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Travel between Kannur and Bengaluru has become a test of endurance, with passengers navigating dangerous potholes, half-finished construction, and congested stretches of road. What should be a straightforward seven-to-eight-hour journey is now delayed by at least one and a half hours, often leaving drivers and commuters exhausted.
The stretch that causes the most distress includes the Virajpet region in Karnataka, the Makkoottam Mountain Pass in Kannur district, and the adjoining ghat sections. These winding roads, already notorious for being narrow, have deteriorated drastically since July–August last year. Travellers complain of the increased number of accidents that occur on the highway because of poor road conditions.
"The road stretching from Makkoottam Mountain Pass to a restaurant named Coorg Gate and from there to Gonikoppa are the worst parts of the entire journey,” said Varun Rajendran, a Senior Chief Engineer working in Bengaluru.
Another regular commuter, Abhilash Kumar PKG, an IT engineer, pointed out the unevenness of the route: “If the road is good at the higher elevation of the pass, then the road close to the valley floor is bad. If one part is smooth to travel, the other part is under construction. So as a whole, it has never been a smooth journey.”
The winding roads of the ghat roads are not only battered by potholes but have also been subject to unscientific asphalting practices. New layers of asphalt are repeatedly added over old ones, raising road levels and creating deeper craters when potholes form. “The roads have been like this for the past two years, and it gets worse during the monsoons. The issue has become worse because the construction hasn’t been completed,” said Renjith Thomas, a startup founder based in Bengaluru.
Adding to the misery are the huge potholes in the Koottupuzha ghat road near the Forest guard post which has been operating with only one usable lane as the other side remains broken and unrepaired. Vehicles inching past in a single file often lead to bottlenecks.
Meanwhile, roadwork for a Virajpet bypass has only worsened congestion. The bitumen mix has been stripped away over months, leaving rough stretches that slow down traffic further.
Frustrated travellers have begun voicing their concerns collectively. A Bengaluru resident who frequently commutes said he is part of a WhatsApp group where passengers share updates and complaints about the route. However, alternative routes offer little respite—most are either longer or temporarily closed, leaving commuters with no choice but to endure the treacherous mountain pass.
For Kannur natives living in Bengaluru, the ordeal has even cut down trips home. The road that once connected two cities is now, as one passenger described, “a journey of near-escapes.”