[unk9ja]

Originally Posted by fast_elegance

Did a Blore-Mlore trip over the weekend in my Ritz VDI. Had to literally crawl through the Shiradi in 1st and 2nd gears. Covered up for it in the remainder of stretches. It took me 6.5 hours to reach Nelamangala.

I have to make another trip to Mlore this weekend and planning to take the charmadi this time around.

Let us know the condition of the Charmadi once you make it. I am planning a ride down to Mangalore next month and words would not be able to describe the travel in my Baleno if you have crawled in your Ritz.

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by fast_elegance

Did a Blore-Mlore trip over the weekend in my Ritz VDI. Had to literally crawl through the Shiradi in 1st and 2nd gears. Covered up for it in the remainder of stretches. It took me 6.5 hours to reach Nelamangala.

I have to make another trip to Mlore this weekend and planning to take the charmadi this time around.

Exactly the same feedback by my brother in law. They came to Bangalore via shimoga route but i suggested shiradi for return trip

Its still the fastest route and if you have a car with good GC then better route

[rajshenoy]

Hey guys

Need some information on the beach resorts along Karnataka coast. Trying to gather this information for a family vacation later this year and felt like collecting the list of all the "good" beach resorts that you people recommend

Open for destinations from Mangalore till Karwar(After that I need not ask, Its GOA!!)
Preferably near Mangalore/Udupi to cut some travel time.

[JMaruru]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Open for destinations from Mangalore till Karwar(After that I need not ask, Its GOA!!)
Preferably near Mangalore/Udupi to cut some travel time.

Off top of my head can think of 'Summer Sands' near Ullal, there is 'Paradise Isle' at Malpe, the 'Turtle Bay' at Maravanthe and also 'Om Beach' resort near Om beach, Gokarna

[Samurai]

Sun Castle near Kundapura: http://www.suncastle.in/index.html
Sai Vishram near Byndoor: http://www.saivishram.com/home.htm

Yesterday I did Manipal-Bangalore within 7 hours, including lunch and snack breaks. This is mainly because of the almost complete 4 lane between Hassan and Bangalore.

The toll has gone from 36 to 38 bucks since Sept 1st.

[JMaruru]

Originally Posted by Samurai

This is mainly because of the almost complete 4 lane between Hassan and Bangalore. The toll has gone from 36 to 38 bucks since Sept 1st.

So, have they added a third toll booth? I hope they have completed the Hassan bypass expansion.

[Samurai]

Now there are two more toll booths, but on trial. They will probably start charging in 2-3 months.

[fast_elegance]

Came down to Mlore today. Started from Bannerghatta road at 6 AM and reached Mlore at 1 PM.

Took the Hassan-Belur-Mudigere-Charmadi-Ujire-Belthangadi-BC Road route. The roads are in good condition throughout except for the route inside Hassan, Belur and in Kottigehara junction. There are a few other pot holed spots on the route but nothing wherein you need to shift to 1st to navigate.

It's a nice alternative if you are bored of Shiradi route. Though the time taken is almost same, it feels much longer as it is not the regular route. The difference in kms is only about 25 kms approx.

If you are someone who loves the curves, then this route is an absolute delight to drive on.

[shenoytech]

Did annual Ganesha pilgrimage trip to Mangalore and back. Started on Saturday 7th Sept at 6am from CV Raman nagar and only managed to reach Nelamangala by 7pm due to heavy traffic at RNS Motors at Yeshwantpur and reached Mangalore at 12pm. Encountred heavy rain while entering Mangalore.
We returned to Bangalore yesterday 11th Sept at a very leisurely pace.The four way lane is a Breeze. As for Shiradi the roads were not as bad compared to the highway to hell I have seen in 2007. Except for few bouncy patches rest of the road looked manageable. I drove my Fludic Verna without scraping the bottom for the entire ghat distance, traveling this section at good 40kms/hr avg on both journeys.

[roamingrao]

An 'eventful' drive yesterday !

But first, a brief report on the condition of Shiradi Ghats. Have been watching the deterioration of the ghat road in about eight trips to Mangalore / Udupi in as many months this year.

Bangalore - Hassan : A dream stretch. Two more tolls ( Hirisave and Shantigrama ) many begin collection in a couple of months. Yesterday, we were stopped at both the new tolls and documented, without collecting any toll. Hirisave town stretch is being completed. Shantigrama - Hassan and Hassan Byepass is also being completed.

Hassan - Sakleshpur : All the turns from Sakleshpur town to Ossoor restaurant ( approx 3 kms ) is rough, ridden with gravel.

