[Scorpiolover]

Sir,

I just don't know how to thank you. This is fantastic. I will go exactly as planned by you. I don't think I could have asked more help on this.

I will keep you posted as soon as I come back from my trip.

[Scorpiolover]

Ashish,

I completed the trip last week and I went exactly as suggested by you. It was raining on all the 5 days and I enjoyed driving every bit of it except for the second day from Solapur to Shirdi. It was a nightmare for me on that day as the road was packed with people returning back from a festival in Pandharpur and in every village I had to spend atleast half hour in traffic jams. I felt the whole Maharashtra was on that road on that day. I started from Solapur at about 9 AM, had a problem with my Wiper and lost anout a hour on that in Solapur and finally reached Shani Shinganapur at 8 in the night. The road was bad for some distance after I took the turn towards Ahmed Nagar from the highway. I finally reached Shirdi at about 11 or so.

We did Ozer and when we reached Lenadri, it was pouring Cats and Dogs and my family vetoed the idea of doing the uphill trek to the temple. Same was the case in Bhima Shankar also, but we managed to do a quick Darshan. Rain was really heavy in Bhima Shankar and the visibility enroute was bad.

I again had a tough time from Bhima Shankar to Pune because of Rain and Traffic. It took 4.5 hours for me to cover the distance of 100 Kms .

The last day, when we left Pune towards hyd, the road completely jammed near Uruli. We learnt from the stalled vehicles there that there was an accident in the highway ahead and there was no way that the traffic was going to move anytime sooen. I immediately reversed and took the turn towards Jeori. Just before Jeori, we took a left towards Supa and from there we took the Ahmed Nagar road and reached back the Pune - Solapur Highway. We lost about a couple of hours on that but managed to reach Hyd late at night as it was raining all the way thru to Hyd.

But overall, we just loved the trip with all the rain and luch greenery all through. Already planning for the next drive into MH soon.

Thanks Again.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by Scorpiolover

I completed the trip last week and I went exactly as suggested by you.

oh,
your trip timing coincided with Pandharpur ashadhi yatra and rest is the traffic jam story.
The rain was also heavy during that perion all around MH.
Btw, i will be at bhimashankar, lenyadri , ozar within next four days.

[ranjitp1]

Intend on driving from Shirdi to Hyd this friday.Just wanted updates if any on the road conditions:

Shirdi-Nagar: Road condition/is 4 laning complete on this stretch?

Nagar-Karmala-Tembhurni:How good or bad is the road?

Tembhurni onwards I know it as I do the Hyd-Mumbai stretch regularly.

Any updates would be really valuable.

[ranjitp1]

Did the Shirdi Hyd stretch this weekend.Update is as below:

Shirdi-Nagar:Unmarked 4 laned state highway.30kms out of shirdi towards Nagar,road is heavily potholed afterwhich it improves.

Nagar-Karmala: 2laned excellent toll road.

Karmala-Tembhurni:Excellent 2 laned road.

Tembhurni-Hyd: Heavily potholed nh9.Road in a state of total neglect.

Shirdi to Hyd(Sainikpuri) took us exactly 12hrs of non-stop driving(except a refuel halt for 10mins at Solapur);610kms.

Shirdi-Tembhurni: 5hrs / 220kms

Tembhurni-Sainikpuri:7hrs/ 390kms

[Milind]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Since you want to go to Tuljapur, there is a better route. Turn off NH9 at Naldurg (45 kms BEFORE Solapur, 270 kms from Hyderabad) into the Osmanabad road (you will find good signages at this point). Tuljapur is 30 kms on this road.

After Tuljapur, continue on the same road to Osmanabad (20 kms). From Osmanabad, it is around 190 kms via Jamkhed and Ashti. You can also go from Tuljapur via Barsi and Karmala (don't know the distance). I think the best thing for you would be to check out actual road conditions at Tuljapur before deciding on the route. The advantage of taking the Osmanabad route is that you will have NH211 part of the way.

HvK sir,

do you know one who travelled on this route recently to know the Road Tarmac condition?

Is this route safe to travel with family (am told this is dacoit prone area)

Thanks in advance

[Fordmanchau]

Guys, need a little urgent attention.
Planning a trip to shirdi and Shani sinaganapur this weekend on 14th , 15th and 16th Jan 2011. Need help in planning the route and updates on the road condition. Read Ranjit's update about the road conditions above. Any recent updates on the road condition.
Need all you guys to chip in who are in know of the route and the road condition.
I am attaching the route as shown by Google maps. It shows the route to be 584 kms long.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

I am attaching the route as shown by Google maps. It shows the route to be 584 kms long.
Attachment 480077

ohoho!!

ye google wala maps!!!!

Do not take this route, the road is in really bad condition.

Go with ranjit's route i.e.

hyd-solapur-tembhurni-right turn-karmala-nagar-shirdi.

Whatever may be the condition of this karmala/tembhurni route, it is best among worst.:

[Fordmanchau]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

ye google wala maps!!!!
Do not take this route, the road is in really bad condition.
Go with ranjit's route i.e.
hyd-solapur-tembhurni-right turn-karmala-nagar-shirdi.
Whatever may be the condition of this karmala/tembhurni route, it is best among worst.

