Re: Bangalore - Goa : Route Queries We went to Goa last weekend. I wanted to update route details and road condition. Onward journey was Mysore - Srirangapatna - Pandavpura - Melukote - CR Patna - Arsikere - Kadur - Tarikere - Shimoga - Sagara - Honnavar - Kumta - Karwar - Goa (Canacona)
Decision to take this route onward was because of the incessant rain in Dakshina Kannada and unknown road condition in Sampaje, Sullya, Puttur due to tremors and landslides. The Shimoga route was suggested by a Coorgi friend, in case of night driving. We (my wife, two of our friends and myself) left from Mysore in our VW Taigun 1.0 TSI MT at 7pm and reached Goa at 6am with a dinner stop at CR Patna.
Roads between Mysore to Srirangapatna are a mix of good stretches and yet to be made patches due to ongoing expressway construction. After that till Jaknahalli (Melukote), the road is good. From Melukote to Shravanabelagola, roads are very narrow surrounded by dense vegetation with many tough patches.
Finding a place for Dinner at CR Patna was challenging and we repented not having carried food from Mysore itself. Immediately after crossing the Bangalore - Mangalore highway onto Arsikere road, it worsens a lot. The road all the way upto Shimoga is in a very bad state. Average speed was less than 60kmph for most part of it. After Shimoga the roads are very good and well marked all the way upto Kumta
Between Kumta and Karnataka-Goa border road widening is still underway, so there are a few bad patches to look out for. You have to be especially careful in the section since the road shifts between single carriageway and double carriageway frequently without warning.
On the return leg took the decision of sticking to my usual route that I was well versed with after speaking to the Coorgi friend Dr. KCK who confirmed that rain had reduced and there was no waterlogging.
Route taken was Goa (Agonda) - Karwar - Kumta - Honnawar - Bhatkal - Maravanthe - Kundapur - Udupi - Mangalore - Bantwal - Puttur - Sullia - Sampaje - Madikeri - Kushalnagar - Periyapatna - Hunsur - Mysore. Departed Goa after breakfast at Treetop Tava, Agonda at 11am and reached Mysore at 11.30pm with a break at Mangalore for 1.5 hours and a 15minute stop at Maravanthe.
The roads were great throughout except some patches of rough roads between Mangalore to Adyar and some patches where road widening is underway till Bantwal. Post this roads were really awesome, super smooth all the way to Mysore. Really applaudable that despite the rains the roads were in great shape. No landslides anyway all the way upto two spots in the vicinity of Madekeri. One was at a place 14km away from Madikeri and the other at 5.5km from Madikeri in the Madikeri-Mekeri road (this diversion has to be taken due to the recent breach of the retaining wall adjacent to Madikeri DC office at the start of the Mangalore road from Madikeri just after the petrol pump at this circle. Really pity of the KSRTC Airavat buses having to take this narrow stretch upto Thalatmane.
I will take this route to Goa anyday compared to the one through shimoga just to avoid the section between CR patna to Shimoga especially if driving at Night. Between Tarikere and Shimoga, there are many spots with multiple speedbreakers (more than 10 together) which have no warning signs, this adds to the discomfort waking up the other occupants each time I missed noticing these in advance. Only after Shimoga, did the wife and our friends have good sleep, after that they woke up when i stopped for a coffee break near Jog falls diversion and after that they again could sleep comfortably till Karwar.
Whether driving in the morning or night time, I would recommend driving through Madikeri - Mangalore route if there is no waterlogging and if you don't own a Mahindra Thar or Isuzu V cross or any other proper SUV for getting past waterlogged areas safely.
P.S.: I posted this in the Bangalore - Goa thread since I felt it will help more people that way. Moderators please attach to appropriate thread if necessary. |