[PrideRed]

Took Arakalgud-Madikeri route over the weekend. There was a bit more traffic than usual and roads continue to be in decent shape. There is a new pothole after the Sullia town and saw an i20 scrapping its bumper and underbelly. The rains have subsided to some extent.

[paragsachania]

Hopefully & finally some good news for those taking Charmadi (Pun intended):


Shiradi Ghat to be open by July 5:

Public Works Department Minister H D Revanna said that the Shiradi Ghat stretch will be open for vehicular movement by July 5. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a review meeting of PWD and national highway-related works in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts on Tuesday, he said that the work on the stretch is almost complete.

About one week would be required to complete all the pending works. It will take 10 days for curing of the concrete stretch of road, he said.

The minister said priority had been given for the maintenance of PWD, national highways and major district roads in the state.

[rajshenoy]

For a change I am hearing a date being preponed. Welcome move, especially since most of the other routes are taking the brunt of the heavy traffic

[SmartCat]

Nelamangala - Hassan road might be converted into an access controlled expressway. Separate service road will be made for local traffic

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com...w/64643175.cms

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by smartcat

Nelamangala - Hassan road might be converted into an access controlled expressway. Separate service road will be made for local traffic

To be honest, this is not at all required for this highway which witnesses traffic only on weekends. On a weekday this is always bliss.

Also, Service roads exists for few sections running in parallel for a good distance even where there are no entries or exits to majors towns/villages.

I guess they should have thought about this when they invited tenders long back when this was envisaged to be made 4 Lane.

For a fact, Tumkur - Chitradurga road has fully functional service roads on both sides all the way, end to end.

I am really not sure how this is going to help local traffic which again hardly contributes to the traffic here. Also, this is one of the NH where truck density is one of the least ever, for obvious reasons.

There are several tolls in India where arrangement has been made to allow local vehicles to ply without paying toll based on the registration number as well as a pass that the individual would have got by confirming his place of residence.

The Ahmedabad SP Ring Road is tolled and has service lanes on both sides, yet I notice loopholes where locals drive on main carriageway, take the service lane exit before the toll and again merge back to the main carriageway. Given the novel ways public can destroy public property including medians for easy access, this one is a dream away!

If they are serious about doing any good, they must think of expanding the existing lanes to 6 from current 4 and as well expand the CR Patna and Hassan Bypass to 4 lane from current 2 (I heard this is already sanctioned).

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

To be honest, this is not at all required for this highway which witnesses traffic only on weekends

And even on weekends, it's only the toll booth queues that are an issue. Especially at the Nelamangala junction. These days, coming from Kunigal to Nelamangala, Google Maps asks you to take the service road to avoid the main toll booth (Tumkur traffic + Mangalore traffic) on elevated road. You then merge on to the Nelamangala elevated road via the service road.

To ease traffic congestion, I think Sunkadakatte - Magadi town - Kunigal needs to be developed. Magadi town definitely needs a bypass.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by smartcat

These days, coming from Kunigal to Nelamangala, Google Maps asks you to take the service road to avoid the main toll booth (Tumkur traffic + Mangalore traffic) on elevated road. You then merge on to the Nelamangala elevated road via the service road.

Yes, and this jam has been quite bad since few years now that I recollect even before taking the main road soon after turning right at Nelamangala, I noticed stranded vehicles right there that I continued ahead thinking I will take the next entry after Nelamangala Town but to my dismay, this trick is also known by many that that tiny booth had multiple queues where there were just 2 gates .

I then continued on service all the way till Jalahalli cross like this and took left towards my destination in North Bangalore.

To ease traffic congestion, I think Sunkadakatte - Magadi town - Kunigal needs to be developed. Magadi town definitely needs a bypass.

And this also happened and I can remember that to be the only drive of mine in last decade where I and another BHPian returned at the end of an extended weekend! It was mayhem right from Swati that we continued ahead. Noticed blood red at the Nelamangala junction and quickly decided to turn for Magadai after Kunigal and what a wonderful decision it was that evening.

And yes, Magadi town on a Sunday after 7PM was OK but it certainly needs a bypass. Roads otherwise are quite good.

The only negative about Magadi road option I have heard quite a few times is the safety and incidents of mugging and I am not sure how far that is true.

