[Shubbi]

I drove my loaded Swift from Bangalore to Udupi with family including year-old twins on the last Saturday. Started at 5.30 AM, reached the destination at 1.30 PM via Shradi, Mangalore.

Maruya, at Bellur Cross, was serving breakfast as parcel or to the cars driving in. Though we had packed home food, the option of having hot idlis made us stop here. Waiters seem to have been trained to maintain adequate distance from the customers, I saw all being conscious when serving food.

Gundya check-post had a long line of cars parked, with everyone asked to get down & have their temperature checked in the makeshift tent. This was a real hassle with toddlers along.

Nantoor junction was a mess as well, with one side closed for asphalting and all traffic diverted onto the other. It took 15 mins to pass through 500 mtrs.

Hejamadi check-post did not have any additional checks and all vehicles were waved through.

Like reported by others here, the stretch between Hassan & Sakleshpur and until the start of the concretized section is rough but very much drivable. Fastag lanes were a breeze through in all the toll gates.

Plenty of KSRTC (express & Rajahamsa) buses were headed towards Bangalore. Even private sleeper buses (saw a couple of Durgamba buses) were also plying.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Shubbi

Hejamadi check-post did not have any additional checks and all vehicles were waved through.

This situation changed today, as 200+ positive cases were found yesterday in Udupi district.

Crazy amount of checking is happening in Hejamady toll gate today. Even local cars are being stopped in questioned. My uncle had to show the electric bill he just paid to prove he is a local.

Expect it to get crazier now that another 200+ positive cases were found today. With this Udupi district will have the highest cases in Karnataka.

I was planning to visit to Udupi next week. Now I am not so sure. I can't afford to get locked down or quarantined down there.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Crazy amount of checking is happening in Hejamady toll gate today. Even local cars are being stopped in questioned. My uncle had to show the electric bill he just paid to prove he is a local.

Wow, thanks for this crucial update. I was under the impression that since we didn't need an inter-district pass for travel within the state anymore, it would be a good time to drive to Mangalore and Udupi next week to visit my in-laws and my mom. Guess not. While it would be great to see them, I'm not keen on getting stuck there either.

[Shubbi]

Originally Posted by am1m

I was under the impression that since we didn't need an inter-district pass for travel within the state anymore, it would be a good time to drive to Mangalore and Udupi

Situation is fluid with increasing numbers in Udupi district.

Last week, my relative drove from Udupi to Bangalore via Shiradi. At Hejamadi, police asked him why would he want to go from Udupi, with lesser cases, to Bangalore which had higher number then. Now table has turned.

With some private and KSRTC buses plying between Udupi and Mangalore, wonder if those passengers are being questioned too at Hejamadi.

[am1m]

Drove from Bangalore to Mangalore today. Left at 530 am reached at 1 pm. The checkpost at Gundya is still there, but no one was stopping vehicles or checking anything when we passed through. No other checks anywhere. Most of the big restaurants en route are still closed, but some are operational at regular intervals. Quite a few small hotels and tea stalls were open. Towns on the way seem back to normal, lots of people around. Toll plazas working, fast tag lanes free, small queues for the single cash lane. Minimal traffic. Ghat section in great shape and gorgeous green in the rain!

[avaneesh.]

When Janata curfew was announced on Friday the 20th March , I left all my things at my room in Hassan, Booked a cab and made it to my home speculating the total lockdown. God, I was right!. Now since I had to clear my room , I made a quick dash to hassan to pick up my belongings and empty the room. The monsoons had just picked up and it was a refreshing drive with fog all around. Without much hassle I made to hassan and started driving back to Mangalore around 4 in the evening. Roads are drivable with some potholes here and there. The ongoing construction has also added to the woes. Thick fog though is mesmerising reduces the visibility to 50 meters at stretches. But as I came down the ghats the clouds gathered. Time was around 6 pm. And suddenly it started pouring heavily. We all know there is nothing to write home about Swift's headlights but it had served me well and I found it adequate. But yesterday was totally different. The dusk plus rain made the visiblity to near nill. I couldn't see anything. Tried adjusting the beam throw. Nope that didn't work out. I have a perfect vision of 6/6 and have driven over a lack kilometres. In these 5 years i hadn't seen a day like this. The headlights from oncoming traffic added to the pain. I was looking for a siding to park my car when a Piaggio ape/ similar vehicle approached with high beams. Totally blinded i stopped only to realise i was facing a ditch.

