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Detailed road update on my recent trip between Pune – Ooty – Munnar - Pune
Pune – Tumkur – Neelmangla
Apart from 3 diversions between Pune to Satara, the rest of the road is all good. Traffic congestion at Maharashtra side till Kolhapur. Poor facilities on NH48 once you enter Karnataka.
Kunigal – Bellur Cross
Good 4 lane road with good facilities throughout. Some road construction (relayer) work happening near Bellur cross hence you need to take 1-2 diversions.
Some interesting hill structures on the way
Nagamangala – Pandavpura – Mysore
All single lane road with ample amount of heavy duty speed breakers. A good amount of time gets wasted between Nagamangala and Pandavpura as lots of road works are happening in this entire patch (relayer). They have not made any diversion hence you need to share opposite lane where no one bothers about right of way.
Mysore – Nanjanagundu – Gundlupete
Mysore bypass is good with 4 lanes. Just watch for barricades placed by RTO at every exit. The towns of Nanjanadundu and Gundlupete has heavy two-wheeler traffic. Past Gundlupete the roads are good. Once you enter Bandipur Wildife Sanctuary you will come across numerous speed breakers as there are many wildlife crossing zones.
After exiting Mysore bypass
Entrance of Bandipur Tiger Reserve
Spotted few deers along route
Road inside Bandipur
Karnataka state border
Tamilnadu State
Entrance of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
Roads inside Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
Theppakadu – Masinagudi – Ooty
This patch consists of small and winding roads with beautiful scenery around. There are ample amount of Safari Jeeps who’s driver will wave you on your way for offering Safari.
As per them the Safari in Mudumalai is good as compared to Bandipur. They told that they charge Rs.200 per head or Rs.800 for full jeep for one family and take you into forest for 1 hour.
Ahead of Masinagudi starts a steep 36 hair pin bends route which will take you to Ooty. The roads are excellent without any potholes, they have concrete shoulders as well. The mirrors at available at each pin bend.
Junction near Theppakadu where left goes to Ooty via 36 hairpin bends and straight goes to Ooty via Gudalur side.
Road via Masinagudi
The counting starts in reverse from Masinagudi side towards Ooty side. Here is 36th hairpin bend out of total 36 bends
5th Hairpin bend out of 36.
Ooty – Kotagiri
Roads are single lane but excellent with indefinite windings. There is almost no facilities enroute till Kotagiri
Kotagiri – Mettupalayam – Annur – Avinashi
There is lot if congestion in Mettupalayam town. Few roads are one way which can make you lost in town easily. RoutO comes very handy here. Once you are out of Mettupalayam then congestion is minimized as you move to Annur. Excellent roads between Mettupalayam – Annur – Avinashi.
Palladam – Udumalpet - Palani – Dindigul
Roads are 4 lanes but they don’t have dividers. There is less traffic on road. The facilities are poor unless in Udumalpet and Dindigul. Keep a watchful eye on state transport buses and local drivers, they popup, turn and stop anytime anywhere. Udumalpet is one of the busiest town with good amount of congestion on road (too many jaywalkers). Once you reach Dindigul you can see ample number of restaurants and six lane divided highway.
Dindigul – Theni – Bodinayakanur
Excellent four lane road without divider. Poor facilities except fuel pumps. Traffic is thin and you can do triple digits on this. Watch out for sheeps and cattles on road.
Road from Dindigul to Munnar via Theni
Bodinayakanur – Munthal – Pooppara – Munnar
All good roads up to Munthal. The ghat section starts after Munthal which has good but very narrow roads. The road is curvy and has few hairpin bends. Pooppara to Munnar is also very narrow with tea estates on both side. Facilities are almost nonexistence after Bodinayakanur till Munnar.
Road at Bodinayakanur
Roads in ghat section after Munthal
Road in Munnar
Munnar – Marayoor
Road from Chinnakanal till Munnar town is closed for widening between 7:30am to 7:30pm. Somehow the work was stopped and it was kept open due to long weekends of Good Friday. The road has some 7-8 off-roading sections till Devikuluam, after which the road till Munnar town is good. Munnar town till Marayoor is excellent but narrow road with lot of small villages enroute. Facilities are almost nonexistence in this section
Road construction work in Munnar
Marayoor – Udumalpet – Palladam – Avinashi
Till Udumalpet you will have to run on narrow single lane road. The road in Chinnar Wildlife Sanctaury is very tight for passing two vehicles side by side simultaneously. Few potholes between Marayoor to Udumalpet. No facilities till Udumalpet. There is checkpost of KL – TN in this section. You need to open your luggage to show to cops, you also need to note your vehicle number and other details in there register at both KL side and TN side. Beware of monkeys on checkpost, they simply climb on your car and try to enter inside, please keep all windows rolled up.
The plains get started once you reach Udumalpet. There is excellent 4 lane road without divider till Avainashi. Facilities are good.
Kerala - Tamilnadu check post
Monkeys trying the enter inside car
Avinashi – Erode – Salem – Dharmapuri – Krishnagiri – Hosur – Bangalore
A straight away good six lane national highway till Bangalore. Facilities get increased as you approach near Hosur and Bangalore. Keep an eye for highway joiners from right side and the bikers near towns. Many trucks will join you as you cross Krishnagiri.
Bangalore – Tumkur – Kolhapur – Pune
As usual excellent roads throughout. Less congestion in Karnataka with poor facilities enroute. High congestion between Kolhapur to Umbraj. Facilities in Maharashtra side is good. Three diversions between Satara to Kapurhol.
Fastag : Though I do not have Fastag in my car, but saw dedicated fastag lanes throughout NH48 (Except on Hubli-Dharwad bypass). Few fastag lanes were very busy with trucks and volvos. Sometimes cash lanes were found faster than Fastag lanes.
