[sarinkumar]

Originally Posted by milestogo

Just back from the trip to Kannur today. Took the periyapatna route. The road till siddapur is pretty bad, some bad potholes and a lot of not so bad ones. The road is cut and patched very badly till you reach the kootupuzha turn off into Kerala. I took the Gonikoppa route 2 months back so cant really compare them now. Took a snap of an accident on the infamous Makutta inclines. The banks are pretty steep so although the roads are good please be careful. Looks like the M800 slipped in after it hit the swift.

Milestogo,

This is very bad. I hope no one got hurt seriously.

By the way, one year back we all were crying for the Makkootta road. Once that road is done, it is the turn of other roads. The saga continues for Bangalore to Kannur short routes. From your update, I have a feeling that, both periyapatna and gonikoppa roads are in bad shape and the outcome will remain the same for both.

Regards,
Sarin

[milestogo]

This is very bad. I hope no one got hurt seriously.

It didnt seem like anyone was seriously injured. No traces of blood or anything. I think the Swift was coming down the blind turn from the wrong side and the 800 saw it very late - and dont think both of them used the horn. But the banks are scary.

I have a feeling that, both periyapatna and gonikoppa roads are in bad shape and the outcome will remain the same for both.

Yes I agree - my parents were pretty psyched that anyone would choose to use these roads. When I told them the bus route via Gonikoppa is equally bad, they refused to believe it.
I reached near Mysore at around 10.30 am and then reached iritty around 2 pm I think. Average speed for the trip was just around 40 km and that was after not bothering to slow down at average potholes. Overall mileage was 4 km/hr less than my Bombay-blr trip for instance. I'm thinking maybe it would just make overall sense to just use the sultan bathery route from next time on and just stop using Makoota till these roads improve even a little bit. But I have a gut feeling this improvement is never going to come...

[sarinkumar]

Originally Posted by milestogo

Overall mileage was 4 km/hr less than my Bombay-blr trip for instance. .

I guess the mileage mentioned is the outcome of a typo.

Anyway I am going to use this road on Friday. The positive thing for me is that, I am going to travel on this route for the first time, hence at least I could enjoy the nature during the humby bumby ride :-)

Regards,
Sarin

[vista_qjd]

The periyapatna route is far far better than the gonikoppa route. And on top, there are no buses or lorries plying on the periyapatna route making it easier to drive. Potholes are no where as big as the gonikoppa route. I have taken both routes back to back. Periyapatna route is a bit more deserted and you wont find much traffic at places - especially till siddapura.

[sarinkumar]

Originally Posted by vista_qjd

The periyapatna route is far far better than the gonikoppa route. And on top, there are no buses or lorries plying on the periyapatna route making it easier to drive. Potholes are no where as big as the gonikoppa route. I have taken both routes back to back. Periyapatna route is a bit more deserted and you wont find much traffic at places - especially till siddapura.

vista_qjd,
That is a good input. I will share my experience on this route in Jan.
Regards,
Sarin

[Latheesh]

I am getting ready for my next Kannur trip :-), but not decided day/route to take.

If I am leaving Bangalore on Sunday evening I will take the regular route.
If it is on Monday morning I will take Periyapatna route.

[ajithbr]

Took Hunsur->Periyapatna->Siddapura->Virajpet->Perumpadi->Makkutta route last weekend. Long time since I had been through Gonikoppal route and so cannot compare with the same but some general information as pointers for others who plan X-mas & New Year trips through this route.
After break-fast from CafeCoorg@Hunsur, we started around 10.30 AM and reached Perumpadi checkpost by 12 noon and by around 12.45 PM, we crossed Iritty. 90 minutes from Hunsur to Perumpadi is decent timings considering the fact that it was an Alto with full luggage and full occupancy. You can do around 100 kmph till Periyapatna turn-off and then onwards the road is narrow and a bit rough with occassional potholes. And very less traffic and so you can drive at good speed and still avoid most of the potholes enroute this hilly terrain. In fact, you can maintain an average speed of 60 kmph and cover the 28 kms till Siddapura in 30 to 40 minutes. From Siddapura (100 kms each to Tellicherry and Kannur) to Perumpadi (about 22 kms since Virajpet is 17 kms from here), you can drive at a higher speed and reach Perumpadi in less than 30 minutes, the only slowing down factor being crossing Virajpet town.
So, about 75 minutes running time on alternate route and 15 minutes on Hunsur-Periyapatna stretch accounts for our 90 minutes from Hunsur to Perumpadi.The flip part of this route is that it is too much lonely one and hence better avoided during nights. There are warnings to indicate that you may spot elephants as well since you cross Thittimathi forest area for a short distance in this route.
Beyond Perumpadi, I guess it is standard route for all. Only update I can add from recent trip is that we have seen some repair work between Iritty and Mattannur which helped us cover this stretch in about 20-25 minutes. Beyond Mattannur, the road is very good and we reached Tellichery in about 30 minutes.

[ampere]

Fundamental Question:

If some one wants to hit Kutta and the surrounding regions of Waynad (North of Bathery, Kuruva etc), how does one choose betwee the Mysore-Gundlupet versus Mysore-Hunsur-Gonikoppal options?

Both distances seem to be approximately same and both have equal portions of bad roads:

Gundlupet side has Mysore-Nanjangud and Hunsur option has Hunsur Gonikoppal as a bad section.

