[Dr.AD]

I need to travel to Osmanabad (MH), from Bangalore soon. I will be traveling in a low GC sedan and hence was worried about the road conditions, especially post monsoon.

Which is the best route that you would recommend? I don't mind traveling a longer distance for better roads.

Option 1: I am thinking of going via Hyderabad, and staying overnight in Hyderabad, hoping that Hyderbad-Osmanad will be a good road. However, I have read a lot about the lack of roads near Naladurga, and that worries me a lot. Is this Naladurga stretch manageable in a low sedan?

Option 2: Or should I just go via Chitradurga-Hospet-Vijayapura-Sholapur-Osmanabad road, which is suggested by Google? Any issues on this road for a low GC sedan?

I would greatly appreciate it if you could give me some guidance/tips for the above options. Thanks in advance!

Thanks,
-AD

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by Dr.AD

Option 2: Or should I just go via Chitradurga-Hospet-Vijayapura-Sholapur-Osmanabad road, which is suggested by Google? Any issues on this road for a low GC sedan?
-AD

Here's something that should help you as this is latest:

Originally Posted by rohing

Aurangabad to Badami - Was skeptical based on the Nashik to Aurangabad route and was thinking through the other options as suggested by members here. But all my fears were ill founded. The road from Aurangabad to Solapur was super smooth and empty..I drove on cruise control at 110 quite a bit of distance! After Solapur, road is single lane but still decent. Went into Vijayapura to see Gol Gumbaz and it was well worth it. There was a place called Terrace Lounge just opposite the Gol Gumbaz gate and it was decent restaurant. Not much options after Solapur otherwise. Bijapur to Badami was also easily doable. This route was much much faster and better than it would have been doing this through Pune. Highly recommend.

Badami to Bangalore through Aihole and Chitradurga than the Hubli route. All roads good,...two laning in progress. Cops in Innovas there at random places and even beyond Chitradurga towards Tumkur. Stopped at Mayura near TB dam for lunch..decent, nice and neat.

[Dr.AD]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Here's something that should help you as this is latest:

Thanks a lot Parag for your reply and link to that post. I had missed that post since I did not check that thread.

This is a very useful and encouraging information. Maybe I will try the Hyderabad route to go there and take this route to return back :-)

[Horizon85]

Has anyone done the Bangalore-Chitradurga-Bijapur route to Solapur recently? I'm planning for. Bangalore to Indore trip and Bangalore-Solapur-Aurangabad is one option apart from the Bangalore-Pune-Indore. Wanted to weigh my options.

Any input is appreciated. Thanks.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by Horizon85

Bangalore to Indore trip

Based on few drives I've done here are my inputs

Bangalore-Pune-Nasik-Indore

1. KA section is manageable even with the current Chitradurga-Hubli diversions.
2. MH section from Kolhapur-Pune-Nasik has to be timed well. Otherwise you'll lose a lot of time. I managed to do Sai International-Wakad exit in 2:20 hours and even breezed through Pune. But Pune-Chakan traffic was an absolute nightmare, took quite sometime to cross the first toll and progress was pretty slow till Sangamner where I exited.
3. Pune-Nasik 4-lane sections are mediocre but doable.
4. Nasik-Dhule No idea
5. Dhule-Songir is high traffic zone, after which it eases out.

