The Best Roads In India

psycho_dtg · 6th May 2010, 17:35

If you live in Bangalore, the NICE road at Bannerghatta is a brilliant place to max out your vehicle. I seen superbikes and cars go well beyond 250kmph there!

Also, after the village of Kanakpura, there is a 16 km stretch of road to Chunchi falls. That road is INSANE! ONLY fast swooping curves. When I rode there I averaged 85 kmph (Honda Stunner :/ If only I could afford a 600 cc... hopefully someday~.~) and I was pumping with adrenaline! did the stretch in about 8 and a half minutes! it is a very under-rated road and amazing on a weekday as it is absolutely EMPTY! also, there are gradual bumps and if your going fast enough, you can catch a little air!!

Has anyone else been here?

docjoe · 7th May 2010, 15:34

IMO,

Delhi - Jaipur (straight and swift)

Palampur - Dharamshala (smooth twisties)

Jammu - Srinagar(unsmooth twisties)

Manali - Leh via Pang (hold your **** lest they fall into a ravine/stream)

'Nuff said

spadix · 12th May 2010, 08:18

Of the few roads that I've travelled on, those that come to mind are -

Putalapattu - Tirupati (AP SH61 with indicated speed limits of 100 in open places and 80 where there are villages on any side of the road)

Ahmedabad - Udaipur (haven't driven this stretch but was in cab when I toured here in January 2005; I hear that the roads here are still awesome)

Bengaluru - Krishnagiri (Hosur Road)

Bengaluru - Hunsuru (en route Madikeri; I'm sure that at this time the entire stretch up to Bylakuppe, if not Madikeri, would've been relaid)

Shamshabad - Kurnool (including the Jadcherla expressway)

NH48 (Bengaluru - Kunigal - Hasan) was awesome at least in January 2006. I don't know how it is these days.

On a recent trip to Kerala I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the road between Ernakulam and Munnar, despite the heavy rains that part of the country sees.

Regards,
Spadix

hvkumar · 12th May 2010, 09:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by spadix

On a recent trip to Kerala I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the road between Ernakulam and Munnar, despite the heavy rains that part of the country sees.

Regards,
Spadix

Why the surprise? Kerala always had great roads, be it on the hills or in the plains. They seldom crack up during the rains too, barring a few exceptions, all of them can be counted with the fingers of your hand.

spadix · 12th May 2010, 11:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Why the surprise?

Three reasons, really. One thing to note here is that this was my first trip to Kerala.

My experience so far suggests that lots of rain means bad roads. At least this was the case in Hyderabad and Bengaluru, although things have been improving of late. On the other hand, the counterfactual is that it's more productive in the long run to build good, solid roads where there are such heavy rains. I didn't think of this, my bad.

Secondly, I used to read in the travelogues of certain auto mags about the poor surface quality of roads in Kerala. I guess this is one more reason for me to not believe in auto mags anymore (there are many other reasons due to which I have stopped buying/reading them regularly).

Finally, in common parlance I've hardly come across people praising the roads in Kerala whereas one always (and deservedly so) hears about good roads elsewhere such as the Mumbai-Pune expressway and Delhi-Jaipur road etc.

Regards,
Spadix

hvkumar · 12th May 2010, 12:19

Perhaps the reason why KL roads are not praised despite their great shape and all-weather capabilities despite the pasting they get during the monsoons is the congestion - the heavy traffic, the people and the continuous inhabitations that make driving through KL during daytime an incredibly frustrating task.

neo45007 · 12th May 2010, 17:53

I agree, My experience @ Kerala roads has been impressive.

Even though many of them are two lane roads; I would prefer them anyday.

Dr.AD · 12th May 2010, 18:46

I think the term "best road" may mean different things. Based on the roads I have traveled in India, my nominations are:

The fastest road: Mumbai-Pune expressway

The smoothest road: NH7 (Bangalore-Krishnagiri-Salem). This road is also quite fast, and therefore, my overall vote for "best road" (in terms of speed as well as smoothness) goes to this road.

Most scenic road: Several roads in Konkan and Kerala. Just to name one, the small road from Ganapatipule to Jaidurg (in Konkan) is really great! It is really narrow and pretty rough, but goes along the rocky coastline and small hills. You can practically stop the car at the side of this road and walk to the pristine beaches. Those of you who have traveled in this area will appreciate what I mean. Very few people go to Jaidurg so I don't think this road is well-known.

Most enjoyable road: NH17 (Mumbai-Goa). As GTO mentioned in one of the first replies to this thread, the anticipation of the destination makes this road very special. Add to that the scenic surroundings, and nice ghats, and this road is always a pleasure to drive on!

SAS · 31st May 2010, 03:06

My vote goes for NH-17. It's probably one of the more challenging roads. You have to be alert constantly, except for some few stretches. One has to be careful though, there are many accidents on the highway, with inexperienced drivers meeting with accidents on the ghats. Since it has light traffic, getting help could be a problem. That said, it's got great scenery, amazing places to see along the way and good food if you know where to go..

The Mumbai-Pune expressway gets 2nd place in my books. It's an amazing highway due to it being an amazing feat of construction built on difficult terrain, great speed and safety. I had recently been to Lonavala few days back and the expressway still managed to amaze me.

