Team-BHP - Caution On Dangerous Curves And Twisties

Hai TBHPns,

Having interacted first-hand with a case on a twisty, I thought it would be good to have all the information on Dangerous Curves and Twisty sections/Ghats in one place for people to refer when on a ride. Please DO NOT give entire sections, only exact sections where danger lurks and the driver is likely to be caught unawares without warning.

I'd start on the very section where something went wrong last week and a car had to be totalled:

On Ahmedabad-Udaipur Section: NH-8: From Shamalaji Check post for another 20 kms, dangerous twisties, lots of accidents here.

From Udiapur Ahmedabad: From the end of the Udaipur BP - after 140 KMs for the next 20 kms till Shamlaji Check post.

Another post by Behram Dhabhar in anothr thread, valuable information:

Quote:

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM (Post 1269887)

Subject: Kasara Ghat on the Nasik Mumbai highway – the new descent road

The new road going down from Igatpuri to Kasara has been thrown open to traffic. I used it for the first time when I went to Mumbai last Friday in my black Scorpio MH15BX3184 (which is set up to handle perfectly). As usual, I drove flat out. My observations are as follows.

The road is a one way (Igatpuri to Kasara) but please be on the lookout for oncoming stragglers, especially motorcycles and construction trucks.
The road consists of a series of very long curves, left to right to left to right. The effect is cyclic, one after the other. Some of the apexes of these curves are not balanced properly. Therefore, it is recommended to descend in fourth gear, not in fifth gear and hold the car with assistance from the driveline.
Cat’s eyes demarcate the road extremities. As there is almost no runoff area after the cat’s eyes, you need to be careful not to hit the cat’s eyes.
Restrict speed to controllable limit as there are distinct chances of losing control on the apexes.

This is for information of all. For any specific information, please send me an E mail and I will reply.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

Mods: If such a thread's already there, please merge. Thanks.

Here is my cntribution.

The road leading to Kishtwar from Doda (J&K) is very precarious. The road is almost single lane, the incline steep and the curves are blind. One has to drive really carefully once the incline begins.

In winters, one should be really careful of water on the road. The water freezes to form a thin layer of ice (so much so that you can't decide if its water of ice). If you brake while on the ice, then you can say goodbye because on one side you have the cliff walls and the other you have a straight, vertical fall into the Chenab. And for those who haven't seen the Chenab; its current is by far the strongest I have seen of all rivers. Even the Ganga at Shivpuri / Rishikesh is no match!

I have had a hair-raising experience when our vehicle skidded and rolled into the mountain wall (thankfully).

Quote:

Originally Posted by arindamray (Post 1270631)

thanks Ramkya1. I was thinking in the same line to start a thread.

Krishnagiri-Chennai NH46: Railway Over Bridge just after Vaniyambadi, has a deep right turn, visible only after you ascend halfway.

While on our GQ run, HRAG told us about this one thro. phone, I was in HVK's Scorp... this one is pretty deceptive; on a road like this you tend to rip and when you ascent and try to turn at speed... this could be a killer.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by travelwriter (Post 1270535)

And for those who haven't seen the Chenab; its current is by far the strongest I have seen of all rivers. Even the Ganga at Shivpuri / Rishikesh is no match!
(thankfully).

I second that point, last year I drove on the temporary steel bridge constructed over Chenab river built right in front of Baglihar Dam in J & K. The huge roar & the mist created by falling water is unbeliveable. The road is not open for general public.

Quote:

Originally Posted by phamilyman (Post 1270642)

travelwriter: The road leading from Kishtwar to Doda is unsafe for many more obvious reasons :D LOL.Thanks anyways - most of us would be chicken!

But if you saw what I saw in Kishtwar, Bhaderwah and around, you would kill to be in a place like that. Serene, unexplored beauty. The kind of place you have only dreamt of and never thought existed!

And yes, Doda is the most 'sensitive' place. More than the entire Kahsmir valley as it connects to the Kashmir valley on one side, Himachal (through Pangi valley) on the second, Leh on the third and Jammu on the fourth. Strategically located, I would say

The railway overbridge at Vaniyambadi (NH46) is actually a left-hander after the ascent (whichever side you approach it from). The right-hander descent is after you cross the bridge.

The other dangerous section on NH46 is the railway overbridge at Pachakuppam (before Ambur when going from Vellore towards Krishnagiri). An arrow straight stretch that suddenly becomes a sharp right-hander ascent onto the overbridge. But the more dangerous part is on the descent - immediately after the descent, there is a sharp left S-curve.

There is zero banking on both these overbridges.