Bangalore-Chitradurga-Solapur-Aurangabad-Kannad-Dhule-Indore

1. Bangalore-Hospet is a dream run. Except for initial 2 km of road work on the turnoff from Chitradurga.
2. Hospet-Bijapur 4-lane is still great, but watch out for speed breakers out of the blue.
3. Bijapur-Solapur. This is a WIP 4-lane section best done in day. Diversions are smooth. Progress will be slow. Budget 2.5 hours for this sector.
4. Solapur-Aurangabad - Best 4-laned highway in MH!
5. Aurangabad-Verul - Busy road. Traffic keeps moving though.
6. Verul-Kannad - 4-laning in progress. 2 diversions were in very bad shape, need to be careful. 3 better diversions. Remaining sections have at least one side of the 4-lane open. Galibargaon bypass is complete and Kannad bypass is almost done, except for one small bridge work which was incomplete in November 2020.
7. Kannad ghat - This is the most unpredictable part of the route. If you are lucky you'll have free flow traffic. If you are unlucky you could be stuck for at least an hour. It took us 1:15 hours in Dec 2019 and 2 hours in November 2020 to cross it.
8. Chalisgaon bypass to Dhule - Average to rough roads. Mild to heavy truck traffic depending on the time you cross.
9. Dhole-Indore is shared with above route.

Approximate driving times:
Bangalore-Bijapur 7 hours change
Bijapur-Solapur 2.5 hours
Solapur-Aurangabad 4 hours change
Aurangabad-Kannad 2 hours
Kannad ghat - Ram bharose!
Kannad-Dhule 1.5 hours
Dhole-Indore 4 hours change.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Bangalore-Chitradurga-Solapur-Aurangabad-Kannad-Dhule-Indore

This is great to note! This also opens a fast route option to Badami

[Horizon85]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Approximate driving times:
Bangalore-Bijapur 7 hours change
Bijapur-Solapur 2.5 hours
Solapur-Aurangabad 4 hours change
Aurangabad-Kannad 2 hours
Kannad ghat - Ram bharose!
Kannad-Dhule 1.5 hours
Dhole-Indore 4 hours change.

Thanks a lot for your inputs. Really appreciate. I'm inkling towards the Bangalore-Bijapur-Solapur-Aurangabad-Indore route. But my only concern is lack of good overnight stay options.

As per my calculations, I could manage to do Bangalore-Solapur in about 13 hours and Bangalore to Aurangabad in about 19. My calculations are based on driving speeds averaging to about 50 km/hr overall. Aurangabad could be a bit of strech to do in a day (not sure). And there are no good overnight stay options between Solapur and Aurangabad.

Do you think Bangalore to Aurangabad is possible in a day? Do you know any good stay options between Solapur and Aurangabad?

PS: I drive my car (2016 Baleno petrol) at around 80-100 kmph range out on highways dnd rarely go beyond those speeds.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by Horizon85

Do you think Bangalore to Aurangabad is possible in a day? Do you know any good stay options between Solapur and Aurangabad?

Depends on how much inspiration to drive you have The above timings were from my own experience of driving this stretch. In Jan 2020, we started at Osmanabad at 1300 hrs and were at NICE entry at 2345 with 45 minutes break. Bijapur-Chitradurga was done at 100 max. Solapur-Aurangabad you'll easily be on 100-110. So Bangalore-Aurangabad would be like 16-17 hours.

Traffic is significantly less than GQ, so you might see better average speeds on this route.

Osmanabad - Pushpak Park (its 3-4 kms inside). Hotel and parking is good though.
Beed - Hotel Sunrise (on the bypass, 3 km past Beed bypass)

Food also has to be planned beyond Chitradurga at Hospet, Bijapur, Solapur, Osmanabad, Beed, Aurangabad, Dhule.

Fuel would not be a problem as this is prime truck corridor. Not all may accept cards though.

Originally Posted by ampere

This is great to note! This also opens a fast route option to Badami

Its been this way since 2019. The Bijapur-Solapur 4-laning has been painfully slow. Verul-Kannad has shown significant progress since Dec 2019 and Nov 2020.

[Horizon85]

Originally Posted by narayans80

So Bangalore-Aurangabad would be like 16-17 hours.

Traffic is significantly less than GQ, so you might see better average speeds on this route.

Osmanabad - Pushpak Park (its 3-4 kms inside). Hotel and parking is good though.
Beed - Hotel Sunrise (on the bypass, 3 km past Beed bypass)

Food also has to be planned beyond Chitradurga at Hospet, Bijapur, Solapur, Osmanabad, Beed, Aurangabad, Dhule.

