The art of travelling between Bangalore - Mangalore/Udupi

dkamath · 22nd September 2009, 14:37

The Government made an announcement sometime last week that all Govt' buses will ply via. Shiradi-Hassan, and avoid the Madikeri route. Spotted a B'lore-bound Airavat on the Saturday afternoon, that had broken down just before the Okalipuram signal, with some fluid (engine oil/coolant) drained all over the road. I'm sure the damage would have been triggered after it passed along the Shiradi section.
For the ministers who hardly travel by road between these two cities, it is not wise to give such directives for the sake of the passengers and the poor bus itself. Imagine the plight of the passengers if the bus had given up somewhere earlier.

VBV · 23rd September 2009, 10:37

Has anybody here traveled on Shiradi (atleast from Saklheshpura to Gundya gate) after the opening on Sep 13? If so, how is the road now? Any idea on how long its going to take b/w Sakleshpura and Gundya gate?

sushrutha · 23rd September 2009, 10:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by VBV

Has anybody here traveled on Shiradi (atleast from Saklheshpura to Gundya gate) after the opening on Sep 13? If so, how is the road now? Any idea on how long its going to take b/w Sakleshpura and Gundya gate?

My colleague recently returned in this road from Kukke itseems.
He said one word " PATHETIC".

KishoreC · 23rd September 2009, 11:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by lohithrao

btw even i might be traveling to Mlore this weekend..

I'll be there next weekend (1st Oct). This weekend we're going to be in Hampi (again).

rajshenoy · 23rd September 2009, 11:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by sushrutha

My colleague recently returned in this road from Kukke itseems.
He said one word " PATHETIC".

That is what any new person on this road would say..

people who take this road often surely know how bad it was and it is since 2-3 years for now

I too heard that Shiradi is open and so there is heavy traffic again on the road. But taxi guys still prefer this over other routes

I am off to Mangalore this weekend and taking Madikeri route(Have some work in my native place near Sulya) so that is the reason behind choosing this route

lohithrao · 23rd September 2009, 11:29

Raj

, if the people had seen the condition 2years back they would find the present shape to be a heaven

btw am contemplating to go via Shiradi or Madikeri....or take a bus

but am sure wont get tickets heheh

Kishore, you seem to be in the mood to travel...good good this is the best time around the year to go around...(cant use anymore smilys hehe)

Quote:

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

That is what any new person on this road would say..

people who take this road often surely know how bad it was and it is since 2-3 years for now

I too heard that Shiradi is open and so there is heavy traffic again on the road. But taxi guys still prefer this over other routes

I am off to Mangalore this weekend and taking Madikeri route(Have some work in my native place near Sulya) so that is the reason behind choosing this route

StarVegabond · 23rd September 2009, 19:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by lohithrao

Star, 6months back i had been Shimoga - Hosanagar - Shimoga to Hosanagar is ok some places its rough but manageable and Hosanagar towards udupi is bad few kms...

Thanks Lohit,

i did this route yesterday, total 160KM till barkur took 4 hours w/o any breaks.

That explains everything, i believe. Hosanagar owards till Barkur is in bad shape.

@400Kph · 23rd September 2009, 19:56

@ Lohit , i am planning to travel to udupi in october for deepavali. Do let me know which route you took and the condition.I hate to travel by bus

lohithrao · 23rd September 2009, 21:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by @400Kph

@ Lohit , i am planning to travel to udupi in october for deepavali. Do let me know which route you took and the condition.I hate to travel by bus

400kph, take this route..

Bangalore - Hassana - Belur - Chickmagalur - Aldur - Balehonnur - Jayapura - Sringeri - Agumbe - Manipal - Udupi

Same with me, since i own a petrol car it turns out to be a bit expensive and even the road condition is not very encouraging but dont feel like traveling in bus

Morgul · 24th September 2009, 15:32

Just got back from my drive to Udupi-Gokarna. Here's my road status report

Bangalore - Magadi - Kunigal (Good) - Magadi road within Bangalore limits is in horrible state. But once you leave the city the road is one of the bext I've driven on. There is quite a bit of traffic, but this one beats the Nelamangala route any day.

Kunigal - Hassan (Average) - Road construction going on. Not really bad, but not too good either.

