch has some rough patches for 2-3 kms, otherwise an easy drive throughout.

[unk9ja]

Originally Posted by procrj

Tempted to take 4 as I want to drive Hulikal ghat. Any updates on following road conditions will be appreciated:
1. Nagara - Hulikal ghat - Kundapura

Priority: Scenic route + less traffic. Time/Distance not an issue

I took this route the other way on my bike. Roads inside Kollur are bad, around a km. Hulikal ghat to Nagara is very good roads with a couple of potholes near and after Nagara fort. Quoting this as it took me by surprise. Inside Ayanur town is slightly bad. I overshot the Channagiri turn and ended up on the horrible Harihar stretch.
The stretch after Ripponpete is superb with long curves and scenic.

[shatananda.k]

Planning to drive down to Mangalore tomorrow. Starting at around 4 AM.
Most probable route is Bangalore -> Mysore -> Madikeri -> Puttur -> Mangalore.
Any advice ?

I learnt that Charmadi ghats are also being used by heavy vehicles. So potential delays on this route ?

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by shatananda.k

I learnt that Charmadi ghats are also being used by heavy vehicles. So potential delays on this route ?

Depends really! Since you are starting tomorrow at 0400, I think you should simply drive without much worry.

By 0700 you should be at Belur and hence all the oncoming traffic, especially any buses would have passed you by Hassan itself.

Secondly, even if heavy vehicles are taking this, it won't be the real longer chassis trucks that would venture into Charmadi unless they are mislead and that happens on rarest cases.

If it was on a Friday morning (26th) and 0600 daparture, I may have advised against Charmadi.

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by shatananda.k

I learnt that Charmadi ghats are also being used by heavy vehicles. So potential delays on this route ?

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Secondly, even if heavy vehicles are taking this, it won't be the real longer chassis trucks that would venture into Charmadi unless they are mislead and that happens on rarest cases.

Based on a report in today's Prajavani which talked about inordinate delays on the Charmadi route as a number of heavy vehicles were allowed to pass through, I spoke to two of my friends - one residing in Mudigere and the other in Banakal. Both were of the opinion that it is better not to take the route at least for a week. The local police are unable to implement the ban on plying of heavy vehicles as yet. Once the traffic is streamlined, it will make sense to choose this option.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

Once the traffic is streamlined, it will make sense to choose this option.

The problem really is with the time of the day/night that one takes this route. At night you have the buses while during the day we will have local + tourist traffic.

And regarding the implementation of banning heavy vehicles, I too was very wary about that because I have never seen the cops or the authorities successfully able to block heavy vehicles here while Shiradi was closed at all. In fact, the maximum cases of breakdowns on Charmadi were by Sand lorries, the population of which is now reduced due to M-Sand.

The second biggest reason for the snarls is the way commuters abuse basic road manners and courtesy!

I hope better sense prevails and people drive sensibly, at least in the ghats.

I am also expecting few of the so called 'Family Restaurants' dotting Hassan - Belur - Mudigere to start functioning yet again and make moolah out of it as they earlier did .

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

I hope better sense prevails and people drive sensibly, at least in the ghats.

In addition to the (m)sand lorries, the ones carrying hay down the ghats are also choking the traffic. The blockage begins at the very beginning when vehicles are parked haphazardly at the Kottigehara junction, for a taste of Neer Dosa. Tourist vehicles are also parked at various places for sight seeing and photography.

As for road manners and especially courtesy, it is found more in violation than practice.

On a different note, although the proposed Shishila-Byrapura road is touted as a panacea for all the ills of travelling in and around Charmadi, I shudder to think of the damage it will cause to the greenery and hills of Malenadu.

The price of development is not always sweet or fair.