Freebird82 · 23rd June 2010, 15:44

Though I have not been lucky enough to travel a lot by road, my favorites are mentioned below:

1. Mumbai - Nasik - Absolute cracker of a road, it has got everything a driver can want. Long straights interespersed with gentle curves, beautiful scenery and then there is Kasara Ghat. I did the stretch from Andheri to Igatpuri in September last year and it was the most refreshing drive I ever had (350 kms round trip in 4.5 hours)

2. Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Extremely smooth surface (apart from the Hosur Town stretch), rather well behaved drivers though scenery is a bit boring. Did not go beyond Krishnagiri but have heard that the Salem stretch isnt too inviting.

3. Ambala - Paonta Sahib - I traveled in a cab on this road around 2 years back and though its a 2 lane no-divider state highway, the smooth surface, dense vegetation and crisp air together are more than sufficient to put a smile on your face. Have some pics, will try and post.

Also, someone mentioned Palampur - Dharamsala and I completely agree, it makes for a very nice drive.

sanjeev.d · 25th June 2010, 18:33

The Mumbai-Pune expressway is straight and neat, and absolutely no fun at all!! The one road I use whenever I get the opportunity to escape from the city is NH17. It's got all the twists and turns of a good thriller and promises a nice smooth ride. And when you've got a car that can handle those curves as well as you can (or like to think you can), there's no greater pleasure. My vote goes to NH17.

ch.nathan · 29th June 2010, 15:19

From my experience, NH-7 is one of the best roads in India. Particularly the stretch between Hosur and Krishnagiri.

unoczar · 15th July 2010, 15:52

Has anyone driven on the Karimnagar-Jagitiyal road? People nearby should do this.

I havnt gone there recently but a couple of years back it was as smooth as glass!! (with grip of course)

My swift did a "swiftly" 130+ on the 2 laned beauty!! At night!

Also, talking about roads, NH1, when it completes should be a dream!

navan49 · 16th July 2010, 20:59

For me now a days the best stretch is Villupuram Trichy stretch. Next one is the road from Sriperumbudur to Krishnagiri. Both are smooth drive, no smooth sail.

csentil · 19th July 2010, 00:30

Hosur - Krishnagiri is good. Krishnagiri - Salem and Salem - Madurai are even better. They have separate lanes for turning right now. Roads don't cut through villages (like it happens in Hosur - Krishnagiri). They typically bypass or they go over the village. None of the new bypasses are even near the town. They are quite some distance away and you won't even know you passed that town (ex. Kaveripatnam, Dharmapuri..)

Bangalore - Madurai can be done in 5 hrs. That's a distance of 400kms+.

6th May 2010, 17:35	#496
psycho_dtg Newbie Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17 Thanked: 129 Times	If you live in Bangalore, the NICE road at Bannerghatta is a brilliant place to max out your vehicle. I seen superbikes and cars go well beyond 250kmph there! Also, after the village of Kanakpura, there is a 16 km stretch of road to Chunchi falls. That road is INSANE! ONLY fast swooping curves. When I rode there I averaged 85 kmph (Honda Stunner :/ If only I could afford a 600 cc... hopefully someday~.~) and I was pumping with adrenaline! did the stretch in about 8 and a half minutes! it is a very under-rated road and amazing on a weekday as it is absolutely EMPTY! also, there are gradual bumps and if your going fast enough, you can catch a little air!! Has anyone else been here?
	() Thanks

7th May 2010, 15:34	#497
docjoe Newbie Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Pune Posts: 13 Thanked: 6 Times	Best roads IMO, Delhi - Jaipur (straight and swift) Palampur - Dharamshala (smooth twisties) Jammu - Srinagar(unsmooth twisties) Manali - Leh via Pang (hold your **** lest they fall into a ravine/stream) 'Nuff said
	() Thanks

12th May 2010, 08:18	#498
spadix Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 1,022 Thanked: 207 Times	Of the few roads that I've travelled on, those that come to mind are - Putalapattu - Tirupati (AP SH61 with indicated speed limits of 100 in open places and 80 where there are villages on any side of the road) Ahmedabad - Udaipur (haven't driven this stretch but was in cab when I toured here in January 2005; I hear that the roads here are still awesome) Bengaluru - Krishnagiri (Hosur Road) Bengaluru - Hunsuru (en route Madikeri; I'm sure that at this time the entire stretch up to Bylakuppe, if not Madikeri, would've been relaid) Shamshabad - Kurnool (including the Jadcherla expressway) NH48 (Bengaluru - Kunigal - Hasan) was awesome at least in January 2006. I don't know how it is these days. On a recent trip to Kerala I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the road between Ernakulam and Munnar, despite the heavy rains that part of the country sees. Regards, Spadix
	() Thanks

12th May 2010, 12:19	#501
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,369 Thanked: 3,454 Times	Perhaps the reason why KL roads are not praised despite their great shape and all-weather capabilities despite the pasting they get during the monsoons is the congestion - the heavy traffic, the people and the continuous inhabitations that make driving through KL during daytime an incredibly frustrating task.
	() Thanks

