Bangalore to Trivandrum via Tirunelveli, Nagercoil - Indian Roadie Preferred Route, Motoring Route, Driving Route, best route for road trip

 

Indian Roadie Preferred Route, Motoring Route, Driving Route, best route for road trip from 

Bangalore to Trivandrum (#Bangalore_Trivandrum) 

Option 1:
via Dindigul, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil:
Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Salem - Karur - Dindigul - Madurai outskirts - Thirumangala - Virudhunagar - Sattur - Kovilpatti - Tirunelveli bypass (KTC Nagar) - Kavalkinaru junction (NH44 and NH944), turn right and continue on NH944 - Nagerkovil (Nagercoil) - Marthandam - Trivandrum.
Road conditions and distances:
* Bangalore to Tirunelveli Bypass (KTC Nagar) is excellent 4 or 6 lane road with median divider = 585 kms/ 9 hrs.
* Tirunelveli (KTC Nagar) (NH44) to Kavalkinaru Junction (crossing of NH44 and NH944) is excellent 4 or 6 lane road with median divider = 63 kms/ 1 hr.
* Kavalkinaru Junction (crossing of NH44 and NH944) to Nagercoil (crossing of NH944 and NH66) decent 2 lane road = 22 kms.
* Nagercoil to Trivandrum International Airport crossing via bypass/ NH66 is decent but 2 lane road with heavy traffic = 67 kms.
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Option 2:
via Salem, Coimbatore bypass, Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Alleppey.
Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Salem - Coimbatore bypass - Palakkad - Thrissur - Aluva - Ernakulam - Alleppey - Kallambalam - Trivandrum International Airport crossing.
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* 'Motoring Route Of India' is an initiative by Indian Roadie, India's most admired road travel and automotive forum for matured roadies.

Programme for Raid de Himalaya Adventure 2018 and Raid De Himalaya Xtreme 2018

The schedule/ programme for Raid de Himalaya Adventure 2018.




The schedule/ programme for Raid De Himalaya Xtreme 2018.



Courtesy: Raid De Himalaya

Mana, the last Indian village should be a must visit, must see for every roadie driving to the holy Badrinath Temple

Mana is a pretty little village that sits 3 kms away from the holy town of Badrinath (Uttarakhand). Mana is popularly known as 'The last Indian Village'. The village offers grand views of majestic mountains and gushing sound of the river flowing by.  The small little traditional huts give the impression of a laid back feeling to Mana. The entire combination of peace and beauty would make anyone sit and think of leaving his/ her current profession and settle there. 

Apart from the scenic view that Mana has to offer, it also has an intriguing history that goes way back to the ancient times when Mahabharata was written. The pretty village boasts of being a centre to places such as the Vyas Gufa, where Ved Vyas complied the four Vedas and narrated the Mahabharata. Then there's the Bhim Pul. Bhim supposedly placed a large rock over the river connecting two parts of the hill where Saraswati River originates.

The villagers there are known for their weaving skills. The hand woven carpets, shawls, caps and sweaters are simple yet beautiful.

One has to park own vehicle at the border of the village and from there explore everything that the village has to offer on foot. Nobody will ever complain about the short walk for sure!

This quaint little charming hamlet should be a must visit and must see in every roadie's itinerary whenever they plan visiting Badrinath temple.

Mana is just a 10 minute drive from the holy shrine.

Road trip to Jakhu Temple, near Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

A huge statue of Hanuman at the Jakhu Temple, near Shimla, Himachal Pradesh dwarfs the tall deodar trees which grows in abundance along the hillsides.
Photo credit: Yashav

Who are the other IndianRoadie followers who have visited the Jakhu Temple? Let's hear your stories.
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* Only While Traveling By Road In India

Heavy snowfall in Shimla in January 2017, vehicular movements suspended

Travel photographer Yashav faced unprecedented snowfall in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh during his visit to the capital city in the Himalayan state in January 2017.
Roads were extremely slippery. All vehicular movements were suspended by the authorities for a few days.
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* Only While Traveling By Road In India

Road update from Bangalore to Mangalore, Mysore to Mangalore after heavy rains, landslides, flooding as on 2018-08-18

Status of road condition to Coastal Karnataka, viz. Bangalore to Mangalore, Mysore to Mangalore in August 2018:

1. Bangalore to Mangalore/ Dharmastala Via Hassan - Belur - Kottighehara road : Charmadi Ghat is open for Traffic, bad roads and heavy traffic, landslide alerts, carry food and water.

