[binand]

Originally Posted by arjithin

How is the Ch. Nagar - Gundlupet section? I will be taking this route on April 11th and expecting to reach this section around 730pm.

It has been now about 3 years since I moved to Bangalore and started driving this route to Calicut averaging once every 6-8 weeks - and this section has remained pretty much the same.

- The distance from Gundlupet to Ch. Nagar is about 35 km which you can do in about 35-45 minutes.
- The road is just wide enough for a bus+car. That is, maybe about 5m wide.
- The edges are jagged, so if you have to cross another vehicle be careful of the bumpy ride.
- There is ample soft shoulder on both sides (but watch out for the culverts), so going off the road needn't scare you. Probably in some distant future this road will be widened to a proper 2-laned one.
- It is tree-lined, shady and a pleasure to drive on. On our family trips we time it in such a way that we have a roadside picnic meal on this stretch.
- The road surface is extremely bumpy for most of this route. There is probably a few kms in between where resurfacing has been done, but that is not much.
- The resurfacing itself appears to me has been a sham job. The fresh surface has already gone, exposing the old surface in several areas.
- There is one big (for this stretch) town in between - Terakanambi - with a vibrant vegetable market. Try to avoid going through here when the market is open, as there could be traffic bottlenecks. 7:30 PM should not be a problem time.
- You will cross a private bus every 5-10 minutes. These guys drive pretty rashly. Be very careful (also note the points about the jagged edges, road width and soft shoulder).

As I said, this stretch is a constant for me so not a problem. But I have been observing the gradual degradation of the Ch. Nagar-Kollegal stretch (especially Yelandur-NH 209/212 junction) with increasing alarm. Hopefully NHAI has plans about fixing this section before it is too late.

[tharian]

Does the forest road between Gundlepet and Bathery close at 9pm or earlier? This is the Muthanga checkpost i am referring to.

[arjithin]

Originally Posted by tharian

Does the forest road between Gundlepet and Bathery close at 9pm or earlier? This is the Muthanga checkpost i am referring to.

Yes, the Muthanga checkpost closes at 9 PM. But if you are coming from BGLR side and manages to cross the Gundlupet checkpost before 9 PM, then Muthanga people will allow you to cross to Kerala side.

Same case while returning as well.

9 PM is relative and according to the checkpost clock, so plan for +/-10 minutes difference.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by tharian

Does the forest road between Gundlepet and Bathery close at 9pm or earlier? This is the Muthanga checkpost i am referring to.

Yes its 9PM to 6AM. If you have passed the check post earlier they will surely allow to leave the other side!

[arjithin]

Leaving for Calicut from Bangalore (HSR layout) tomorrow 4pm. PlAnning to take NH 219.
Anyone traveling at the same time?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by arjithin

Leaving for Calicut from Bangalore (HSR layout) tomorrow 4pm. PlAnning to take NH 219.
Anyone traveling at the same time?

4PM? How about the forest check post crossing part ? Hope you can manage it well withing time without pushing it.

[arjithin]

Originally Posted by ampere

4PM? How about the forest check post crossing part ? Hope you can manage it well withing time without pushing it.

I usually take 3.5 hrs to check post from nice road exit. Adding 30 MTS to reach nice road exit will give 60 MTS of buffer.

Trouble here is the vehicle checking due to elections. So now the plan is to leave by 3.30.

[Gokrish]

Originally Posted by arjithin

I usually take 3.5 hrs to check post from nice road exit. Adding 30 MTS to reach nice road exit will give 60 MTS of buffer.

Trouble here is the vehicle checking due to elections. So now the plan is to leave by 3.30.

If your travel group is all male, then it is ok. But if the inmates of the car includes ladies and/or kids, it would be better to be mindful of forest INMATES as you would probably be crossing this forest route after around 7 pm. In my last visit during October, we encountered a family of elephants with their calf standing on the road and it was around 6 pm in the evening.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by Gokrish

In my last visit during October, we encountered a family of elephants with their calf standing on the road and it was around 6 pm in the evening.

Elephants with calf can be dangerous if you get too close. However on Bandipur - Wayanad route elephants will be just 'crossing' the road, hence if you notice them just stop at a safe distance and wait for them to cross. And since you are already inside the forest area you don't need to worry about forest check-post closure timing.
This is somewhat difference to places like Chalakkudy- Valparai route where elephants use the road for a distance before crossing, meaning there is a better chance of you getting stuck if you coming opposite to the herd.

[binand]

Originally Posted by Gokrish

If your travel group is all male, then it is ok. But if the inmates of the car includes ladies and/or kids, it would be better to be mindful of forest INMATES as you would probably be crossing this forest route after around 7 pm. In my last visit during October, we encountered a family of elephants with their calf standing on the road and it was around 6 pm in the evening.

Didn't understand this - are you saying that elephants and other fauna are antagonistic to travel groups that include women or kids or both?

[Gokrish]

Originally Posted by binand

Didn't understand this - are you saying that elephants and other fauna are antagonistic to travel groups that include women or kids or both?

Good joke and appreciated. The apprehension was not about elephants getting antagonized of sex or age of guests of the forest, but wanted the member to be more careful of women or kids getting unduly anxious about the animals.

[binand]

Originally Posted by Gokrish

Good joke and appreciated. The apprehension was not about elephants getting antagonized of sex or age of guests of the forest, but wanted the member to be more careful of women or kids getting unduly anxious about the animals.

Heh. I will be anxious too, if a herd of wild elephants gave me undue attention. I expect that is the case with 99% of males. Heck, I'll be anxious even if a domesticated elephant gave me undue attention. Nothing gender-specific here.

[Gokrish]

Originally Posted by binand

Heh. I will be anxious too, if a herd of wild elephants gave me undue attention. I expect that is the case with 99% of males. Heck, I'll be anxious even if a domesticated elephant gave me undue attention. Nothing gender-specific here.

I think you had again misunderstood what I was trying to convey! Getting anxious after looking at a herd is different to getting nervy even before spotting one and generally women belong to the latter category (With due respect to them). And that way, fear is gender specific. And your anxiety was apparent from your choice of words!

[arjithin]

Originally Posted by binand

Heh. I will be anxious too, if a herd of wild elephants gave me undue attention. I expect that is the case with 99% of males.

I agree completely. Nothing gender specific here.
In fact the same elephant seen in this video

video

chased me and my family @Tholpetty wildlife sanctuary when we were returning from Thirunelly temple around noon. Saw death right in front of my eyes.

[arjithin]

Originally Posted by arjithin

I usually take 3.5 hrs to check post from nice road exit. Adding 30 MTS to reach nice road exit will give 60 MTS of buffer.

Trouble here is the vehicle checking due to elections. So now the plan is to leave by 3.30.

Started @3.55 pm from HSR, 4.30 pm @ nice road kanakapura road exit, 7.50 pm @Gundlupet( non stop). 7 police checks in between, but every one let us go seeing a baby and family.
30 mt break @ ccd. Lot of traffic inside forest just before closing the gates and got stuck @ muthanga checkpost for 10 mts.
Kalpetta @ 10 pm, home (chathamangalam) @ 11.25 pm.