Sakleshpur - Gundya - Nelyadi : Sakleshpur town - Maranahalli ( Kadumane turn off ) - Kempuhole dam site ( about 6 kms short of Gundya ) is going bad on all the turns. 6 kms uphill from Gundya and 3 kms towards Mangalore is what is very bad. Doable only at 30 - 40 kmph. In June, we could do the Sakleshpur - Gundya stretch in 50 minutes now takes one hour twenty minutes.
Dont know if others feel like me, but the opposite lane ( oncoming ) always looks better though it helps only if the oncoming traffic is minimal.

Nelyadi - Mangalore : largely smooth but for a few curves between Uppinangadi and Mani.



Yesterday ( 11th September ), we left Kundapura at 2.30pm, byepassed Mangalore at 4.30pm and after a short break at Aditya ( Uppinangadi ), we were in Sakleshpur at 8.15pm after crossing a long line of parked bullet tankers and cylinder trucks ( were wondering the reason ) at Maranahalli. We also saw a couple of fire tenders returning.

We were stopped at Balupet and told of a tanker overturning ahead and were diverted towards Kodlipet. With almost no oncoming traffic, we drove till Kenchamana hoskote, turned left and drove on a tractor / jeep trail through Kaganoor estate till Magge. Good roads resumed from Magge till we joined NH48 at Palya, 15 kms short of Hassan. Total diversion : 35 kms

Balupet - Kenchamana hoskote : 14 kms : good single lane road.

Kenchamane hoskote - Magge : 11 kms : almost no road, full of slush, incomplete culverts, 20kmph

Magge - Palya : 10kms : super smooth new road.

We could reach Hassan Byepass at 10.30pm and Bangalore at 1230am.

We could gauge the damage done only today morning when some of our relatives left Mangalore by bus at 11pm yesterday and reached Bangalore at 11am today.

Any news about the Tanker fire / accident ?


Map of diverted route :

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by roamingrao

An 'eventful' drive yesterday !

But first, a brief report on the condition

Magge - Palya : 10kms : super smooth new road.

That is a very long diversion. Was there anybody directing traffic after Ballupet?

There was a direct road from Ballupet to Magge and that is in fairly good condition. There was actually no need to go all the way to Kenchammana Hoskote and take that horrible road through Kaganoor. There should have been someone to guide at least LMV onto this road.

[roamingrao]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

There was a direct road from Ballupet to Magge and that is in fairly good condition. There was actually no need to go all the way to Kenchammana Hoskote and take that horrible road through Kaganoor. There should have been someone to guide at least LMV onto this road.

addyhemmige, yes, the policemen at Ballupet mentioned about the shorter route from Ballupet to Magge, but warned that we could face elephant trouble on that route. Being with elders, and dark, we took the longer and safer route.

Yes, the K hoskote - Magge road could not have been done by smaller cars though we could see some Indicas and Indigo yellow boards.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by roamingrao

addyhemmige, yes, the policemen at Ballupet mentioned about the shorter route from Ballupet to Magge, but warned that we could face elephant trouble on that route. Being with elders, and dark, we took the longer and safer route.

Yes, the K hoskote - Magge road could not have been done by smaller cars though we could see some Indicas and Indigo yellow boards.

Oh yes, there are elephants in the area. But usually they are seen early mornings or late evenings. What time did you pass through?

Actually this entire area is elephant prone. My native place is a couple of kms from Kaganoor estate and there have been plenty of attacks there. You must have seen signboards there asking people not to venture out after dark.

Coming back to the road, the K Hoskote - Magge - Alur road is a state highway and the road was relaid upto Magge (from nh48) in June. This is supposed to be completed after the monsoon season.

[JMaruru]

Originally Posted by roamingrao

Hassan - Sakleshpur : All the turns from Sakleshpur town to Ossoor restaurant ( approx 3 kms ) is rough, ridden with gravel.

Good to know that the four lane is almost complete between N'mangala and Hassan. Have they started four lane work on Hassan - Sakleshpur section? If not, hope they take it up at the earliest. The B'lore - M'lore section should have been four lane long back.

[dkamath]

Originally Posted by roamingrao

An 'eventful' drive yesterday !
Any news about the Tanker fire / accident ?

Luck you. I got caught in the traffic pile up, and spent a good 2+ hours in the ghats, waiting behind the heavy vehicles. Sakleshpur->Hassan NH route was open, though, by the time we reached Sakleshpur (around 130am), with the roads being traffic-free from then on.

Had started from M'lore at around 645pm, and it took me nearly 10 hours to reach B'lore.