I don't know whether it is the right thread to report this, but if you ever encounter dusk + heavy rain in a secluded place, Please stop the vehicle until the road ahead becomes clear.

[Sri Vathsa]

Originally Posted by avaneesh.

. But as I came down the ghats the clouds gathered. Time was around 6 pm. And suddenly it started pouring heavily. The dusk plus rain made the visiblity to near nill. I couldn't see anything. Tried adjusting the beam throw. Nope that didn't work out. I have a perfect vision of 6/6 and have driven over a lack kilometres. In these 5 years i hadn't seen a day like this. The headlights from oncoming traffic added to the pain. I was looking for a siding to park my car when a Piaggio ape/ similar vehicle approached with high beams. Totally blinded i stopped only to realise i was facing a ditch.

I don't know whether it is the right thread to report this, but if you ever encounter dusk + heavy rain in a secluded place, Please stop the vehicle until the road ahead becomes clear.

Your post reminds me of my drive few years back via charmadi ghat, near zero visibility and was struggling to identify road turns in ghat section, i was somehow managing with help of reflectors on every turn. BIG SUV guy - Forturner starts tailing me, initially he was okay and after few minutes he starts flashing his headlights and then starts honking! I was like, he might have better headlights and he is frustrated following me and give him way, within 20 seconds he stops the vehicle, lowers his glass - peeks through the window does namaste and request me to go ahead my wife was literally

[am1m]

Drove from Mangalore to Udupi this morning. No issues or checking at either the Surathkal or Hejamady toll gates. We have a KA-03 vehicle. Hejamady toll gate still has the barriers directing 'Out of state' and 'Out of district' vehicles, but those have been pushed to the side. There seems to still be a 'Out of state health check' tent to the side with cops, but no one was stopping any vehicles, just a normal toll booth passage.

[fast_elegance]

Did a MLR - BLR round trip y-day. The quality of road after concrete section to Hassan have deteriorated further. Though it is still driveable, some of the sections are really bad. There are some bad potholes between uppinangady and start of the concrete section.

It was raining heavily in the ghat section accompanied by fog. My brakes also started making a scraping sound on braking and i had slow down quite a bit.

I was stopped at kalladka while returning and the police noted down the details along with a pic of the car. This was mostly due to the lockdown starting at 8PM and i reached there at around mid-night.

[alstonlobo]

Is there a requirement for E-Pass to travel during Mon-Sat?

[Sri Vathsa]

Originally Posted by alstonlobo

Is there a requirement for E-Pass to travel during Mon-Sat?

Within Karnataka, you don't need any pass. I travelled last week from Bangalore to Moodbidri and back, no checking.

[_chikku]

Please note if anyone is travelling down on Charmadi. There is a travel ban at night from 7AM to 7PM.

[balenoed_]

Have been looking at Bangalore - Mangalore route map for past few days, and for some reason it plots it this way. See those diversions at some points, starting from Nelamangala left turn. Not sure why that, any idea? Is that just my gmap problem?

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by balenoed_

Have been looking at Bangalore - Mangalore route map for past few days, and for some reason it plots it this way. See those diversions at some points, starting from Nelamangala left turn. Not sure why that, any idea? Is that just my gmap problem?

Check if 'Avoid toll roads' is checked under route options?

[balenoed_]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Check if 'Avoid toll roads' is checked under route options?

Not really, it is not ticked. In fact the route it shows indeed passes through tolls. I am familiar with the route, so not a real concern, but just wondering as I have a drive plan coming up.