[revsperminute]

Hey fellow BHPians, I need to make a same day trip to Surat in this week. Are the roads still in the same condition? The previous time I had to drive on this highway was a nightmare.

[savirbajaj]

Originally Posted by revsperminute

Hey fellow BHPians, I need to make a same day trip to Surat in this week. Are the roads still in the same condition? The previous time I had to drive on this highway was a nightmare.

The condition of the road on the highway is bad, there are lots of pot holes and deep ones which come suddenly amidst smooth road especially on flyovers so drive slow

[Ays7]

Aargh, I will be doing the Mumbai - Ahmedabad trip this weekend. I was planning on leaving by 5:00 and reach around Noon, but that seems optimistic given the condition of the roads and traffic. Will try to leave by 4 from Mumbai, or closer to 4 and plan to at least cross Vapi before sun rise.

While returning from Ahmedabad, earliest I can leave is at 11:00 on a Sunday, will try to leave sooner, but am not optimistic. So I suppose I will have to just slug it out in traffic. We are 4 people in a car, but I am the lone driver.

Any tips or pointers will be appreciated.

[blackwasp]

Originally Posted by revsperminute

Hey fellow BHPians, I need to make a same day trip to Surat in this week. Are the roads still in the same condition? The previous time I had to drive on this highway was a nightmare.

Originally Posted by savirbajaj

The condition of the road on the highway is bad, there are lots of pot holes and deep ones which come suddenly amidst smooth road especially on flyovers so drive slow

You are right @Savir. However Mumbai to Surat is easily achievable in 5 hours at a comfortable speed. Stay between 90-100 speeds so you can cruise comfortably. Yes, there are potholes, but keep your eyes open and stick to the middle lane.

Traffic will be high if you leave after 6 am. Try for a 5 am departure so you can clear Fountain Hotel traffic quickly.

On the way back, if you reach post 5-6 pm expect traffic jam before the Fountain Hotel. Can take even 1.5 hours at times to clear.

[revsperminute]

Thanks everyone for your assistance. I assume the road is bad throughout. I’ll leave so that I cross Fountain at Sunrise. Don’t want to hit a crater in the dark. We really do deserve better roads, especially tolled national highways.

[ACMerchant]

Today travelled from Surat to Mumbai. Departed Surat at 07.47 Hrs and took me approx 02.30 hrs to reach Vapi. This distance is usually done at a reasonable speed of 80kmps in 01.30 to 01.45 Hrs. This is because the NH48 section is very bad with lots of huge potholes and many diversions. About three to four bridges or sections being repaired so traffic comes to a crawl.
The section from Vapi to Vasai Bridge is very good and the Vasai bridge section till Dahisar toll is not to good but ok. Ultimately reached Mumbai at 14.30 hrs.Luckily did not encounter traffic in Mumbai.

[acquillew]

Did a Pune - Ahmedabad this weekend. Crossing Mumbai was a pain (like always). Traffic snarls and also broken paths near Fountain junction. The 6 lane NH is broken most of the route till Bharuch. Potholes the size of craters can be extremely damaging for smaller vehicles (LMVs). Best way is to keep your car at 70-80 kmph. Be extra careful on flyovers. Most of the extremely damaged stretches were first and second lanes on flyovers.

[R-Six]

Originally Posted by acquillew

Did a Pune - Ahmedabad this weekend

Thanks for the update, acquillew! We were planning to drive down to Goa end of this month but from the updates that I'm seeing on the road conditions, I think it is better to fly down or take the train and skip roadtrip plans al together.

[acquillew]

Originally Posted by R-Six

Thanks for the update, acquillew! We were planning to drive down to Goa end of this month but from the updates that I'm seeing on the road conditions, I think it is better to fly down or take the train and skip roadtrip plans al together.

If Goa from Ahmedabad, definitely recommend a flight. There are several diversions enroute between Bharuch and Vapi. I witnessed several traffic jams including a couple that were at least 5 km long. I would anticipate at least 11-12 hours for my drive till Mumbai itself.

[Mustang Sammy]

Hi all, just returned last evening from a weekend in Daman, and wanted to post a heads up on road conditions.

As always there is heavy traffic as you approach the Fountain hotel junction, and past it for a few km.

After that the road clears up, but be prepared for clusters of potholes to show up at random locations. These can be very deep and wide, and have the potential to seriously damage the vehicle and/or cause it to go out of control. We were surprised by quite a few of them, especially because we got delayed en route thanks to extra heavy traffic on Friday afternoon and were driving at night while it was raining.

Please avoid night driving on this route, and keep speeds below 80kmph to allow yourself some chances to avoid these massive craters.

Take care and drive safe.

[abhi7992]

Hi all,
How is the condition of the road now? Planning a road trip to Udaipur from October 5-9.

[acquillew]

Originally Posted by abhi7992

Hi all,
How is the condition of the road now? Planning a road trip to Udaipur from October 5-9.

Road is in bad condition. The usual traffic snarls are still present. There are potholes the size of craters, and diversions too that take up a lot of time. I would have recommended a 4 AM start but the potholes may not be visible in dark.

[abhi7992]

Originally Posted by acquillew

Road is in bad condition. The usual traffic snarls are still present. There are potholes the size of craters, and diversions too that take up a lot of time. I would have recommended a 4 AM start but the potholes may not be visible in dark.

Thanks. Would be doing this trip only after the roads are repaired. Had been to Talasari a month back and I don’t want to drive on that stretch again.

[ObsessedByFIAT]

If it helps anyone!

The road from Ahemdabad till Mumbai is in a sorry state right now. I used to swear by the road quality in Gujrat. Not anymore. Flyover construction, broken roads, pot holes, you name it and you will find it on this stretch. Add to that the general lack of road manners and it becomes a perfect recipe for disaster.
I myself had a few close calls where people cut me off at mist unexpected times.

This stretch is best avoided if that is a possibility.

[R-Six]

Just got back from my drive to Goa. As most of the folks have mentioned already, the drive between Bharuch and Mumbai is painstakingly slow.

Bad roads plus the truck traffic would ensure that you will be on the road for a very long time. It took me 12 hours to cover the distance between Thane and Ahmedabad.

Drive Safe,
R-Six