Many Ghat Roads can be found in the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu, Southern India. Nearly all of the district is located in the Nilgiri Hills, part of the Western Ghats mountains. This area borders the states of Karnataka and Kerala. The hills consequently can be reached by road from three states. Most of these Ghat Roads go through heavily forested mountains and contain a number of sharp hair-pin bends.
There are five main Ghat Roads leading into the Nilgiris: [1]
Route: Erode-Gobichettipalayam-Sathyamangalam-Mettupalayam-Aravenu-Kotagiri-Ooty
The Kotagiri Ghat is the oldest known route into the Nilgiris. It approximately follows the route taken by John Sullivan on his discovery trips in 1819. The distance between Mettupalayam and Kotagiri on this road is 33 km and it has only 4 hair pin bends. This road is part of State Highway 15. It is slightly less travelled as it is a slightly longer route from Mettupalayam to Ooty than the route via Coonoor, though as of 2012 the road condition is superior to the Coonoor Ghat road. It is also statistically less vulnerable to landslips. It is possible to divert from this route to Coonoor. There is a link from Aravenu to Bandishola.
Travellers reach Mettupalayam from Coimbatore and from Chennai via Erode and Gobichettipalayam.
Route: Coimbatore-Mettupalayam-Kallar-Burliar-Coonoor-Ooty-Pykara
This is also known as the Kallar Ghat, as it follows the valley of the Kallar and Coonoor rivers. It is by far the most traveled of all the Ghat Roads as it is the main access from the home state of Tamil Nadu. It has 14 numbered Hairpin bends and was recently (c.2003) taken over to be owned and maintained by the National Highways Authority of India and is now part of National Highway 181 . Previously a toll had to be paid for vehicles entering the Nilgiris district at the village of Burliar, which also provides a rest stop on the route.[ citation needed ]
The road was shut in 2010 due to landslides caused by heavy rains in the region. [2] Subsequently, the National Highways Authority of India had the road re-laid which got eroded, again due to rains. [3] In 2012, the Highways Department decided to initiate criminal proceedings against the NHAI, under Section 133 of Criminal Penal Code, dealing with acts endangering human life, due to non maintenance of the road. [4]
Route: Gundlupet-Bandipur-Mudumalai-Gudalur-Ooty
This is also simply known as the Mysore Ghat or Mysore Road. It is the main access route from Karnataka and Kerala. Travellers from Karnataka reach Gundlupet via the Mysore-Gundlupet National Highway 212 and travellers from Kerala reach Gudalur via the continuation of National Highway 212 from Kozhikode-Sultan Bathery.
One traveller commented about this route: "The road from Mysore is arguably the most scenic with a long stretch that runs through the Mudumalai National Park, and if travelling in the early morning or late evening, you will definitely spot wildlife feeding along the road, even the odd carnivore. There are majestic stands of Eucalyptus amidst well tended tea estates as you near Gudalur, and then you drive past the Pykara Dam and Pykara falls".
As with the Coonoor Ghat, from 2003-2006 this route was in a terrible state of repair. This route towards Gudalur from Ooty is the continuation of the same "National Highway" NH67 which makes up the Coonoor Ghat. National Highway 67 terminates in Gudulur where it joins National Highway 212 towards Gundlupet.
Route: Mudumalai-Kalhatti-Ooty
This is also known as Kalhatti Ghat (or simply 'Steep Ghat'). There is a short-cut branch off the Gudalur ghat at Theppakadu in Mudumalai. This route saves approximately 30 km (19 mi) on the standard Gudalur route, though it is by far the steeper route and is generally limited to short wheel-base vehicles. It has 36 hairpin bends and is closed overnight.
Route: Karamadai(Coimbatore)-Athikadavu-Mulli-Geddai-Manjoor-Kundha Dam-Yedakadu-Mount Lawrence (Avalanji Road)-Emerald Cross Road-Muthurai Palada-Fern Hill-Ooty
This is a smaller ghat for local Coimbatore city traffic towards Ooty, and is used as a backup road on the rare occasions that both the Coonoor Ghat and the Kotagiri Ghat are closed. The road is narrow with 48 hairpin bends below Manjoor. At Geddai, near the bottom of the ghat at 1,885 feet (575 m) there are two hydroelectric power stations . From Manjoor, at the top of the ghat, the distance is equidistant to either Ooty or Coonoor via other district roads. ODR. [5]
Until recently, all access roads to the Nilgiri hills were toll roads in order to facilitate the high maintenance costs. Roads are now in much better condition that a few years ago. However, it is not uncommon for a route to be closed for several days or even weeks due to landslips. If so traffic is usually diverted onto one of the other ghats. The Nilgiris have been totally cut off on all routes on rare occasions. As the supply infrastructure depends on these routes, any road activity (such as a closure) is reflected in the prices. During the main tourist season, a one-way system is implemented between the first two ghat roads mentioned. Uphill traffic goes from Coimbatore to Ooty via Coonoor, whereas downhill traffic goes from Ooty to Coimbatore via Kotagiri.
Ooty, abbreviated as Udagai) is a town and municipality in the Nilgiris district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located 86 km (53 mi) northwest of Coimbatore, and is the headquarters of Nilgiris district. Situated in the Nilgiri hills, it is known by the epithet "Queen of Hill Stations", and is a popular tourist destination.
