[Vysakh]

Originally Posted by NPV

This is for Mysore-Bangalore, can't start between 1-3, wondering if 7pm would be good (not too keen to start at 10pm) ?

The later the better.

[perty]

Originally Posted by NPV

wondering if 7pm would be good

Yes, that would be good.
The intermediate towns will see traffic between 5 and 7. It will be 8 or beyond by the time you hit Mandya, Channapatna and Ramanagara and traffic will be relatively quieter by then.

Outskirts of Bangalore from Bidadi onwards will have heavy traffic after 6 due to numerous garment factories and other industries closing for the day. Post 7 start from Mysore would mean you don't hit this bottleneck. You can probably stop for dinner near Maddur if that timing suits and reach home by bedtime.

[NPV]

Thanks everyone for you suggestions, here's an update:

Onward (Tuesday):
Had enough time on hand and planned to reach Mysore by noon.
Starting at 7:15am, took the Tumkur Road-Nelamangala-Bellur Cross-Nagamangala-Pandavapura-Srirangapatna-Mysore route.
Visited the Cheluva Narayana Temple Melukote and then the Tonnur Kere, Pandavapura.

Also tried the Subbanna Mess Puliyogare from Melukote and it turned out to be much too overrated, was just average.

Google maps went bonkers near Pandavapura railway station where the 150A highway continues after a right handed curve. We ended up on the KR Pet road for a Km before realizing and heading back on track.

Roads are overall good, though there are road widening/rebuilding works in progress between Nagamangala and Pandavapura.

We drove all of 220Km to reach our destination in Mysore near JSS Hospital around 1:45pm. We found that folks who'd taken regular Mysore Road route that day starting at 7:30am had reached Mysore only at 1pm as they were stuck in a jam near Ramanagara & Channapatna due to a political rally! Lucky to have taken the Melukote route

The road in front of JSS Hospital and Brigade Mountain View apartments is under construction and messy. Again, Google maps routing was off here, so it is better to take Sayaji Rao road as we realized later and took that on the return.

Return (Wednesday):
Started around 7:30pm, stopped at Adigas for dinner for about 45 minutes.
Reached near the Kengeri satellite town bridge around 10:45pm and home by 11:15pm, we had escaped the regular weekday peak traffic.

This route is a mixed bag, especially for an evening/night drive. There are zig zag barricades, patchy roads, lanes being added to widen the road (some places the new section ends abruptly in a dug up portion!), the usual rash cabbies and private vehicles, the dangerously slow drivers, 2 wheelers on the wrong side, the list goes on.

Need to be alert at all times. I tried to keep to speeds within 80Kmph and found even that was difficult at many places, just let fast moving vehicles pass and then followed at lower speeds I was comfortable with. Turned out to be good as we took about 3 hours overall for the drive with an extra hour for dinner.

[speedmiester]

I am avoiding traveling to Mysore or for any other place in Karnataka as much as possible till the elections are over. Too many checkpoints and barricades causes traffic to crawl.
During the day, adding to the summer hear, there will be some sort of processions by the political parties, which will lead to traffic jams and what not.

[Rajesh K R]

Hi NPV, How is the road from NH 150A turnoff at Lakshmisagara towards Thonnur Kere ?

Also, it is good enought to drive forward from Thonnur kere towards Pandavapura or better to back track in the same road and rejoin the highway at Lakshmisagara ?

Nagamangala to pandavapura is being made into a double road ? Lots of diversions now ? Road condition is good ?

Planning to make this - either on 29th April or on 1st May. Have to pick my mom from Mysore - so would be driving alone - so have some time to explore !!

Originally Posted by NPV

Thanks everyone for you suggestions, here's an update:
=====================
Need to be alert at all times. I tried to keep to speeds within 80Kmph and found even that was difficult at many places, just let fast moving vehicles pass and then followed at lower speeds I was comfortable with. Turned out to be good as we took about 3 hours overall for the drive with an extra hour for dinner.

[Latheesh]

I took Mysore road this Tuesday. Started from Srirangapatna @12.30 PM and reached Electronic City @ 4 PM. This include 45 min lunch break. Drive was smooth and maintained 60-80 kmph speed. Bidadi to NICE road entrance was bad due to Toyota Kirloskar buses.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Rajesh K R

Hi NPV, How is the road from NH 150A turnoff at Lakshmisagara towards Thonnur Kere ?

Also, it is good enought to drive forward from Thonnur kere towards Pandavapura or better to back track in the same road and rejoin the highway at Lakshmisagara ?

Nagamangala to pandavapura is being made into a double road ? Lots of diversions now ? Road condition is good ?

The NH 150A has road resurfacing/widening work in progress in small sections on the stretch between the SH85 junction (which goes towards Kanthapura-Melukote) and SH 47 junction (which comes from Melukote).