Hassan - Chikmaglur (Good) - Good stretch of roads.

Chikmaglur - Aldur - Balehonnur - Jayapura - Sringeri (Good) - This entire stretch is ghats. Roads are decent for the most part with a few rough patches here and there.

Sringeri - Agumbe - Manipal (Bad) - The road from Sringeri to Agumber is not that bad. But once you hit Agumbe, the road condition deteriorates progressively.After you descend from Agumbe (the series of hairpins), you hit the most horrible road in the stretch yet. Narrow roads and huge potholes makes life miserable. If you are in small car, you inevitably have to stop the car at each pothole and take it further slowly. The roads get marginally better as you go towards Manipal, but still not that great.

Manipal - Udupi (Average) - Nothing special. Just ordinary roads with potholes here and there.

Udupi - Gokarna (Mix of Horrible and Good roads) - The dreaded NH17. Yes, it is horrible for long enough to leave a bad impression about the roads. Huge potholes all over the roads. I noticed that the roads got worse as you near a town and then get better as you go away from them. This keeps happening for every town you hit on the way. For atleast 10-15 kms after Udupi, it was a nightmare. Eventually gets better as you travel northwards.

Gokarna - Honnavar - Sagar (Good) - Most of this is ghats, but the roads are just great.

Sagar -Shimoga - Tumkur Bangalore (Good) - Awesome roads for the most parts. Just beware of the lone deep pothole that shows up once in a while. While cruising at 90+ kmph, it can cause some dmg to small vehicles.

Hope this helps.

~Morgul

fast_elegance · 24th September 2009, 16:20

I happened to be in Mangalore last weekend for Eid celebrations.

I opted the KSRTC Airavath (volvo) for my travel. It costed 500 bucks for the ticket. The bookings were too much for friday night as it was a long weekend and i was (un)lucky to get the last seat i.e seat#44.

The bus took the hassan - shiradi ghat route as opposed to the madikeri - sampaje ghat route. I felt as if i was lying in a cradle all along from sakleshpur till Mangalore. I could also hear the Volvo's sides scraping the roads all along. It was a real sad sound to hear and the volvo's taking so much of beatings.

The bus left majestic at 11 PM and reached Mangalore at 7 AM.

While returning from Mangalore on tuesday night, again took the KSRTC volvo buses. But this time the bus took the sampaje - madikeri route. Did not realize the journey or the condition of roads much as i was lost in a deep sleep. Was in seat#15 this time.

Left Mangalore at 11:15 PM and reached Bangalore(majestic) at 8 AM.

rajshenoy · 24th September 2009, 16:21

Thanks Morgul

As of now this is the best road we have to travel to Udupi.. As we hardly have roads on other routes

lohithrao · 24th September 2009, 17:15

Poor Volvos are taking beating:( but they are maintaining the time...

btw if we take Magadi route how many kms will be added?

Morgul · 24th September 2009, 18:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by lohithrao

Poor Volvos are taking beating:( but they are maintaining the time...

btw if we take Magadi route how many kms will be added?

lohith,

I dont think it adds any additional distance. I did not quite measure the exact distance, but seeing the time taken, I think it almost the same if not lesser than the Nelamangala route.

~Morgul

sushrutha · 25th September 2009, 10:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by lohithrao

btw if we take Magadi route how many kms will be added?

Bangalore - Kunigal via Nelmangala is 74Kms
Bangalore - Kunigal via Magadi is also 74kms (BLR-Magadi =46 Magadi-Kunigal - 28kms)

22nd September 2009, 14:37	#1096
dkamath BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: BLR / MLR Posts: 579 Thanked: 162 Times	The Government made an announcement sometime last week that all Govt' buses will ply via. Shiradi-Hassan, and avoid the Madikeri route. Spotted a B'lore-bound Airavat on the Saturday afternoon, that had broken down just before the Okalipuram signal, with some fluid (engine oil/coolant) drained all over the road. I'm sure the damage would have been triggered after it passed along the Shiradi section. For the ministers who hardly travel by road between these two cities, it is not wise to give such directives for the sake of the passengers and the poor bus itself. Imagine the plight of the passengers if the bus had given up somewhere earlier.
	() Thanks