12th May 2010, 17:53	#502
neo45007 BHPian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 226 Thanked: 33 Times	Kerala always has Super roads ! I agree, My experience @ Kerala roads has been impressive. Even though many of them are two lane roads; I would prefer them anyday.
	() Thanks

12th May 2010, 18:46	#503
Dr.AD Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Bangalore/Pune Posts: 1,803 Thanked: 18,631 Times	I think the term "best road" may mean different things. Based on the roads I have traveled in India, my nominations are: The fastest road: Mumbai-Pune expressway The smoothest road: NH7 (Bangalore-Krishnagiri-Salem). This road is also quite fast, and therefore, my overall vote for "best road" (in terms of speed as well as smoothness) goes to this road. Most scenic road: Several roads in Konkan and Kerala. Just to name one, the small road from Ganapatipule to Jaidurg (in Konkan) is really great! It is really narrow and pretty rough, but goes along the rocky coastline and small hills. You can practically stop the car at the side of this road and walk to the pristine beaches. Those of you who have traveled in this area will appreciate what I mean. Very few people go to Jaidurg so I don't think this road is well-known. Most enjoyable road: NH17 (Mumbai-Goa). As GTO mentioned in one of the first replies to this thread, the anticipation of the destination makes this road very special. Add to that the scenic surroundings, and nice ghats, and this road is always a pleasure to drive on!
	() Thanks

31st May 2010, 03:06	#504
SAS BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 296 Thanked: 83 Times View My Garage	My vote goes for NH-17. It's probably one of the more challenging roads. You have to be alert constantly, except for some few stretches. One has to be careful though, there are many accidents on the highway, with inexperienced drivers meeting with accidents on the ghats. Since it has light traffic, getting help could be a problem. That said, it's got great scenery, amazing places to see along the way and good food if you know where to go.. The Mumbai-Pune expressway gets 2nd place in my books. It's an amazing highway due to it being an amazing feat of construction built on difficult terrain, great speed and safety. I had recently been to Lonavala few days back and the expressway still managed to amaze me.
	() Thanks

23rd June 2010, 15:44	#505
Freebird82 BHPian Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 85 Thanked: 76 Times	Though I have not been lucky enough to travel a lot by road, my favorites are mentioned below: 1. Mumbai - Nasik - Absolute cracker of a road, it has got everything a driver can want. Long straights interespersed with gentle curves, beautiful scenery and then there is Kasara Ghat. I did the stretch from Andheri to Igatpuri in September last year and it was the most refreshing drive I ever had (350 kms round trip in 4.5 hours) 2. Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Extremely smooth surface (apart from the Hosur Town stretch), rather well behaved drivers though scenery is a bit boring. Did not go beyond Krishnagiri but have heard that the Salem stretch isnt too inviting. 3. Ambala - Paonta Sahib - I traveled in a cab on this road around 2 years back and though its a 2 lane no-divider state highway, the smooth surface, dense vegetation and crisp air together are more than sufficient to put a smile on your face. Have some pics, will try and post. Also, someone mentioned Palampur - Dharamsala and I completely agree, it makes for a very nice drive.
	() Thanks

25th June 2010, 18:33	#506
sanjeev.d BHPian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Mumbai Posts: 35 Thanked: 7 Times	The Mumbai-Pune expressway is straight and neat, and absolutely no fun at all!! The one road I use whenever I get the opportunity to escape from the city is NH17. It's got all the twists and turns of a good thriller and promises a nice smooth ride. And when you've got a car that can handle those curves as well as you can (or like to think you can), there's no greater pleasure. My vote goes to NH17.
	() Thanks

29th June 2010, 15:19	#507
ch.nathan BHPian Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 516 Thanked: 70 Times	From my experience, NH-7 is one of the best roads in India. Particularly the stretch between Hosur and Krishnagiri.
	() Thanks

15th July 2010, 15:52	#508
unoczar BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 536 Thanked: 224 Times	Has anyone driven on the Karimnagar-Jagitiyal road? People nearby should do this. I havnt gone there recently but a couple of years back it was as smooth as glass!! (with grip of course) My swift did a "swiftly" 130+ on the 2 laned beauty!! At night! Also, talking about roads, NH1, when it completes should be a dream!
	() Thanks

16th July 2010, 20:59	#509
navan49 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: CHENNAI Posts: 1,000 Thanked: 73 Times View My Garage	For me now a days the best stretch is Villupuram Trichy stretch. Next one is the road from Sriperumbudur to Krishnagiri. Both are smooth drive, no smooth sail.
	() Thanks

19th July 2010, 00:30	#510
csentil Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,349 Thanked: 38 Times View My Garage	Hosur - Krishnagiri is good. Krishnagiri - Salem and Salem - Madurai are even better. They have separate lanes for turning right now. Roads don't cut through villages (like it happens in Hosur - Krishnagiri). They typically bypass or they go over the village. None of the new bypasses are even near the town. They are quite some distance away and you won't even know you passed that town (ex. Kaveripatnam, Dharmapuri..) Bangalore - Madurai can be done in 5 hrs. That's a distance of 400kms+.
	() Thanks