Fuel would not be a problem as this is prime truck corridor. Not all may accept cards though.

I'm sorry, I later realised that my average speed calculation of 50 km/hr had an error. I'd based my calculations on the last drive from Bangalore to Dandeli in which we had taken a detour into Davangere city for the famous Benne Dose and some shopping which would have added 1.5 hrs at least.

Thanks for your inputs yet again, I've bookmarked those hotels. And yes, I'd have thought that food options are going to be few as this highway is not popular. But, I'm expecting to find some good dhabas along the way because Google Maps shows quite a lot of them.

[narayans80]

Few bookmarks from my side. I've not tried anything on Chitradurga-Solapur side in the below list.

NH50 Restaurant, Hospet bypass
Riddhi restaurant, Bijapur
Apple, Osmanabad - Been here thrice. Has been our standard lunch stop for Shirdi-Madras runs. Food is excellent, service is slow because of understaffing.
Sunrise Hotel, Beed - HVK recommendation
Wood Leaf, Aurangabad - Decent food, fast service
Jhankar Palace, Dhule - HVK recommendation

There's absolutely no food stops (possibly fuel too) between Aurangabad and Dhule bypass. So please plan accordingly.

[paragsachania]

Have updated details from my recent trip to Aurangabad on another thread here:

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Route Update: Bangalore - Aurangabad - Bangalore

[/indent]

Originally Posted by narayans80

NH50 Restaurant, Hospet bypass

I entered into Hospet town thinking to have breakfast at Athidhi but that was closed for breakfast, at 0730.

Then I remembered NH50 and headed there. This one had prominent signage right from the gate of Tungabhadra Dam but that too was closed for breakfast.

I found absolutely nothing for the next 10-15 minutes after Hospet that I then stared to read signage in Kannada for "Nandagokula" and thankfully it appeared as a proper Breakfast hotel when I reached there. If one is starting from Bangalore even at 0500am, this is a perfect pitstop for breakfast enroute Sholapur/Aurangabad as it takes around 3.5/4 hours to reach here. Chitradurga would be too early anyway.



Nandagokula - Location

There's absolutely no food stops (possibly fuel too) between Aurangabad and Dhule bypass. So please plan accordingly.

In fact, I found quite a few spots for food but a lot more fuel stations between Sholapur and Aurangabad that my first refueling stop after I started for Bangalore was at the end of Beed bypass.

I went to a BPCL Outlet on the right hand side underneath the flyover but they wouldn't accept cards. Then the staff here told me if I was headed to Aurangabad, I will find a HPCL on left soon after I get down the same flyover that I exited to reach this place.

While driving in the the wee hours during my return too, I saw too many fuel stations here and all were operational. Hotels (mostly dhaba style and few restaurants) were open at as early as 0500am too!

[Dr.AD]

Today saw this news about rapid progress on Solapur-Vijaypur highway:

https://www.financialexpress.com/aut...dkari/2203228/

With these developments (and given that Bangalore to Hospet is already a fast and smooth highway now), the "direct" option of Bangalore to Osmanabad via Hospet and Vijaypur is looking like a very good option. No need to go via Hyderabad as I did during my last drive.

[paragsachania]

Drove from Bangalore to Aurangabad today. Shall post detailed updates after I return but the good news is that the entire Vijayapura Bypass is 100% complete and is breeze to cross the city through wide 6 lane bypass.

Also, the road construction work after Vijayapura to Sholapur has made tremendous progress compared to my drive in January. The diversions start only after about 30 km from Vijayapura and are just 3 to 4. Those constant irritating speedbreakers on service lanes is history now as the main corridors were getting a final touch with lane and shoulder marking.

With parents in tow, I did Bangalore to Aurangabad in exactly 13 hours with good long breaks for breakfast (30m) and lunch (45m) and one refueling break.