[ALSUDA]

My Dharma & Kukke visit was due, I should have made it before the closure of Shiradi. Charmadi may not hold that kind of heavy traffic, as mentioned in the kannada news paper, land slides could be possible. Yesterday's kannada TV channel there was a mention of 22kms traffic pile up in charmadi.

[manojgautham]

I'm leaving from Bangalore to Dharmasthala & Kukke tonite, now that Shiradi is closed can someone please advice me the route to take and condition of the roads. I'll be travelling in a sedan. Any additional info that I need to know?

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by manojgautham

I'm leaving from Bangalore to Dharmasthala & Kukke tonite, now that Shiradi is closed can someone please advice me the route to take and condition of the roads. I'll be travelling in a sedan. Any additional info that I need to know?

Apparently, Charmadi remains the suitable option. But you may want to reach Dharmasthala via Kalasa Kuduremukha SK Border Naravi Belthangady Ujire which is going to be really a long detour.

The Kalsa Kuduremukha stretch doesn't witness much of Bus Traffic that you should be able to do it than waiting relentlessly on Charmadi if you get stuck in a pile up.

Mysore Madikeri Sampaje Sullya Kukke Dharmasthala is another option thats better that the above in terms of wider roads at least.

[Samurai]

Hot report! Agumbe was deserted today. Reached CKM without any hitch. But the twisties were too much for wifey.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Hot report! Agumbe was deserted today. Reached CKM without any hitch. But the twisties were too much for wifey.

I would still say take the longer route via Thirthahalli onto 206. Once at Arsikere, take the road to CR Patna bypass and there onto 4-lane. Its a great road with hardly any curves, but for the Agumbe-Thirthahalli-Shimoga stretch which is nicely tarred.

[speedsatya]

Beltangady: Shiradi Ghat road closed - Charmadi Ghat blocked http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_...sp?n_id=287790


It will be Madikeri - Puttur - Mani for me now on. I don't have the patience to test Charmadi for my weekend drives

[manojgautham]

Left Bangalore at 10:30pm. Just reached Dharmasthala through Charmadi ghat. Luckily did not find traffic pile up at Charmadi. There was light to medium fog at most places after Belur

[Thilak29]

Charmadi Update :
2 ministers were stuck in traffic for hours and District SP himself turned up to manage traffic.
Even night traffic was in crawl mode. Just to give a perspective, approx. 17,000 vehicles used to ply on this route on daily basis, now the volume has gone up 5 times. At places road shoulders have 1 - 1.5 ft depth. District administration is contemplating option of having one way flow every half an hour,however this would lead to pile up on both ends and chaotic traffic within ghats. Experts have expressed possibility of ghat collapse as well. Also, getting ambulance or tow vehicle on priority to a specific spot is impossible as roads are too narrow to make way.
Overall it's a mess.

[hallik9]

Found this route on google maps for my drive to Udupi.
Blr - Hassan - Belur - Chikkamagalur - Aldur - Balehonnur - Jayapura - Sringeri - Agumbe - Hebri - Udupi

How are the roads on this stretch? Havent done this route before and hence wanted to make sure that this route is better than Charmadi(Now that Shiradi is officially closed)

[venkyhere]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

Charmadi Update :
....
.. pile up on both ends and chaotic traffic within ghats. Experts have expressed possibility of ghat collapse as well.

what exactly will cause ghat "collapse" - is it because there will be huge stress on the outer periphery of the road (as shown in diagram below) due to long line of back-to-back parked vehicles, which will lead to the mountain side "giving away" ?? should this not have been considered when "designing" the ghat road itself ?

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by hallik9

Blr - Hassan - Belur - Chikkamagalur - Aldur - Balehonnur - Jayapura - Sringeri - Agumbe - Hebri - Udupi

I drove the exact route yesterday. It is a continuous twisty road from Agumbe to Aldur. The road between Balehonnur to Aldur is also not in great shape. It just adds 10kms over Shiradi route.

Originally Posted by Thilak29

Charmadi Update :
2 ministers were stuck in traffic for hours and District SP himself turned up to manage traffic.

I find these newspaper updates very hard to believe. Ministers travelling in ghat roads? SP himself directing traffic? Why will ghat collapse?

There was no need to close Shiradi to put concrete at curves. This is one of the most stupid decisions by the government.

