Forest guard only allows TN vehicles (private vehicle). All others needs to go back to Gudalur for Masanakudi or for Mysore.
There are two roads to Masinagudi, the longer route is 68kms and this route is 23kms but has very steep decline. They reduce vehicles on this route due to accidents while driving down to Masinagudi, so they only allow vehicles going to resort on the way and not vehicles going beyond that. But the time you reach this checkpost, they would've verified where you are going to at the Thalaikundha checkpost and only then you are allowed to enter this road. After driving 6 kms, you arrive at this Kalhatty checkpost, the officer will simply turn you away citing collector order but will let you pass if you pay 100rs, if you don't want to pay you'll have to drive back to Thalaikundha and then take the Gudalur route but you'll end up driving 74kms(6kms to Thalaikundha and another 68kms to Masinagudi) to reach Masinagudi (via Gudalur) instead of only 17 kms(from Kalhatty checkpost).
I was coming back from ooty towards mysore and here at 9am police stopped us and asked to go back to take gudalur route giving a reason that this is the tough route and accidents can happen. Later I decided to come back but a local guy asked me to pay some 200rs to the police to let us go. I did so and they left us to go... If you are going in KL / KA registered vehicle then pay 200rs.
Good
Beautiful view of mountains from Masinagudi to Ooty route..