Thank you Ashish Bhai, was thinking of PMing you, Ranjit and others for the route and road conditions update.
GMaps shows the route suggested by you to be 619kms long. How would the road conditions from Solapur to Shirdi? Any fresh update?

[jeepster]

i will recommend the following route.

hyd-humnabad-naldurg-tuljapur-osmanabad-yedshi- yermala intersection (go strait till) manjarsumba Intersection- patoda (right turn) (then left one)-jamkehd-nagar-shirdi.

reason:
the road between temburni till barshi & the conventional route from NH211 to jamkhed (white color) is too bad.

EDIT:
the road from tuljapur till manjarsumba intersection is best (90+ KM/H) , manjarsumba intersection till jamkhed is good (60~70+ KM/H) & jamkhed to A-nagar to shirdi is again best (90+ KM/H).

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by jeepster

hyd-humnabad-naldurg-tuljapur-osmanabad-yedshi- yermala intersection (go strait till) manjarsumba Intersection- patoda (right turn) (then left one)-jamkehd-nagar-shirdi.
EDIT:
manjarsumba intersection till jamkhed is good (60~70+ KM/H) & jamkhed to A-

hi jeepster,

Hows road between barshi and kurduwadi?
Hows road between latur and ahmedpur?:
I hope, chaos at ganjgolai in latur is reduced little bit.
will catch you in Latur for a cup of tea, choice of hotel is yours, may be at Gandhi chowk or shivaji chowk or nanded naka.

Btw, will you recommend majarsumba-patoda-jamkhed route to a bhpian who will travel this section in the evening of this winter with family?

I strongly recommend karmala route as i see safety and security first.

[Fordmanchau]

Originally Posted by jeepster

i will recommend the following route.
hyd-humnabad-naldurg-tuljapur-osmanabad-yedshi- yermala intersection (go strait till) manjarsumba Intersection- patoda (right turn) (then left one)-jamkehd-nagar-shirdi.

reason:
the road between temburni till barshi & the conventional route from NH211 to jamkhed (white color) is too bad.

EDIT:
the road from tuljapur till manjarsumba intersection is best (90+ KM/H) , manjarsumba intersection till jamkhed is good (60~70+ KM/H) & jamkhed to A-nagar to shirdi is again best (90+ KM/H).

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

hi jeepster,
Btw, will you recommend majarsumba-patoda-jamkhed route to a bhpian who will travel this section in the evening of this winter?
I strongly recommend karmala route as i see safety and security first.

Confusion!!!!
@jeepster : How bad is the road between Tembhurni and Barshi ?
how much distance would it be?
What would be the distance of the alternate route that you have suggested?
Would the alternate route help in saving time ?

As mentioned by Ashish Bhai, I am a total stranger to this route , would be venturing out first time to Maharashtra. Would be travelling with my wife and parents, so security of the route would be a concern.
Please give your valuable inputs.

[Fordmanchau]

Guys also advise me on the good budget hotel to stay . Our most likely itinerary would be as under :
14th Jan- Depart early morning and reach shirdi by evening and rest or darshan the same day.
15th Jan - Darshan in shirdi and depart to shani sinaganapur. darshan and puja and back to shirdi.
16th jan - depart to hyd .

Any advises on the same. would like to stay in a decent hotel with good car parking .

EDIT : link of hotels in Shirdi
HOTELS IN SHIRDI MAHARASHTRA INDIA SHREE LEELA HOTEL SIDDHANT SWAMY RESORT SAI BABA INTERNATIONAL HOTEL KUBER INN SHIRDI HOTEL SHIRDI SAISH HOTEL ANAND PALACE SHIRDI HOTEL SAIYUG HOTEL SAIGEETA HOTEL PUSHPAK RESORT SANSKRUTI RESORTS SHIRDI NISARGA RE

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

15th Jan - Darshan in shirdi and depart to shani sinaganapur. darshan and puja and back to shirdi.
16th jan - depart to hyd .

you don't need to come back to shirdi from shani singanapur.
After taking darshan at shani'pur, you head onward 5km to ghodegaon,
at this place, you will join 4 laned aurangabad-nagar road.
turn right, travel for 28 km and you are in nagar.

I suggest,
day1, start early from hyd, reach nagar by 4pm, take aurangabad road till ghodegaon, further 5 km to shani'pur, take darshan, reach to shirdi late evening, stay at shirdi.

day2, early morning darshan at shirdi, start toward aurangabad, visit ghrishneshwar and ellora, stay at aurangabad.

day3, start from a'bad, go to osmanabad- tuljapur via NH211, further go to naldurg to join nh9 toward hyd.

[Fordmanchau]

^^ Ashish Bhai, forgot to add. Also need to cover trimbakeshwar for a puja .
Then how would the itinerary change ? Can it be done in a single day alongwith darshan at Shirdi ?
Any pointers for good hotel in Aurangabad .