Originally Posted by venkyhere

what exactly will cause ghat "collapse" - is it because there will be huge stress on the outer periphery of the road (as shown in diagram below) due to long line of back-to-back parked vehicles, which will lead to the mountain side "giving away" ?? should this not have been considered when "designing" the ghat road itself ?

The news reporters are talking through their hat as usual. We mods have some experience with the reporters, check this: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post3615181

[Thilak29]

Originally Posted by Samurai

I find these newspaper updates very hard to believe. Ministers travelling in ghat roads? SP himself directing traffic? Why will ghat collapse?

There was no need to close Shiradi to put concrete at curves. This is one of the most stupid decisions by the government.

The news reporters are talking through their hat as usual. We mods have some experience with the reporters, check this: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post3615181

I came across at least 6 new papers which reported instance of ministers getting stuck and SP managing the traffic, I am not sure why do you find it hard to believe. I shared your opinion of not closing Shiradi to put concrete at curves, he was amused and was curious to know how that can be achieved. Are you aware of any case instance matching Shiradi condition where same was achieved without closure, could you please elaborate more on that ?
BTW my friend works with L&T designing highways.

[DragonHawk]

Just back from my week long vacation. Being aware of traffic chaos in Charmadi, I took Mysore route while coming to Bangalore. Left my Puttur home at 6, reached Bangalore at 1.30 including 30 mins stoppage. Baring few kms between Aranthodu and Kallugundi near Sampaje, roads are very well layed out and I was able to cover Puttur-Mysore stretch in flat 4hrs. Being Sunday morning I didnt faced much traffic in Mysore-Bangalore stretch.
I will be travelling back to native this weekend and I am planning to take below route.
Bangalore - Channarayapatna-Holenarsipura-Somavarpete-Madikeri-Puttur.

Can somebody suggest me on this route. Does is it make any sense to take this route or should I take usual Mysore route.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

I came across at least 6 new papers which reported instance of ministers getting stuck and SP managing the traffic, I am not sure why do you find it hard to believe.

Because I know how often reporters just make mountains out of mole hills. The ministers and SP must have just visited to see the mess in person. And it doesn't take an SP to manage traffic, SIs and constables do that, like every other day.

Originally Posted by Thilak29

I shared your opinion of not closing Shiradi to put concrete at curves, he was amused and was curious to know how that can be achieved.

He is probably amused because he doesn't drive regularly on Shiradi? BHPian Speedsatya and I drive very regularly on this road, in every season, in every possible condition.

We both said this few months back in post #5272 (The art of travelling between Bangalore - Mangalore/Udupi) and #5273 (The art of travelling between Bangalore - Mangalore/Udupi). It can be achieved by simply avoiding the whole endeavor.

Originally Posted by Thilak29

Are you aware of any case instance matching Shiradi condition where same was achieved without closure, could you please elaborate more on that ? BTW my friend works with L&T designing highways.

It has been achieved every year by simply patching all the pot holes while the vehicles are plying.

Putting concrete on curves that sees wet weather for 5 months a year is dangerous. Ask your L&T friend about safety of concrete roads in wet weather. Shiradi has lots of wide curves of all kind of gradients. They are putting our lives in danger by putting concrete on curves. This may be an academic question for you, but lot us on this thread have to drive on Shiradi regularly even in future.

[unk9ja]

The year 2015 dawned with a drive down to Udupi in a Suvarna Karnataka Sarige vehicle. Did not have any other option than this. Here are the last pics of the route before a new era in driving dawns upon us.

The inside of the bus, 3+2 seating configuration.



The hot seat. I don't know how he drives sitting on that seat for 12hrs at a stretch.



The outside, battered and bruised



The 4 lane to Hassan, was driving at a constant 70kmph. The driver shifts to neutral when he descends an incline.



The road from Hassan to Sakleshpur, 2 lane twisties.



One more shot



Tree lined roads. Will these survive if the roads are widened?



The road is patched up till the Kadamane estate tea counter point.



Some parts are still excellent



And the board says it all. This was placed at the fork to Manzarabad fort.



The road still continues to be good



This is just before the road turns bad



Lotsa truck traffic, makes driving really worse experience. The bus took about 25 minutes to overtake the below 2 lorries.





The bad stretches





Raw materials are dumped ready for the work to begin. This was at multiple places.



The worst part, which may now be over by June.