MM Hills loop on the 450, anyone done it recently?

Thinking of a weekend out to MM Hills, haven't ridden that side yet. Saw an old Team-BHP thread mentioning the forest checkpost only lets vehicles through 6am to 6pm, and the stretch past Kollegal being rough. Is that still the case or has it been resurfaced since. Also what's a sane start time from Bengaluru to clear the ghat before the afternoon forest traffic. Planning to skip the Maddur route per that thread, any better alternate for the first leg.