[kala]

Originally Posted by ampere

Fundamental Question:

If some one wants to hit Kutta and the surrounding regions of Waynad (North of Bathery, Kuruva etc), how does one choose betwee the Mysore-Gundlupet versus Mysore-Hunsur-Gonikoppal options?

Both distances seem to be approximately same and both have equal portions of bad roads:

Gundlupet side has Mysore-Nanjangud and Hunsur option has Hunsur Gonikoppal as a bad section.

Choose the 3rd option via Nagarahole or the 4th via Kabini. Kuruva / Mananthavadi would be shorter through the latter route while Kutta would be shorter via Nagarahole.

All 4 routes have some bad stretches of approximately the same distance give or take 5 kms. So my choice would be to pick either the shortest or the most scenic..

[ampere]

Originally Posted by kala

Choose the 3rd option via Nagarahole or the 4th via Kabini. Kuruva / Mananthavadi would be shorter through the latter route while Kutta would be shorter via Nagarahole.

All 4 routes have some bad stretches of approximately the same distance give or take 5 kms. So my choice would be to pick either the shortest or the most scenic..

You mean to say take the Mananthvady road from Mysore and go past JLR Kabini and you would hit Kutta.
(Need to take the diversion around the forest right?)

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by ampere

Fundamental Question:

If some one wants to hit Kutta and the surrounding regions of Waynad (North of Bathery, Kuruva etc), how does one choose betwee the Mysore-Gundlupet versus Mysore-Hunsur-Gonikoppal options?

Both distances seem to be approximately same and both have equal portions of bad roads:

Gundlupet side has Mysore-Nanjangud and Hunsur option has Hunsur Gonikoppal as a bad section.

Just yesterday did a Calicut->Nilambur->Mysore->Bangalore trip. And the long awaited repair works on Mysore->Nanjangud section has already began and is on full swing (I think about 60 to 70 % done already) after the accident of the marriage party (about 30 killed) in one of the lakes near Mysore airport on the same stretch and many protests by locals demanding an immediate repair. After a very very long time (probably, an year or so), was able to cover Nanjangud to Mysore in about 30 minutes. Crossed Nanjangud 1.05 PM sharp and was near Mysore Palace by 1.30 PM. Heard from the workers that they are asked to finish the repair works in about a week as there are some inspection before new year.
In fact, work is being done from both ends and some intermediate places where the damage is the most severe. And of course, all the patchworks near the 3 lakes enroute have already been finished.

[kala]

Originally Posted by ampere

You mean to say take the Mananthvady road from Mysore and go past JLR Kabini and you would hit Kutta.
(Need to take the diversion around the forest right?)

Yes for Kuruva / Mananthavadi that would be the best choice (in spite of the diversion-yes, because the rest of the road is just fab)

I think Hunsur-Nagarahole would be the ideal choice if you were travelling to Kutta.

Edit : Additional clarification - The SH33 route doesn't touch Kutta - it goes through Bavali and reaches Kattikkulam. You will have to take a right turn at Kattikkulam and travel another 15-20 kms to reach Kutta, that's why I suggested the Hunsur-Nagarahole route for Kutta.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ajithbr

Just yesterday did a Calicut->Nilambur->Mysore->Bangalore trip. And the long awaited repair works on Mysore->Nanjangud section has already began and is on full swing (I think about 60 to 70 % done already) after the accident of the marriage party (about 30 killed) in one of the lakes near Mysore airport on the same stretch and many protests by locals demanding an immediate repair. After a very very long time (probably, an year or so), was able to cover Nanjangud to Mysore in about 30 minutes. Crossed Nanjangud 1.05 PM sharp and was near Mysore Palace by 1.30 PM. Heard from the workers that they are asked to finish the repair works in about a week as there are some inspection before new year.

Thats a long awaited work finally happening. Sad to say that, such works need a trigger point of an eventuality (Not sure if accident happened due to bad roads though). But I always wondered, what is so special about the Nanjangud-Mysore section, that these folks were not completing it as the other sections. (Nanjangud-Gubdlupet is very good).

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by ampere

But I always wondered, what is so special about the Nanjangud-Mysore section, that these folks were not completing it as the other sections. (Nanjangud-Gubdlupet is very good).

What is special here is that unlike Nanjangud-Gubdlupet section which was plain repair and retarring when it was declared part of NH-212, the Mysore-Nanjangud section is replanned for 6-lane upgradation (probably like Shimoga-Bhadravathy stretch), one of the many reasons being Mysore Airport falling on this stretch. Even though that is not an excuse, it is surely a reason why NHAI is hesitating to start patchworks on this stretch. Media reports that everything is in place for the work to start but small conflicts here and there due to road-straightening & some realignments especially approaching Nanjangud where both railway line & Kabini river runs close and parallel to the road.

[RajeshK]

Dear All,

Hunsur - Gonikkoppal is not as bad as expected. I still prefer this road now. I hv travelled through this road last friday night (Car=Punto with 205/55/15 tyre)). There are bad patches till you reach Coorg dist entrance, afterwards there is repair going on. Many of the potholes are filled up, but still there are a few. I could reach Perumpadi check post from hunsur within 1hr10minutes.

Compared to the periyaptna - siddapura road, this still has more patholes, but after taking both the route recently, I still prefer this route.

Thanks
Rajesh