[lohithrao]

You will find the same driving habbits even in city limits, people drive in wrong way and behave as if its thier right of way, however mangalore-kundapura route is very stressful to drive....

Originally Posted by livyodream

It was never this bad. I have been driving since '97 and never felt this irritated. Yes, bus drivers are famous in this region but not locals. Everything has gone haywire with these locals who got introduced to express highway but no knowledge on how to drive around on these types of road. I have driven in Bidar and Hyd (which i presume is one of the most difficult city to drive around) now DK has joined the race.
Now I get the reason behind my relatives who hire drivers when they go to hometown even though they are good with driving.

[rangakishen]

Any updates as to how this road is now? Am planning to this trip tomorrow. How are the roads and traffic conditions? How many hours would the journey take?

[zoombiee]

Originally Posted by rangakishen

Any updates as to how this road is now? Am planning to this trip tomorrow. How are the roads and traffic conditions? How many hours would the journey take?

10kms post Sakleshpur to Gundiya also known as Shiradi ghat is perpetually in bad condition. The condition varies from bad to worse. Except for this 20-30kms, the road condition is very good. I did this journey in about 7.5 hours, but we took lots of breaks, since we had an infant on board. I think its doable in 6.5-7 hours depending on the condition of the bad stretch.

[recshenoy]

Hi All,

I need to drive between Puttur-Chikmagalur this weekend. From google maps found below routes.

1. Puttur - Uppinangadi - belthangady - Charmadi - Charmadi - Mudigere - Chikmaglur === 127 km
2. Puttur - Uppinangadi - Nelyadi- Dharmastala-Ujire- Charmadi - Mudigere - Chikmaglur == 149 km
3. Puttur - Uppinangadi - Nelyadi- Shiradii - Sakleshpura- Mudigere - Chikmaglur == 154 km
4. Puttur - Uppinangadi - Nelyadi- Shiradii - Sakleshpura- Alur- Belur- Chikmaglur == 179 km

Now obvious choice of route is first one. But i don’t mind driving 20-30 km extra if 2nd and 3rd route road condition are better than the first one. Since parents are traveling with me and I will be driving low-ground-clearance Ford Figo, i am looking for road less traveled. Any one has taken above mentioned route during previous long weekend. Please let me know. Specifically how are charmadi ghat roads?

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by recshenoy

Hi All,

I need to drive between Puttur-Chikmagalur this weekend. From google maps found below routes.

Charmadi ghat is in good shape - please refer to my post here, it should help you make a decision.

[speedsatya]

Was speaking to a B9R driver. He said he damaged his front bumper and broke a fog lamp on the Shiradi. It seems there are a couple of bad potholes which are very bad.

So a word of caution for anyone driving in the night.

OT here , but it seems Durgamba travels will be will be introducing 2 new B11Rs ( 60 seater) from next month. Also , Durgamba also has a mangalore to bangalore airport and back B7R service running everyday. It seems these will be converted into sleepers once the new buses join

[RajeshK]

I have to travel from Kasargod to Bangalore this weekend. Any one aware of the latest condition of the route Kasargod - Cherkala - Perla - Vittal - Uppinangadi - Sakleshpur ?? Or is there any other better route to reach Mangalore - Bangalore route other than driving up to pumpwell circle..??

Thanks
Rajesh

[_chikku]

Originally Posted by RajeshK

I have to travel from Kasargod to Bangalore this weekend. Any one aware of the latest condition of the route Kasargod - Cherkala - Perla - Vittal - Uppinangadi - Sakleshpur ?? Or is there any other better route to reach Mangalore - Bangalore route other than driving up to pumpwell circle..??

Thanks
Rajesh

Kerala roads used to be good around a year or back. No fresh tarmac has been laid from last year. So expect a pot hole ridden wide roads till KA border. There are two routes to reach Bangalore highway from vittal. One joins directly near kalladka, however no info. about the condition of the road. Another route takes you directly to uppinangady via kabaka- puttur. Vittal to kabaka is good with occasional narrow stretches and some pot holes. Kabaka to puttur falls under the ongoing 4 lane works of Mysore mangalore, but should be do- able. May expect a bit of traffic too. Puttur to uppinangady is decent.

[lohithrao]

Kasargod to KL brder the roads were in very good state in June, it seemed to have been redone sometime around March, so this stretch should be good.

Originally Posted by _chikku

Kerala roads used to be good around a year or back. No fresh tarmac has been laid from last year. So expect a pot hole ridden wide roads till KA border. There are two routes to reach Bangalore highway from vittal. One joins directly near kalladka, however no info. about the condition of the road. Another route takes you directly to uppinangady via kabaka- puttur. Vittal to kabaka is good with occasional narrow stretches and some pot holes. Kabaka to puttur falls under the ongoing 4 lane works of Mysore mangalore, but should be do- able. May expect a bit of traffic too. Puttur to uppinangady is decent.

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by speedsatya

OT here , but it seems Durgamba travels will be will be introducing 2 new B11Rs ( 60 seater) from next month. Also , Durgamba also has a mangalore to bangalore airport and back B7R service running everyday. It seems these will be converted into sleepers once the new buses join

Isnt this B11R double decker sort of bus ? Wow it would be a fun for my toddler to travel in that bus. If this is real, i wouldnt mind parking my car for my next mangalore trip

[_chikku]

Originally Posted by lohithrao

Kasargod to KL brder the roads were in very good state in June, it seemed to have been redone sometime around March, so this stretch should be good.

Oh that's a good news . Been a long time that I have travelled to KL coast. Was the whole stretch redone ? Last I heard only patch work was done.

[lohithrao]

Not sure about the road condition beyond Kasargod, as i deviated from the hiway at Kasargod.

Ony thing one has to worry is the traffic during the day and obv mindless drivers/riders....

Originally Posted by _chikku

Oh that's a good news . Been a long time that I have travelled to KL coast. Was the whole stretch redone ? Last I heard only patch work was done.

[speedsatya]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Isnt this B11R double decker sort of bus ? Wow it would be a fun for my toddler to travel in that bus. If this is real, i wouldnt mind parking my car for my next mangalore trip

Its not a double decker Its a longer version ( around 15 m ) multi axle bus as compared to the B9R ( 14 m ) . This guy said , these buses will have seating capacity for 60 pax.

[vnambiar]

Originally Posted by RajeshK

I have to travel from Kasargod to Bangalore this weekend. Any one aware of the latest condition of the route Kasargod - Cherkala - Perla - Vittal - Uppinangadi - Sakleshpur ?? Or is there any other better route to reach Mangalore - Bangalore route other than driving up to pumpwell circle..??

Thanks
Rajesh

Try kasargod - sullya - madikeri - hunsur - Bangalore

[drkakkilaya]

Originally Posted by RajeshK

I have to travel from Kasargod to Bangalore this weekend. Any one aware of the latest condition of the route Kasargod - Cherkala - Perla - Vittal - Uppinangadi - Sakleshpur ?? Or is there any other better route to reach Mangalore - Bangalore route other than driving up to pumpwell circle..??

Thanks
Rajesh

Take kasaragod to mangalore road, just before thokkot there's a beeri junction, take right. That ll take you to deralakatte, it hits a dead end.. Take right and continue past infosys campus then there's a junction where u need to take left that ll take you straight to mangalore Bangalore road, just before mani junction. Not sure of sakleshpur roads.

Alternately kasargod to cherkala -jalsoor - Sullia- take left to gundya.
Jalsoor to Sullia bad roads.

Sakleshpur or Sullia either way u may hit a section of poor roads.
My suggestion via sakleshpur if going to Bangalore.