2. Mysore to Mangalore via Madikeri road : Closed indefinitely till further orders. Roads totally damaged due to landslide.

3. Bangalore to Mangalore/ Subramanya Via Sakleshpura - Uppinangadi : Shiradi ghat road is closed till August 25th, 6AM.

4. Bangalore to Mangalore/ Kannur/Karwar via Hassan : Train Service remains suspended. Fresh landslides in Yeddumeri.

5. Bangalore to Mangalore KSRTC bus : Only Sarige (Red bus) plying via Charmadi. Rajahamsa, Sleeper, Ambari, Airavat, Fly bus remains suspended.

6. Bangalore to Mangalore/ Udupi/ Kundapura Private buses : Sleeper and AC Sleeper night buses some plying via Charmadi and some via Hulikal, Shimoga. Volvo, Scania services has been stopped.

7. Bangalore to Mangalore Flight : Airlines are still charging fares around 3K to 4K.

8. Mangalore to Ernakulam/ Coimbatore side trains remain suspended after Kuttipuram. Also inbound from KL & TN towards North and West  passing through Mangalore remains cancelled.

9. Kasargod/ Kannanghad to Bangalore/ Mysore via Sullya all ghat roads are closed. Only way is via Mangalore, Belthangady, Charmadi or via. Puttur, Uppinangadi, Charmadi.

10. Charmadi is jam packed and roads have deteriorated. For small vehicles better option would be:
Bangalore - Sringeri - Kerekatte - Karkala -Mangalore. 
or
Bangalore - Sringeri - Agumbe -  Mangalore.
Either of these two will be available, if not Bangalore - Shivamogga - Thirthahalli -sthikatte Hulikal - kundapur - udupi.

Moreover, someone drove Bangalore -  Mangalore - Udipi - Kollur - Murudeswar - Gokarna. Returned from Gokarna to Bangalore via Chitradurga.
However, road is almost non-existent from Kundapur to Byndoor.

Note: Information from people who physically drove on these routes.

Old workhorse 'Shaktiman' on Siang River bed near Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh

Respect for 'Shaktiman', the badass machine.
Photographed in September 2016 at Ranaghat, Siang River, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh. 
The location, Ranaghat is about 275 kms/ 7 hrs drive from Itanagar via NH15, NH515. Important towns enroute are Dhemaji, Jonai, Pasighat.
Photo: Kall.
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* Only While Traveling By Road In India 
* Must See
* MustVisit
* Siang River
* Arunachal Pradesh

Scenic view from the banks of Hooghly River in Fuleshwar

That's Phuleshwar (Fuleshwar), an erstwhile bustling industrial town on the banks of Hooghly River in Howrah district, WestBengal.
It has got a beautiful scenic view.
Fuleshwar is barely a 40 kms/ 60 minutes drive from Victoria Memorial in Kolkata via Vivekananda Setu, Dhulagarh toll plaza.

If marketed well, West Bengal could have literally become a destination location for travelers from across India and overseas.

Photo credit: Debasish Bose.
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* Bengal Trails
* Only while traveling by road in India

Indian Roadie Vanlife dreams - 001

I (Deep Banerjee, Founder - IndianRoadie) keep dreaming of a vanlife within India.
I will never be able to afford this chocolate beauty, but maybe something many times smaller and older will help me to fructify my dreams.
Have you ever dreamt of a vanlife?
If NO, why?
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* Indian Roadie Vanlife

Photoblog of a weekend road trip from Kolkata to Bichitrapur Mangrove Sanctuary (Orissa)

Photoblog of a weekend road trip from Kolkata to Bichitrapur Mangrove Sanctuary (Orissa/ Odisha).
Bichitrapur is a huge mangrove swamp, about 14 kms beyond the popular beach town of Digha.
Roadies need to follow SH57 and drive past past Talsari Beach.