Pune – Tumkur – Neelmangla
Apart from 3 diversions between Pune to Satara, the rest of the road is all good. Traffic congestion at Maharashtra side till Kolhapur. Poor facilities on NH48 once you enter Karnataka.
Kunigal – Bellur Cross
Good 4 lane road with good facilities throughout. Some road construction (relayer) work happening near Bellur cross hence you need to take 1-2 diversions.
Some interesting hill structures on the way
Nagamangala – Pandavpura – Mysore
All single lane road with ample amount of heavy duty speed breakers. A good amount of time gets wasted between Nagamangala and Pandavpura as lots of road works are happening in this entire patch (relayer). They have not made any diversion hence you need to share opposite lane where no one bothers about right of way.
Mysore – Nanjanagundu – Gundlupete
Mysore bypass is good with 4 lanes. Just watch for barricades placed by RTO at every exit. The towns of Nanjanadundu and Gundlupete has heavy two-wheeler traffic. Past Gundlupete the roads are good. Once you enter Bandipur Wildife Sanctuary you will come across numerous speed breakers as there are many wildlife crossing zones.
After exiting Mysore bypass
Entrance of Bandipur Tiger Reserve
Spotted few deers along route
Road inside Bandipur
Karnataka state border
Tamilnadu State
Entrance of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
Roads inside Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
Theppakadu – Masinagudi – Ooty
This patch consists of small and winding roads with beautiful scenery around. There are ample amount of Safari Jeeps who’s driver will wave you on your way for offering Safari.
As per them the Safari in Mudumalai is good as compared to Bandipur. They told that they charge Rs.200 per head or Rs.800 for full jeep for one family and take you into forest for 1 hour.
Ahead of Masinagudi starts a steep 36 hair pin bends route which will take you to Ooty. The roads are excellent without any potholes, they have concrete shoulders as well. The mirrors at available at each pin bend.
Junction near Theppakadu where left goes to Ooty via 36 hairpin bends and straight goes to Ooty via Gudalur side.
Road via Masinagudi
The counting starts in reverse from Masinagudi side towards Ooty side. Here is 36th hairpin bend out of total 36 bends
5th Hairpin bend out of 36.
Ooty – Kotagiri
Roads are single lane but excellent with indefinite windings. There is almost no facilities enroute till Kotagiri
Kotagiri – Mettupalayam – Annur – Avinashi
There is lot if congestion in Mettupalayam town. Few roads are one way which can make you lost in town easily. RoutO comes very handy here. Once you are out of Mettupalayam then congestion is minimized as you move to Annur. Excellent roads between Mettupalayam – Annur – Avinashi.
Palladam – Udumalpet - Palani – Dindigul
Roads are 4 lanes but they don’t have dividers. There is less traffic on road. The facilities are poor unless in Udumalpet and Dindigul. Keep a watchful eye on state transport buses and local drivers, they popup, turn and stop anytime anywhere. Udumalpet is one of the busiest town with good amount of congestion on road (too many jaywalkers). Once you reach Dindigul you can see ample number of restaurants and six lane divided highway.
Dindigul – Theni – Bodinayakanur
Excellent four lane road without divider. Poor facilities except fuel pumps. Traffic is thin and you can do triple digits on this. Watch out for sheeps and cattles on road.
Road from Dindigul to Munnar via Theni
Bodinayakanur – Munthal – Pooppara – Munnar
All good roads up to Munthal. The ghat section starts after Munthal which has good but very narrow roads. The road is curvy and has few hairpin bends. Pooppara to Munnar is also very narrow with tea estates on both side. Facilities are almost nonexistence after Bodinayakanur till Munnar.
Road at Bodinayakanur
Roads in ghat section after Munthal
Road in Munnar
Munnar – Marayoor
Road from Chinnakanal till Munnar town is closed for widening between 7:30am to 7:30pm. Somehow the work was stopped and it was kept open due to long weekends of Good Friday. The road has some 7-8 off-roading sections till Devikuluam, after which the road till Munnar town is good. Munnar town till Marayoor is excellent but narrow road with lot of small villages enroute. Facilities are almost nonexistence in this section
Road construction work in Munnar
Marayoor – Udumalpet – Palladam – Avinashi
Till Udumalpet you will have to run on narrow single lane road. The road in Chinnar Wildlife Sanctaury is very tight for passing two vehicles side by side simultaneously. Few potholes between Marayoor to Udumalpet. No facilities till Udumalpet. There is checkpost of KL – TN in this section. You need to open your luggage to show to cops, you also need to note your vehicle number and other details in there register at both KL side and TN side. Beware of monkeys on checkpost, they simply climb on your car and try to enter inside, please keep all windows rolled up.
The plains get started once you reach Udumalpet. There is excellent 4 lane road without divider till Avainashi. Facilities are good.
Kerala - Tamilnadu check post
Monkeys trying the enter inside car
Avinashi – Erode – Salem – Dharmapuri – Krishnagiri – Hosur – Bangalore
A straight away good six lane national highway till Bangalore. Facilities get increased as you approach near Hosur and Bangalore. Keep an eye for highway joiners from right side and the bikers near towns. Many trucks will join you as you cross Krishnagiri.
Bangalore – Tumkur – Kolhapur – Pune
As usual excellent roads throughout. Less congestion in Karnataka with poor facilities enroute. High congestion between Kolhapur to Umbraj. Facilities in Maharashtra side is good. Three diversions between Satara to Kapurhol.
Fastag : Though I do not have Fastag in my car, but saw dedicated fastag lanes throughout NH48 (Except on Hubli-Dharwad bypass). Few fastag lanes were very busy with trucks and volvos. Sometimes cash lanes were found faster than Fastag lanes.