Speeds will be low on this stretch and in one section of 2-3Km, only half the road width was available when we traveled (and muddy since work was in progress).

To avoid most of the road work, better to go via SH 85 at Nagamangala (towards Melukote) and then merge back onto NH 150A using SH47 to Jakkanahalli cross (this is more scenic as well with a water body, small hills and lots of trees).

The road from Lakshmisagara to Thonnur Kere is a narrow village road but is quite decent and definitely manageable. We backtracked this road to get back to NH 150A, but I do remember that the road in front of Thonnur Kere looked good, not sure if entire stretch of it that connects to SH 7 and then back onto NH 150A is good or not, I guess you can take a chance.

*If starting early you can take the Bangalore-Mysore road, but that is also rough at many places and has irritating barricades and speed breakers at few places.
Alternately, you can take the Kunigal-Huliyurdurga route to reach Nagamangala too - see posts by @deehunk/@dailydriver.

[senthils27]

Hello BHPians,

I am going to drive from Bangalore (Electronic city) to Masinagudi tomorrow. Plan is to start at 6 am. I see that there are two most recommended routes. One via Mandya and the other via Kanakapura. I prefer taking Mandya route due to 4 lane and availability of restaurants. How is the road condition now? Since this is on a weekday and early morning start, I believe traffic should not be huge in nh275. Does anyone still recommend Kanakapura Road over Nh275?

Thanks.

[deehunk]

Since it is a weekday, there is no need to take the Kanakapura Road. There will be mild traffic from Mandya to SR Patna.

[Arjun Reddy]

Originally Posted by senthils27

I prefer taking Mandya route due to 4 lane and availability of restaurants.

Originally Posted by deehunk

Since it is a weekday, there is no need to take the Kanakapura Road. There will be mild traffic from Mandya to SR Patna.

Should be alright on the weekdays to take the Mysore Road.

Only that I foresee some jams in towns like Ramanagar, Mandya etc. due to political rallies. Factor in an additional 30 mins.

Try the Vaishali restraunt in between Channapatna and Maddur, Just before McDonalds. Awesome Dosa and Kheema for breakfast. If your not the non veg type, the veg stuff is also pretty good and hygienic.

More importantly, excellent parking

[Rajesh K R]

Am likely to end up driving from Mysore to Bangalore on 29th Sunday evening. Do you think it would be a good idea to take either the Kanakapura Road or the road via Nagamangala.? Given the weekend traffic on the NH 275

[kavensri]

Originally Posted by Rajesh K R

Am likely to end up driving from Mysore to Bangalore on 29th Sunday evening. Do you think it would be a good idea to take either the Kanakapura Road or the road via Nagamangala.? Given the weekend traffic on the NH 275

Man, do not take the regular route (via Mysore Road) till the elections are over. There are lot of check posts all along. I took this route last sunday and it was like HELL! at couple of places, the jams were more than 30 minutes! Don't go with whatever Google Maps says (for me it was showing 20mins more for Kanakapura Route compared to Mysore road, but finally i might have spent one hour more than what google maps showed when i started the journey).

[srvm]

Originally Posted by Rajesh K R

Am likely to end up driving from Mysore to Bangalore on 29th Sunday evening. Do you think it would be a good idea to take either the Kanakapura Road or the road via Nagamangala.? Given the weekend traffic on the NH 275

I don't think this sunday will be that bad. Since for many this is a long weekend. Courtesy: Monday is Buddha Poornima (holiday for govt folks), Tuesday is May Day (holiday for many Pvt organizations). NH275 should be ok to drive, me thinks.

[balenoed_]

Originally Posted by Rajesh K R

Am likely to end up driving from Mysore to Bangalore on 29th Sunday evening. Do you think it would be a good idea to take either the Kanakapura Road or the road via Nagamangala.? Given the weekend traffic on the NH 275

On 29th sunday, there will not be any traffic. The weekend will continue till Tuesday evening.

[Nalin1]

Originally Posted by kavensri

Man, do not take the regular route (via Mysore Road) till the elections are over. There are lot of check posts all along. I took this route last sunday and it was like HELL! at couple of places, the jams were more than 30 minutes! Don't go with whatever Google Maps says (for me it was showing 20mins more for Kanakapura Route compared to Mysore road, but finally i might have spent one hour more than what google maps showed when i started the journey).

Hi,

Thanks for the heads up!. However I have a somewhat silly question. Do you think these checks take place 24/7? Or from 6 A.M to 6 P.M or something like that?

If the flow is smooth late evening, can plan accordingly .

Another question for everyone.

Are these election related checks taking place only on the Bangalore/Mysore highway or on all the highways leading out of bangalore? Like for example, the NH-4 Tumkur road?