23rd September 2009, 10:37	#1097
VBV BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 227 Thanked: 6 Times	Has anybody here traveled on Shiradi (atleast from Saklheshpura to Gundya gate) after the opening on Sep 13? If so, how is the road now? Any idea on how long its going to take b/w Sakleshpura and Gundya gate?
	() Thanks

23rd September 2009, 19:56	#1103
@400Kph BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Bengalooru Posts: 143 Thanked: 8 Times	@ Lohit , i am planning to travel to udupi in october for deepavali. Do let me know which route you took and the condition.I hate to travel by bus
	() Thanks

24th September 2009, 15:32	#1105
Morgul BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 25 Thanked: 2 Times	Just got back from my drive to Udupi-Gokarna. Here's my road status report Bangalore - Magadi - Kunigal (Good) - Magadi road within Bangalore limits is in horrible state. But once you leave the city the road is one of the bext I've driven on. There is quite a bit of traffic, but this one beats the Nelamangala route any day. Kunigal - Hassan (Average) - Road construction going on. Not really bad, but not too good either. Hassan - Chikmaglur (Good) - Good stretch of roads. Chikmaglur - Aldur - Balehonnur - Jayapura - Sringeri (Good) - This entire stretch is ghats. Roads are decent for the most part with a few rough patches here and there. Sringeri - Agumbe - Manipal (Bad) - The road from Sringeri to Agumber is not that bad. But once you hit Agumbe, the road condition deteriorates progressively.After you descend from Agumbe (the series of hairpins), you hit the most horrible road in the stretch yet. Narrow roads and huge potholes makes life miserable. If you are in small car, you inevitably have to stop the car at each pothole and take it further slowly. The roads get marginally better as you go towards Manipal, but still not that great. Manipal - Udupi (Average) - Nothing special. Just ordinary roads with potholes here and there. Udupi - Gokarna (Mix of Horrible and Good roads) - The dreaded NH17. Yes, it is horrible for long enough to leave a bad impression about the roads. Huge potholes all over the roads. I noticed that the roads got worse as you near a town and then get better as you go away from them. This keeps happening for every town you hit on the way. For atleast 10-15 kms after Udupi, it was a nightmare. Eventually gets better as you travel northwards. Gokarna - Honnavar - Sagar (Good) - Most of this is ghats, but the roads are just great. Sagar -Shimoga - Tumkur Bangalore (Good) - Awesome roads for the most parts. Just beware of the lone deep pothole that shows up once in a while. While cruising at 90+ kmph, it can cause some dmg to small vehicles. Hope this helps. ~Morgul
	() Thanks

24th September 2009, 16:20	#1106
fast_elegance BHPian Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Mangalore/Bangalore Posts: 456 Thanked: 292 Times View My Garage	I happened to be in Mangalore last weekend for Eid celebrations. I opted the KSRTC Airavath (volvo) for my travel. It costed 500 bucks for the ticket. The bookings were too much for friday night as it was a long weekend and i was (un)lucky to get the last seat i.e seat#44. The bus took the hassan - shiradi ghat route as opposed to the madikeri - sampaje ghat route. I felt as if i was lying in a cradle all along from sakleshpur till Mangalore. I could also hear the Volvo's sides scraping the roads all along. It was a real sad sound to hear and the volvo's taking so much of beatings. The bus left majestic at 11 PM and reached Mangalore at 7 AM. While returning from Mangalore on tuesday night, again took the KSRTC volvo buses. But this time the bus took the sampaje - madikeri route. Did not realize the journey or the condition of roads much as i was lost in a deep sleep. Was in seat#15 this time. Left Mangalore at 11:15 PM and reached Bangalore(majestic) at 8 AM.
	() Thanks

24th September 2009, 16:21	#1107
rajshenoy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: bangalore Posts: 2,926 Thanked: 2,295 Times View My Garage	Thanks Morgul As of now this is the best road we have to travel to Udupi.. As we hardly have roads on other routes
	() Thanks

24th September 2009, 17:15	#1108
lohithrao Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Kudla/Mangaluru Posts: 3,203 Thanked: 226 Times View My Garage	Poor Volvos are taking beating:( but they are maintaining the time... btw if we take Magadi route how many kms will be added?
	() Thanks