[deehunk]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

It was mayhem right from Swati that we continued ahead. Noticed blood red at the Nelamangala junction and quickly decided to turn for Magadai after Kunigal and what a wonderful decision it was that evening.

And yes, Magadi town on a Sunday after 7PM was OK but it certainly needs a bypass. Roads otherwise are quite good.

The only negative about Magadi road option I have heard quite a few times is the safety and incidents of mugging and I am not sure how far that is true.

I am a regular user of Magadi-Kunigal and Magadi-HDurga road, this road is completely safe either in the day or at night. I probably have travelled on this road at all times in the 24 hour circle, never faced any issues. The only stretch that irritates on weekend is the one before Ranganathaswamy temple and then crossing Tavarekere. I have explored some shortcuts to avoid traffic after Tavarekere. The present CM had plans to convert Magadi road into 4-lane in 2006 itself, hopefully he will get this done now.

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

For a change I am hearing a date being preponed. Welcome move, especially since most of the other routes are taking the brunt of the heavy traffic

Preponed? This was to open by May end/first week of July. As far as the latest status, the work is almost complete and is in a state where the vehicles can ply. July first week is being cited as they want the concrete to cure and put some finishing touches!

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by PrideRed

Preponed? This was to open by May end/first week of July. As far as the latest status, the work is almost complete and is in a state where the vehicles can ply. July first week is being cited as they want the concrete to cure and put some finishing touches!

I was hearing July end dates and honestly I found that it always gets delayed. I was avoiding travel for same reason and now I feel I can resume my drives by july end

I am not sure if this is only for the stretch till gundya or is it all the way till nelyadi(widening work). That will really cut the travel time

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

I was hearing July end dates and honestly I found that it always gets delayed. I was avoiding travel for same reason and now I feel I can resume my drives by july end

I am not sure if this is only for the stretch till gundya or is it all the way till nelyadi(widening work). That will really cut the travel time

The initial promise was to release by May end, which got postponed to July 1st week when they approached May deadline. As I know the concrete work will be done until Gundya only. The road from Gundya to Uppinangadi was never closed as I am aware.

[paragsachania]

On high hopes to drive on Charmadi, but Shiradi is still not done, further delayed and as usual!!

Shiradi Ghat May Not Open On July 5

The possibility of the Shiradi Ghat stretch opening by July 5 for vehicular movement has become remote, although Public Works Department Minister H D Revanna had set the date during his visit to Mangaluru on June 19. Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil, who inspected the Phase 2 of the work between Kempuhole and Addahole on Friday, told DH that the concreting is almost complete, except for three stretches of about 250 to 300 meters each

[rajshenoy]

Lol I should have waited for it to open. Never they finish on time. Rains have been pretty intense this year and not sure how that will further impact the work

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Lol I should have waited for it to open. Never they finish on time. Rains have been pretty intense this year and not sure how that will further impact the work

Damn, I was so hoping atleast to take Shiradi in first week of July. The Arakalgud route, though good, takes sweet 8 hours to reach home! Add to that potholes have started to appear on Sampaje ghat!

[Rajesh K R]

Visited Dharmasthala and Kukke over the weekend. ONward was via Charmadi and return was via Sampaje.

Charmadi is holding up bravely inspite of the battering it is taking from vehicles and natural elements. Disintegration of the road surface is more pronounced at some hairpins and places where tree cover is more.

Dharmasthala to Kukke, traffic was routed through the narrow Ichilampady road, and it was a very big mess. The narrow road already under battering from rainfall, was literally not prepared to handle the traffic of a weekend. Got stuck royally here and it took almost 2 to 2.5 hrs to get to Kukke from Dharmasthala. At certain points, the road was so bad that two KSRTC buses got stuck and couldn't pass and the road shoulder was so deep that neither of the buses could get off the road to make way.


See how close the buses are when they passed each other !!


Very bad traffic block in the narrow road !!

Sampaje is pretty good upto a point and the fun is spoilt by the road humps in the section from Arkalgud to CR Patna. I fel that on this road, we can safely drive in 60-80 kmph zone. We took about 7 hours driving time from Kukke to BLR yesterday. This was my first drive in this road.


Started at 3pm from Kukke, Took a longish tea break in Madikeri and finally reached home at 11 pm after negotiating some madness from Kunigal to Gorguntepalya !!