Query on NH218 : How good is the Bijapur-Hubli-Karwar stretch?

[Zappo]

Guys, I am planning to make an entry into Goa via the karwar coast sometime soon. The route I am contemplating is the one via NH218, Bijapur->Bilgi->Navalgund->Hubli and then carry ahead via Kalghatgi and Yellapur to enter the Karwar coast. The destination being Palolem Beach.

Now I can always enter via North Goa as the roads are mostly good all the way that side. The problem though is that it will mean travelling over 70 kms extra on NH17 all the way through Goa.

So my question is what is the current state of the Bijapur->Bilgi->Hubli->Yellapur->Karwar stretch? Is it in nice motorable state or is it best avoided? The last I know is from what members had to say way back in 2004 when that road was in an atrocious state with many parts not allowing the drivers to even cross a speed of 20kmph.

[spadival]

I think you are better sticking to NH4 as far as possible and head up north from Hubli to Dharwad or even Belgaum.

NH63 - Yellapur is "Bellary mining truck" territory. Which basically means there will be no roads left to speak of. However, I have last travelled on that stretch about 5 months ago. Lets hope the situation has improved.

[Zappo]

NH4 will mean I will have to enter Goa from its northern fringe and then drive almost 70 kms to reach the southern trip. I was hoping that this route will save me some time, provided of course it is nice and motorable even if not as good as the NH4.

By the way is NH4A in a better state now or is it still a good bet to enter via sawantwadi. An year back NH4A was supposedly in such a bad state that people used to avoid that at any cost.

[ravibhat]

Hi Zappo,

I suggest travel via Belguam NH4A -> Londa -> SUPA -> Anashi -> Karwar - south goa area (Palolem). I read in autocar magazine few months back Belguam to Goa via some ghat nearby Belgaum (I think sawantwadi or nh4A) very much scenic and good road although curvy narrow.

About Hubli - yellapur - ankola - karwar Mine lorries rule all the way. Hardly we get chance to overtake there although road condition is queit ok after patch work.

When I travelled in last week of December I felt like I am travelling in Bangalore narrow roads because we had to follow hundreds of lorries.

I have few ideas.

1. There is newly laid route goes via Kaiga, this is how it goes.

Take Yellapur Ankola highway, Few (10km cant remember) kilometers after Yellapur you get place called Idugundi. Nearby that village in highway you need to take right turn. Its like check post so easy to locate. This is narrow but nice new road very less taffic, goes via Kaiga - kadra - touches NH17 after Karwar near Kali river bridge. Please note, from Kaiga there are 2 routes: one road touches before the bridge and other via kadra (Belguam - karwar road) after the bridge.

2. From Belguam take NH4A -> Londa -> SUPA -> Ansi ghat -> touches NH17 after Karwar Kali river which is best route according to me.

3. Dharwad - Londa - SUPA - (not sure about 30km road) anashi ghat - karwar - Goa : decent roads

4. Dharwad - Haliyaal (not sure about 10km road) - SUPA - anashi ghat - karwar - goa. : decent short road. here you can go via dandeli by passing SUPA but I don't know road condition between Dandelli and Joida.

ALL the above options one or other disadvantage, bad stretches. My pick would be opton4 or option3 or option2 or option1 in better to worst road condition.

Regards,

Ravi.

[Zappo]

Wow! Thanks ravi. Thats pretty detailed. Hmmm... So NH4A sounds the best then. Last year this road was in such a horried condition that one of our guys spent some good 5-6 hours to cross a 25 kms stretch. I hope those things are not there to worry about.

I will have to find the Supa->Karwar route now. Till Londa, I know...

[watashi75]

We had been to Goa in early Feb. We took the NH4A from Belgaum. The Londa stretch has about 10 km of really bad road and you have to drive carefully to avoid scraping if you are driving a small car. It took us around 2 hours to cross that stretch at night time.

While returning we took the NH17-NH63 route Karwar-Ankola-Yellapur-Hubli. The Ankola-Yellapur stretch had quite a few trucks but roads are good to OK throughout.

[Zappo]

Originally Posted by watashi75

We had been to Goa in early Feb. We took the NH4A from Belgaum. The Londa stretch has about 10 km of really bad road and you have to drive carefully to avoid scraping if you are driving a small car. It took us around 2 hours to cross that stretch at night time.