The Nilgiris district is one of the 38 districts in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Nilgiri is the name given to a range of mountains spread across the borders among the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. The Nilgiri Hills are part of a larger mountain chain known as the Western Ghats. Their highest point is the mountain of Doddabetta, height 2,637 m. The district is contained mainly within the Nilgiri Mountains range. The administrative headquarters is located at Ooty. The district is bounded by Coimbatore to the south, Erode to the east, and Chamarajnagar district of Karnataka and Wayanad district of Kerala to the north. As it is located at the junction of three states, namely, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, significant Malayali and Kannadiga populations reside in the district. Nilgiris district is known for natural mines of Gold, which is also seen in the other parts of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve extended in the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Kerala too.
Coonoor, is a taluk and a municipal town of the Nilgiris district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. As of 2011, the town had a population of 45,494. The town sits at the south-east corner of the Nilgiri plateau, and at the head of the Coonoor Ghat, the principal pass connecting the Nilgiris to the plains. It is 363 miles by rail from Chennai and 12 miles from Ooty. The town is built within the picturesque Jackatalla valley (Jagathala), surrounded by wooded hills.
Wellington is a town in the Nilgiris District of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located at three kilometres to the north of Coonoor on the NH-181. The town includes a Wellington Bazaar, and the Wellington Cantonment. The Wellington Cantonment is home to The Madras Regimental Centre (MRC) and The Defence Services Staff College (DSSC). The Nilgiri passenger train passes through Wellington, which also has a railway station.
Karamadai is a town located near Mettupalayam, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on Coimbatore - Ooty NH 67. Nearby places are Teachers colony, Press Colony, Jodhipuram and Periyanaickenpalayam. The Ranganathaswamy temple and Nanjundeswarar temple are the most prominent landmarks in the town. The place of Karamadai came into limelight due to the presence of ex-steel giant Sri Ramakrishna Steel Industries.
Mettupalayam is a municipality town and Taluk headquarters of Mettupalayam Taluk in the Coimbatore district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, a suburb of Coimbatore. It is the second largest town in the Coimbatore district after Pollachi. It is located to the north of Coimbatore city on the way to Ooty, in the foothills of Nilgiri hills. As of 2011, the town had a population of 69,213. Mettupalayam railway station is the starting point of Nilgiri Mountain Railway and it operates the only rack railway in India connecting Ooty and Mettupalayam.
Ketti also called Ketti Valley is a small town nestled in a large valley of the same name. It is located in The Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu State, South India and is a Revenue Village of Coonoor Taluk. Upper Ketti is another village called Yellanahalli, which is located on the main Coonoor to Ooty road.
The Nilgiri Mountains form a part of the Western Ghats in northwestern Tamil Nadu, southern Karnataka and eastern Kerala in South India. They are located at the trijunction of the three states and connect the Western Ghats to the Eastern Ghats. At least 24 of the Nilgiri Mountains' peaks are above 2,000 m (6,600 ft), with the highest peak being Doddabetta at 2,637 m (8,652 ft).
Burliar is a Panchayat village in Coonoor Taluk of The Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu, India. Situated on the ghat road from Mettupalayam to Coonoor, Burliar is a popular rest stop with several small shops and restaurants. It has a government horticulture farm that was started in 1871.
The Nilgiri Express is a night express train service operating between Chennai Central and Mettupalayam, Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, India. It is operated by Indian Railways.
Chembakolli is a village in the south of India, in the Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu. It is located in the Nilgiri Hills. Chembakolli's closest town is Gudalur and its closest city is Mysore and Coimbatore to south of Nilgiris district.
State Highway 15 (Tamil Nadu) (SH-15) is a State Highway maintained by the Highways Department of Government of Tamil Nadu. It connects Erode with Udagamandalam (Ooty) in the western part of Tamil Nadu.
Frog Hill View Point is a tourist spot in Gudalur, Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu. It is about 12 km from Gudalur on the way of Gudalur-Ooty road.
Salem division is one of the six divisions of Southern Railway zone. Its headquarters is at Salem, Tamil Nadu.
National Highway 181, commonly referred to as NH 181, is a highway connecting the city of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu to Gundlupete in Karnataka state, South India. The city of Mysuru is connected to Ooty by road via Nanjanagudu, Gundlupete, Bandipur and Gudalur. The national highway 181 passes through Bandipur Tiger Reserve and Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, hence vehicular traffic is restricted at night from 9 p.m to 6 a.m. Wild animals like elephants, bison, bears, tiger, and leopards can be spotted sometimes on this highway in the tiger reserve stretches. NH 181 after Ooty goes to Coonoor, Mettupalayam, Karamadai and ends in Coimbatore city.
The district capital of Wayanad is Kalpetta town. Kalpetta has very good road connectivity with the rest of Kerala and neighboring South Indian cities. National Highway 766 (India) NH766 connects Kalpetta with Kozhikode and Mysore. State Highways connect Kalpetta with Ooty in Tamil Nadu and Madikeri in Karnataka.
Mulligoor is a village in the Kundah taluk of Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu State, India. It is situated 10 kilometers away from sub-district headquarters Kundah and 30 kilometers from district headquarters Ooty. The main cultivation in Mulligoor is tea growing. This area surrounding Mulligoor is also very rich in wildlife.
Mysore-Ooty Road or Mysore-Udhagamandalam Road is a tourist trail of South India starting from Mysore in Karnataka state and ending in Udhagamandalam in Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu state, India. Both routes pass through Bandipur National park in Gundlupet, Karnataka and Mudumalai National Park in Tamil Nadu.
The Coimbatore–Chamrajnagar line is a proposed railway line from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu to Chamrajnagar in Karnataka. It is a part of the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways. Upon construction, this line would connect Western Tamil Nadu with Karnataka. The line would give direct rail connectivity between Coimbatore and Mysore and would reduce the travel distance from Coimbatore to Mysore and Bangalore. It would also connect Tamil Nadu with the Southern districts of Karnataka.
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