Incidentally, Kolkata to Digha via Kolaghat, Contai = 200 kms.

Roadies need to park their cars/ bikes after reaching Bichitrapur and board a motor boat for a 15 minutes ride till the island at the confluence of the river and Bay of Bengal. Motor boats normally charge Rs.1,000 - 1,200 for upto 8 persons. The boat will leave you at the island for 20 - 30 minutes and return to pick you up.

There are no staying facilities in Bichitrapur.
It's best to stay in hotels in Digha, New Digha or Talsari.

Photo credit: Madhumita Biswas Chakraborty. All the photos are from Bichitrapur.

Candida Louis to ride Bangalore to Sydney across 10 Countries, 28000 kms in 120 days in 2018

Candida Louis (my friend and Indian Roadie follower) and Skye (her motorcycle) are going on the ultimate overland journey! All the way from Bangalore to Sydney riding across 10 Countries, 28000+km in 120 days. Skye is going to be her only company and together they are going to conquer varied terrains and torrid weather. They are also hoping to conquer the hearts of the people they meet along the way. Absolutely cannot wait.

She has no words to thank so many people who helped her plan and execute this ride and she is ever so grateful for this opportunity. She thanks God for everything.

This is just a small tribute to Alistair Farland Tribute and his family.

More details to follow.

# Bajaj
# Indian Roadie Women stories
# The Bikerni
# Alistair Farland Tribute

Photo Courtesy: HillCast Studios, Ajay Singh Photographer

Indian Roadie Preferred Hotel, viz Mayfair Palm Beach Resort at Gopalpur-on-Sea, Orissa

Photoblog of Mayfair Palm Beach Resort following Subhodev Chatterjee's trip to Gopalpur-on-Sea, Orissa in August 2018.
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* Indian Roadie Preferred Hotel

Street art at a building in Church Street, Bangalore

Street art on Church Street, Bangalore, Karnataka.
Photo credit: @bhaskarnh

If you are a resident of Bangalore or have visited Bangalore for work or vacation, have you seen this particular work of art on this building?
Where in India have you spotted the maximum number of street art?
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* Street Art On Indian Roadie

War memorial at Rezangla enroute Pangong Lake to Tso Moriri in August 2018

Signboard indicating the distance of a memorial at Rezangla on Pangong to Tso Moriri route in memory of 118 Kumaon Regiment soldiers who lost their lives fighting with the Chinese army in 1962.
Pangong to Tso Moriri (190 kms) is pure off roading for bikers.

Photo and content credit: Dk Pandit (crossed the signage by car in August 2018), Manu Mehandiratta (crossed the signage by motorcycle in May 2018).

Floods in Kerala wef mid July 2018, but men will be men

Floods in Kerala, God's Own Country from mid-July 2018.
Cars & bikes can't roll.
However, men are men.
Self motivated men in Kerala find indigenous means to enjoy themselves on roads even when they are away from the steering or the saddle!
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Only While Traveling By Road In India

Nagpur - Noida road trip of 1100 kms in 15 hrs in November 2016 by Hyundai i20 petrol

Roadie Shekhar Patil drove Nagpur to Noida (Nagpur-Noida) on the first Sunday of November 2016 in 15 hours in his Hyundai i20 petrol.
Total distance: 1100 kms.
Route: Nagpur - Chindwara - Sagar - Jhaṅsi - Gwalior - Morena - Agra - Delhi.
Took off from Nagpur - Betul road at Saoner.
Great road except Jhansi - Gwalior section which NHAI has possibly forgotten if it exists.
Nagpur - Betul toll road, according to him is one of the best stretches built by NHAI so far. He found it better then Yamuna Expressway.
Apparently this route has least facilities for highway users. One has to find a neat and clean dhaba for food with some difficulty. For restrooms, gas stations are the best bet.
However, there were good decent restaurants on Sagar Bypass and Lalitpur Bypass.

Volvo to double sales thro' new launches in India

- Secondary research
- car sales

VW India bets on compact SUVs

Secondary research