[gypsyFreak]

Originally Posted by askids

I will be traveling from Mysore to Udupi next week. Which is the best route that I can drive in my Figo? Appreciate your response!

As Samurai said, there lot of options from Hassan.

1. Mysore - Hassan - Belur - Gendehally - Mudigere - Kottigehara - Kalasa - Kudremuka - Karkala - Manipal - Udupi
2. Mysore - Hassan - Belur - Gendehally - Mudigere - Kottigehara - Charmadi - Belthanday - Karkala - Manipal - Udupi
3. Mysore - Hassan - Sakleshpur - Shirady - Mangalore bypass - Udupi
4. Mysore - Hassan - Sakleshpur - Shirady - Dharmasthala - Belthangady - Karkala - Udupi

Options 3,4 will be shorter than 1,2 by ~20/30 KMs. But based on the latest reports, you'll need negotiate some 3 Kms of rough roads near Gundya, else it's smooth sailing on new tarmac.

I had travelled on Jan 3 on option 2. Roads were good except in few places.
Now since Shirday is being fixed and new tarmac, i would recommend option 3.

[askids]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

Did anybody travel between Hassan-Bangalore yesterday (sunday) evening? There was a huge traffic jam just after Kadabahalli (between Hirisave and Bellur Cross). I had to take some interior roads and join the highway at A.Nagathihalli.

The length of the jam was approx 2 kms. I heard that there was an accident. I was probably one of the first few cars which took the narrow interior roads (before traffic started on the other direction)

Will see if I can plot it on the map.

I was stuck in the jam for about 30-40 mins. There was an accident involving a Bus. More than the accident it was the lack of road sense that had caused the jam. Think about it. In a 2 lane road, if you have 3-4 lane of vehicles on one side, how can anyone think of clearing the jam

Thanks for the suggestions. I took the Mysore-Hassan-Sakleshphur-BC Road-Mlore-Udupi route. The road was good for most part except the stretch between sakleshpur and Subramanya crossing which was horrible. In some turns, there was only gravel with no signs of road. But after the crossing, the road is fantastic even for a 2 lane road.

On the way back, i had to goto Blore and then be back to Mysore. So it was a long tiring drive. But if it hadn't been with my new Figo, I wouldn't have thought about taking the road. Got 17.5kmpl

[ampere]

Which is a better route from Udupi to Kollur?
As per what I gather, Kundapura-Kollur is very good. But owing 4L work Udupi-Kundapur may be a problem. Can some one confirm?

[rajag]

Originally Posted by roamingrao

Bellur cross - Hassan - Sakleshpur - Shiradi ghat - Uppinanagadi - kalladka : Good roads throughout. Channarayapatna - Hassan is freshly laid, all bends in shiradi ghat are patched except for the last 3 kms before Gundya - work in progress. Gundya - Uppinangadi - BC road is excellent - jet black top. What happens during monsoon is another story !

Thank you @roamingrao for the detailed post. I am planning to go from BLR to Mangalore around the 20th. How is the stretch between Sakleshpur and Gundya? I will be going in my optra (not ideal to clear giant holes and bumps). In October 2010 it was very bad and I had to be excruciatingly slow and watchful at this stretch. Has it at least been leveled now? Thanks in advance!

[nityaya]

I came back on Friday from BLR to MLR. Work going on at fast pace in the ghats. Whatever craters were there earlier have been patched up and relaying is being done on the complete section. I do not think there should be any problem at all in the journey.

[lohithrao]

Thats a great news! btw from Gundya till mani the road was relayed is the work getting further towards mani -Bc road?

Originally Posted by nityaya

I came back on Friday from BLR to MLR. Work going on at fast pace in the ghats. Whatever craters were there earlier have been patched up and relaying is being done on the complete section. I do not think there should be any problem at all in the journey.

[hemanth.anand]

This is a great news indeed.
I'm going to Mangalore in mid-May.
Hope all works are completed by then and I can have a nice drive.
Only the coming monsoon will tell us the quality of workmanship this time around.

[recshenoy]

Originally Posted by lohithrao

Thats a great news! btw from Gundya till mani the road was relayed is the work getting further towards mani -Bc road?

i heard Mani BC road is going to be 4 lane so not sure if they want to do patch up.

also heard that near Kundapur/byndoor 4 lane work is going on at very good pace! is it?

phew! now ghat roads are good i believe. yesterday started in KSRTC Volvo at 10.20 from Suratkal and reached BLR at 5.50. didnt not feel any jump over craters in ghat. Hope good road will endure monsoon

[carfreak]

Originally Posted by ampere

Which is a better route from Udupi to Kollur?
As per what I gather, Kundapura-Kollur is very good. But owing 4L work Udupi-Kundapur may be a problem. Can some one confirm?

Yes from Udupi to Kundapur, you have to drive with caution-due to the 4-laning work at some stretches the road has been almost limited to a single lane!!for most of the stretch it is 2 lane but traffic is heavy and sometimes you may get stuck behind a lorry/truck!

Not to mention the private buses operating on this route-they drive as if it is already a 4-lane express-way!!

[sushrutha]

Originally Posted by carfreak

Not to mention the private buses operating on this route-they drive as if it is already a 4-lane express-way!!

Yep it's a religion followed by almost all the private bus drivers in the coastal area. Particularly between Mangalore - Udupi , Byndoor - Kundapura-udupi & Moodabidre-Karkala-Udupi.
Now 4 lane is coming up between Mangalore - Udupi, after it's fully functional I think these bus drivers will cover the distance of 60kms in 45-50mins.

Edit -
@Lohith , I'm talking about the time even after stopping at Surathkal, Padubidre, Mulki etc ...

[lohithrao]

Sushrutha, many do cover this distance in the above time even now, and was the same some years back but thanks to increase in traffic even these bus guys find it hard...

[dkamath]

Originally Posted by recshenoy

phew! now ghat roads are good i believe. yesterday started in KSRTC Volvo at 10.20 from Suratkal and reached BLR at 5.50. didnt not feel any jump over craters in ghat. Hope good road will endure monsoon

That's right. Shiradi ghat stretch has received a cosmetic makeover, and has surely reduced travel time. Not sure for how long the fun will last, but until then, let's make merry

[lohithrao]

ahh now that calls for a "drive"

Originally Posted by dkamath

That's right. Shiradi ghat stretch has received a cosmetic makeover, and has surely reduced travel time. Not sure for how long the fun will last, but until then, let's make merry

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by carfreak

Yes from Udupi to Kundapur, you have to drive with caution-due to the 4-laning work at some stretches the road has been almost limited to a single lane!!for most of the stretch it is 2 lane but traffic is heavy and sometimes you may get stuck behind a lorry/truck!

Here are a couple of pics from my drive in last week of Feb - pics are from stretches b/w Kundapura and Udupi. I heaved a sigh of relief when we turned off NH17 at Udupi.

[ash_blore]

Guys/Gurujis I want to plan a trip to karkala/udupi sometime in April or May (oh god its going to be so so hot). The route I am planning is Hasan/Sakleshpur/Dharmastala/Karkala/Udupi. How is this road? I really dont want to make the trip if the road is bad.
From the form I gather that the Shiradi ghat is being fixed. Can someone provide feedback on the above route based on recent usage?

Thanks,
Ashwin