[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Hey, I did not know that. Thanks anyways. Fortunately there were no tints. But it was the absence of tints that burnt our skin a bit in the hot afternoon sun, especially when we were stranded behind a long, long line of trucks on the road to Tembhurni.

We thought the jam would clear after crossing the railway crossing, but no luck.

The Temburni R/W crossing is a curse.They should have prioritized the bridge over the tracks when 4 laning commenced,but thats the last priority at the moment becasue of land acquistion problems probably.2 weeks back we caught up in a precisely 7km jam while driving back from Bombay and the problem is that for first timers on the road,they wouldnt know the jam is due to the gate and would wait patiently behind the trucks.The only way is the moment a jam is seen drive on the wrong side and get into the gaps between the trucks.Thankfully highway truck drivers are sympathetic towards cars and they always let you in between.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

and the problem is that for first timers on the road,they wouldnt know the jam is due to the gate and would wait patiently behind the trucks.The only way is the moment a jam is seen drive on the wrong side and get into the gaps between the trucks.Thankfully highway truck drivers are sympathetic towards cars and they always let you in between.

That is precisely what we did. Now I am feeling less guilty!

[zen91]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

The Temburni R/W crossing is a curse.They should have prioritized the bridge over the tracks when 4 laning commenced,but thats the last priority at the moment becasue of land acquistion problems probably.2 weeks back we caught up in a precisely 7km jam while driving back from Bombay and the problem is that for first timers on the road,they wouldnt know the jam is due to the gate and would wait patiently behind the trucks.The only way is the moment a jam is seen drive on the wrong side and get into the gaps between the trucks.Thankfully highway truck drivers are sympathetic towards cars and they always let you in between.

The R/W crossing is at a place called as Shetphal and is approximately 25 kms before Temburni, while doing Hyd- Temburni. Saw the new bridge being constructed on this crossing about a month back. Like you said, wish they could complete this along with the four laning on the road. Looks very ambitious at the moment.

[vnabhi]

After reading posts by Jeepster on this thread, perhaps we could have taken the shorter route from Jamkhed via Patoda and Manjursumba, instead of going northwards till Beed. This would have shaved off around 30 kms, I guess.

But I've no idea on the road conditions on that shorter route. Therefore I suppose it is better to go via Beed as the roads are known to be good.

[zen91]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

After reading posts by Jeepster on this thread, perhaps we could have taken the shorter route from Jamkhed via Patoda and Manjursumba, instead of going northwards till Beed. This would have shaved off around 30 kms, I guess.

But I've no idea on the road conditions on that shorter route. Therefore I suppose it is better to go via Beed as the roads are known to be good.

Thanks Venu Sir for the information on road conditions via Beed. The last time I went to Shirdi taking this route was in 2001. In those days we would take a left on the Osmanabad- Beed road via Bhoom and proceed to Jamkhed. The road was horrible then and during night travel we would form a convoy of 5-6 vehicles specially on this road.

Since you have travelled through Beed, we can now skip the Bhoom- Jamkhed road.

Did you proceed to Beed through Jamkhed or was it straight, A,Nagar to Beed.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by zen91

Since you have travelled through Beed, we can now skip the Bhoom- Jamkhed road.

Did you proceed to Beed through Jamkhed or was it straight, A,Nagar to Beed.

We went to Beed via Jamkhed from Nagar. Though this is a longer route, we took it as we had first-hand information that the road was good.

We avoided the much shorter route from Jamkhed to Osmanabad via Bhoom as it was not reported to be safe, and also full of craters.

But perhaps we could have used the other route I mentioned in my prior post, which would have been shorter by around 30 kms (though longer than the one via Bhoom).

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

After reading posts by Jeepster on this thread, perhaps we could have taken the shorter route from Jamkhed via Patoda and Manjursumba, instead of going northwards till Beed. This would have shaved off around 30 kms, I guess.

But I've no idea on the road conditions on that shorter route. Therefore I suppose it is better to go via Beed as the roads are known to be good.

I got an update from MotoringLover who took the Beed bypass towards Jamkhed via Patoda 2 weeks ago. Though it was around 30 kms shorter than going via Beed, the road was full of potholes, and average speed dropped to 30 on that stretch. This being the case, going the longer route via Beed town seems to be the safest bet.

I was also informed that he took the route via Temburni on the return journey, as it had decent eating options. But he too was troubled by long, long lines of trucks not only till Mohol but all the say till Solapur. Definitely worth avoiding for another 2 months or so.