While returning we took the NH17-NH63 route Karwar-Ankola-Yellapur-Hubli. The Ankola-Yellapur stretch had quite a few trucks but roads are good to OK throughout.

Hey thats great. So are you saying that it is best to avoid the NH4A totally? The other options are either I drive by the sawantwadi route, enter goa from its northern tip and then drive down to south goa. Thats like another 70kms...

On the other hand initially I thought of entering via Karwar coast route. But people say that being laden with mines a huge stretch on this route is just filled with slow moving lorries on really bad roads. What is your take on this mate?

[watashi75]

Originally Posted by Zappo

Hey thats great. So are you saying that it is best to avoid the NH4A totally?

NH4A is pretty ok except for some 10 km bad stretch. We drove that section at night time and traffic was less except for some trucks coming out from Goa. Cannot say much about the scenary since it was night but I expect some nice views enroute.

The other options are either I drive by the sawantwadi route, enter goa from its northern tip and then drive down to south goa. Thats like another 70kms...

There are some unexplored beaches in northern Goa so it may not be such a bad idea after all!

On the other hand initially I thought of entering via Karwar coast route. But people say that being laden with mines a huge stretch on this route is just filled with slow moving lorries on really bad roads.

The roads are not that bad. And the lorries are not so difficult to overtake...unless 4-5 of them happen to go together. Besides, the unladen ones are pretty fast. The ghat section is not that steep and the section from Karwar to south Goa is pretty scenic too. I would suggest this route if you don't have any plans of visiting other parts of Goa. But instead of going via Bijapur you can go via Mahbubnagar-Raichur-Koppal-Hospet. There are some really nice roads on that section with very less traffic.

[Zappo]

Hmmm... Interesting! So you are essentially saying that the Hubli, Dharwad stretch is not as horrendous as people say it is and entering via Karwar is a good option. Do you think it is possible to maintain a speed of at least 80kmph on this strectch? Anything less will not be worth looking at as otherwise it will needlessly require too much time.

[mobike008]

Boss Deb, stick to entering Goa from Northern tip and drive down south, the roads from North-> South is superb and you can cover that in 1.5 hours. It will save you a lot of grief if the other route is in a horrid condition.

[Zappo]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Boss Deb, stick to entering Goa from Northern tip and drive down south, the roads from North-> South is superb and you can cover that in 1.5 hours. It will save you a lot of grief if the other route is in a horrid condition.

ahaan! How about NH4A? Ages back you got stuck there real bad, I remember. Now it seems only a 10km stretch is 'not so good' but driveable.

I know, if push comes to shove I will definitely enter from the northern tip and then drive across goa. But was kind of thinking whether I can avoid the city traffic and meet the NH somewhere after Mormugao. That can be done if I drive via NH4A. The other option of course is the karwar coast. That of course is dependant upon how good the hubli-dharwad stretch is. I was given to understand that the mines everywhere alongwith the lines of trucks make life miserable. However watashi75 seems to hold a different view.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Zappo

ahaan! How about NH4A? Ages back you got stuck there real bad, I remember. Now it seems only a 10km stretch is 'not so good' but driveable.

Well, that was during Aug-2006 and it was raining heavily too. Like i said, it took me over 6 hours to cross some 25km and the roads were purely hell with huge boulders and deeeeep trenches etc. I was in a OHC and that car took a hell of a lot of beating and got us out unscathed. However, i cannot comment how it would be now as i traveled twice after that by road and stuck to sawantwadi to enter goa from North.

[condor]

I would avoid going on NH-4A. Still skeptical about the road condition, and no local confirmations about improvements on that route.

If going from South, would go through Karwar.

[Zappo]

Originally Posted by condor

If going from South, would go through Karwar.

But what about the hubli-dharwad stretch of road? So many people said thats a real pain of an area to navigate. If you know better that will be helpful.

EDIT: Avi, when was the last time you took the sawantwadi route? A few months back someone mentioned that the road on that route has turned bad and is now difficult to drive on?

[condor]

What's the reason quoted for Hubli -DWR being a painful stretch ?

Navigate - as in directions, or traffic ?
If you can list the specific problem points, can give a sufficient details

Hubli-Dharwad is a twin city, with a 20km (official) distance between the two.


Pls avoid driving on Hubli-Karwar at night. The ore laden lorries will be all over the place, and driving in a way that they wouldnt even realise it if they had hit something.