[lohithrao]

Well my friend you have though of this at the right time as the road is good shape but its getting freaking hot so better start early.

Originally Posted by 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

[slicvic]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

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.

Also expect this during the afternoons.

[lohithrao]

Cant witness such sights! most of this road is getting barren/bald it gets really hot during the day and stopping over is not possible cause the shade is missing now...

Originally Posted by slicvic

Also expect this during the afternoons.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by lohithrao

Well my friend you have though of this at the right time as the road is good shape but its getting freaking hot so better start early.

So does it mean its better to go via Shiradi, rather than Charmadi?
How is the state of Charmadi today?

[lohithrao]

For now Shiradi is the best option if one is looking to save time, am not sure about charmadi but it for sure will take more time.

Originally Posted by ampere

So does it mean its better to go via Shiradi, rather than Charmadi?
How is the state of Charmadi today?

[askids]

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

Great newsI am traveling today and will post a report soon about the road condition.

[bandlimitedlife]

I am planning to go to Mangalore from Bangalore during mid May. I was planning to drive down to bekal fort near kasargod. Please suggest any other good places to cover in a day or two around Mangalore, apart from the normal udupi, dharmastala, kukke, katil kinds.

[rajag]

Traveled between Bangalore - Mangalore 4 days ago via Sakleshpur/Shiradi. The roads are in pretty good conditions - as good as I have seen in my last 12 years of Bangalore-Mangalore travel. Thanks to the detailed update from @roamingrao took this route.

Onwards: Reached Kunigal through Magadi. After a 1 hour stop at channarayapatna it looked like we will make it in about 6.5 hours or so. But as everyone knows, this route has a habit of throwing up the unexpected! Near the Hemavathi river bridge at Sakleshpur there was a long queue. We were told that the temple's car festival was on and the traffic will be diverted slowly through the market. And as we waited in the scorching Sun, few 'smart' people came in their cars on the right side and blocked the oncoming traffic. When I politely asked one of them why he was doing that despite seeing the queue, I was cut short with a terse "ayithu aythiu". He stopped short of abusing me and went on to "merge" with the traffic ahead. This delayed us for about 1 hour. We finally reached in about 8 hours. Not sure what this function or when it occurs - so this would not be an easy thing to plan for and avoid!!

Return: Came back the same way, except after Kunigal, I continued towards Nelemangala. Have not tried this stretch since last October and was pleasantly thrilled to see superb roads with fast moving traffic all the way upto Yeshwantpur railway station. After minor crowded stretch around the railway station, moved peacefully and reached home. Had stopped for an hour at OOSOOR for Lunch - From Mangalore this is about 10Kms after Sakleshpur on your left. Was a nice place for relaxing and kids to run around. The food was of poor quality though; For the amount of traffic, this road could seriously use some good restaurants. The return into Jayanagar took a total of 6.5 hours including the halt.

Road quality: For the time being the Shiradi route is the best/fastest bet to get to Mangalore (if you don't run into car festivals!). The roads between Sakleshpur and Gundya have been patched up. Not sure if the patch up will survive the rains - I think it would go; The roads between Gundya and Mangalore have been freshly done, look great and should last. However, these roads have been laid over the earlier ones and have resulted in a serious height difference between the road and shoulder. At some places the height difference could easily be more than 18 inches. Not great even for the best SUVs. One has to be watchful of this.

[addyhemmige]

I travelled on both the Shiradi and Bisle ghats on Saturday and both the roads are at the opposite ends of the spectrum. Shiradi ghat road has been recently patched up and looks good (atleast till the rains hit), but Bisle is as pathetic as ever. The Bisle road has been relaid it till the Hassan-Dakshina Kannada border (from Subramanya) and once you enter Hassan district, the bad roads hit you. I was travelling in a Scorpio.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

The Bisle road has been relaid it till the Hassan-Dakshina Kannada border (from Subramanya) and once you enter Hassan district, the bad roads hit you. I was travelling in a Scorpio.

You mean the first 5-6Kms of Bisle ghat until the forest gate. That stretch was always in superb shape, just like the stretch from Subramanya to Gundya.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by Samurai

You mean the first 5-6Kms of Bisle ghat until the forest gate. That stretch was always in superb shape, just like the stretch from Subramanya to Gundya.

Yes, that is the stretch. I was surprised and I thought that the whole ghat had been relaid without anyone noticing and then, reality hit me. I did not travel through the entire ghat though. I went only upto Addahole bridge where there was a protest against the Gundya Hydo-power project.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

Yes, that is the stretch. I was surprised and I thought that the whole ghat had been relaid without anyone noticing and then, reality hit me.

See how that stretch looked in Sept 2009:



All hell breaks loose once the forest gate is crossed.

[mooza]

The patching up of Shiradi ghat roads should be repeated by the authorities each August after the rains have subsided. That way we would get pothole free roads for a good chunk of time from August to May, rather than the other way around

[vinboy]

I will be driving to Udupi in couple of days! from the postings here I have decided to drive through Shiradi ghat route. last few trips I have been driving through Hassan-Belur-Mudigere-Kottigehara-Charmadi-karkala-Udupi route. Till recently the stretch from Belur to Mudigere was decent but now trucks laden with sand are moving through this route.

Last time when I took the Shiradi ghat route the roads were so bad that it broke my suspension struts!!

[vinboy]

I felt like sharing one of the videos shot while driving acoss Charmadi Ghats! The atmosphere was wonderful as there was thick fog covering the hills. The constant drizzle added to the thrill !