[IUNKWN]

Here is the latest update on Hyderabad to shirdi. I did this trip last weekend, started on Friday 14th Dec and returned yesterday. The only good part of the trip was quick and peaceful darshan that I booked online.

I took the Hyderabad-sholapur-tembhurmi-karmala-shirdi way. The road condition is horrible to say the least, almost all the way, though some good section exists between ahmednagar and shirdi. I had a 3 year kid with me and did not want to spend much time on the roads so I sacrificed my car, ran over potholes, creators and undulated patches at speed, almost everything is rattling now. Onward trip took 14 hours, started at 9 AM from hitech city and checked into hotel at 11 PM (includes 3 breaks for breakfast, lunch, dinner totaling 2.5 hours approx.), same for return journey. Started from shirdi at 7.30 AM and reached home at 9.30 PM. I was stuck in a massive traffic jam, approx 10 KM long, during return journey near the shetfal railway crossing and struggled to cross it , poor car had to take the brunt.

Hyderabad to shirdi road trip is not worth it, best to go by bus or take a train.

[Rajesh Rawal]

I would feel the best way to go to shirdi is the train.

There is a train which runs on a friday (departure time from s'bad -16.40pm and arrival at sainagar shirdi station(which is like 2km from the temple) on saturday morning 9.15.

Samee day return evening 17 hrs and sunday morning arrival at s'bad around 9am.

To me this is the best way provided one gets the tickets.

Ample time to do darshan.

RR

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by IUNKWN

Hyderabad to shirdi road trip is not worth it, best to go by bus or take a train.

Sorry to know your predicament. Yeah, MH roads in and around that area has been really bad and nobody seems to be in a hurry to make it permanently good considering how much traffic that section (Hyd-Solapur) receives

That one bad stretch at Humnabad is there from last 5-6 years. God knows why is it NEVER repaired

Originally Posted by Rajesh Rawal

I would feel the best way to go to shirdi is the train.

This is good news. As Shirdi was on a Narrow Gauge all the time I know of this pilimigrage town ( since my childhood) and visited many times via. train. Alight at Nanded then take a bus etc..

But, this sounds to be a good option if its a daily train. Is it daily?

My favorite is a Kesineni bus. Nice Volvos. Start at 6pm and you land on dot at 6am. Comfortable and great timing and they also book hotel for you.

[Rajesh Rawal]

Originally Posted by mobike008

But, this sounds to be a good option if its a daily train. Is it daily?

This one runs on a friday and sunday from sec'bad.There are others which come from vizag/tirupati and go to sainagar shirdi.

The friday one is ideal as technically you dont need to take time-off from work to do the trip.Leave friday evening and be back sunday morning.

[bijuiser]

Hyderabad- Solapur- Pune- Shirdi will be a bit stress free compared to other routes if willing to drive 12-13 hours. Has anybody tried this route so far? Roads condition is surely better on this route.

[IUNKWN]

Originally Posted by mobike008

My favorite is a Kesineni bus. Nice Volvos. Start at 6pm and you land on dot at 6am.

I have taken Kesineni once so far, hyderabad to bangalore and that was the last time I took it. Their drivers (and almost all private bus drivers) drive crazy, as if playing the need for speed on the highway. It hit something, (I don't know what it was) and the entire wind screen shattered, about 2 hours drive from bangalore. Imagine the driver driving it to hyderabad all the way and the passengers getting the terrible breeze at night with the wind screen gone, me and wifey were in the 3rd or 4th row and couldn't sleep at all. Also, Kesineni is the same operator whose Volvo took out a bridge and went down killing a bunch of TCS guys on their way to shirdi few months back.

My favorite is AP tourism, may not be as great as some of the private operators but safest, sedate driving all the way.

[IUNKWN]

Heard that an AP tourism Volvo en route shirdi hyderabad was attacked by suspected robbers near tembhurmi karmala at 11 PM.

Those driving on this route should exercise caution. I couldn't even think about such a thing happening on this route, looks like the dacoits are not getting much on Jamkhed route and have shifted base.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by IUNKWN

Heard that an AP tourism Volvo en route shirdi hyderabad was attacked by suspected robbers near tembhurmi karmala at 11 PM.

Those driving on this route should exercise caution. I couldn't even think about such a thing happening on this route, looks like the dacoits are not getting much on Jamkhed route and have shifted base.

This is bad news-I guess all the more reasons not to drive on MH State Highways after dark.Has this been reported somewhere in the press?