[sachinayak]

Need help on this. I need to go to Ponda later this month and plan to start at 5am. The route options i have are

1. Bangalore - Belgaum (NH4 all the way) - Khanapur - Londa - Ponda
This is probably around 75km longer, but i am told the roads are good all way till ponda.

2. Bangalore - Haveri (NH4 till here) - Kalghatgi - Haliyal - Alnavar - Ramnagar - Molem - Ponda.
Any idea of the road conditions?

Am travelling with my wife and kid and tend not to drive over 100kmph. Would prefer the second route (saves distance) if the road conditions are good.

Any suggestions or other options i need to consider?

[Fauji]

Originally Posted by sachinayak

Need help on this. I need to go to Ponda later this month and plan to start at 5am. The route options i have are

1. Bangalore - Belgaum (NH4 all the way) - Khanapur - Londa - Ponda
This is probably around 75km longer, but i am told the roads are good all way till ponda.

2. Bangalore - Haveri (NH4 till here) - Kalghatgi - Haliyal - Alnavar - Ramnagar - Molem - Ponda.
Any idea of the road conditions?

Am travelling with my wife and kid and tend not to drive over 100kmph. Would prefer the second route (saves distance) if the road conditions are good.

Any suggestions or other options i need to consider?

Sachin,

Look at my previous post. Not sure about Kahanapur - Londa or Molem - Londa route. I can assure that road via hubli - Kalgahtgi - Yellapur - Karwar - Cancona - Madgaon - Ponda is excellent and you can drive with peace of mind.

[sachinayak]

Originally Posted by Fauji

Sachin,

Look at my previous post. Not sure about Kahanapur - Londa or Molem - Londa route. I can assure that road via hubli - Kalgahtgi - Yellapur - Karwar - Cancona - Madgaon - Ponda is excellent and you can drive with peace of mind.

Thanks for your inputs. My only concern was that this route is almost 100km longer than the other option. As per google maps, this route is 663km against 554km (shortest route). I guess the road conditions however compensate for the extra distance. How long would you think it would take from Hubli to Ponda (via Karwar)?


Other option I am considering is Hubli - Dharwad - Kittur (NH4 till here) - Bidi - Khanapur (NH4a) - Ponda. This works to around 590km.

[Fauji]

Originally Posted by sachinayak

Thanks for your inputs. My only concern was that this route is almost 100km longer than the other option. As per google maps, this route is 663km against 554km (shortest route). I guess the road conditions however compensate for the extra distance. How long would you think it would take from Hubli to Ponda (via Karwar)?


Other option I am considering is Hubli - Dharwad - Kittur (NH4 till here) - Bidi - Khanapur (NH4a) - Ponda. This works to around 590km.

We took 8 hours with forty minutes break to Cancona which is 60 KMs from Ponda. I was driving Scorpio. From Cancona you should not be taking more than an haour and fifteen minutes. So you will need atleast 11 hours if driving small car with breaks for BF and Lunch. If the road via Molem is good take it. It definitely save time. Some one who has travelled on this road should confirm or ask you folks in Ponda from local taxi drivers and give you information.

[suniladhiya]

@Sachin: I am with Fauji all the way. Avoid Belgaum-Khanapur-Ramnagar-Mollem-Ponda like the plague. Drove this in the first week of December and never ever again. My son-in-law drove from BLR to Goa via Hubli-Yellapur-Ankola-Karwar-Madgaon and its excellent throughout. Driving comfort more than compensates for the extra distance.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by sachinayak

Other option I am considering is Hubli - Dharwad - Kittur (NH4 till here) - Bidi - Khanapur (NH4a) - Ponda. This works to around 590km.

As others have mentioned, routes from Hubli/Dharwad/Belgaum cutting to Goa are never
typically in good state. (Either via Dnadeli or Alnavar or Khanapur.)

Since one would be driving long distances from Bangalore, another 50-60km wont matter.
But at the same time NH63 via Ankola is beautiful and in very good state.

[v&v]

Originally Posted by Fauji

Just back from Goa after celebrating new year there.

The best road today from Bangalore is NH 4 till Hubli and NH 63 from there via Yellapur-Karwar. Excellent stretch thoughout except broken road - No pot holes- on the curve after Yellapur - two KMs. No big deal. The coastal road - NH 17 - from Ankola is superb too.

We left our home on Bannerghatta Road at 5 AM - and reached Cancona at 2 PM with Breakfast break at Davanagere for Forty minutes. Add another one and half hour if you are going to North Goa.

I will taking the same route as you have taken for Bangalore. Will be starting by 10 am and hope to reach by 5 Pm.

How is the traffic density during day time. Also some suggestion for good eating outlets needed.

Thanks in advance

[Fauji]

Originally Posted by v&v

I will taking the same route as you have taken for Bangalore. Will be starting by 10 am and hope to reach by 5 Pm.

How is the traffic density during day time. Also some suggestion for good eating outlets needed.

Thanks in advance

V&V,

The traffic density is only till Karwar due to curvy road and village traffic in Goa. After Karwar till Chitradurga it is breeze after which truck traffic will increase because of trucks joining from NH 13. Truck traffic after Chitradurga will really slow you down.

Since you are leaving at 10 AM, you can have lunch at Abhiruchi in Karwar which you can reach by 12.30 PM from Madgaon. This is the best bet as the next decent place to eat will be after Hubli in Kamat on the highway which will be quite late.

If you want a coffee break there is a CCD near Sira bye pass.

[akshay380]

Originally Posted by sachinayak

Thanks for your inputs. My only concern was that this route is almost 100km longer than the other option. As per google maps, this route is 663km against 554km (shortest route). I guess the road conditions however compensate for the extra distance. How long would you think it would take from Hubli to Ponda (via Karwar)?


Other option I am considering is Hubli - Dharwad - Kittur (NH4 till here) - Bidi - Khanapur (NH4a) - Ponda. This works to around 590km.

Ill suggest taking Hubli-Karwar-Cancona-Madgao(You can skip Madgao via a less used bypass)-Ponda

Originally Posted by Fauji

V&V,

The traffic density is only till Karwar due to curvy road and village traffic in Goa. After Karwar till Chitradurga it is breeze after which truck traffic will increase because of trucks joining from NH 13. Truck traffic after Chitradurga will really slow you down.

Since you are leaving at 10 AM, you can have lunch at Abhiruchi in Karwar which you can reach by 12.30 PM from Madgaon. This is the best bet as the next decent place to eat will be after Hubli in Kamat on the highway which will be quite late.

If you want a coffee break there is a CCD near Sira bye pass.

You can also stop at Hotel Amrut famous for Goan style fish dishes in Karwar. Roads are good throughout except some distance before and after Karwar.

[musafir_blr]

Even I was traveling on NH4 in the year end from BLR to PUNE and back. Was surprised to see on some multiple stages on NH4, it was named as "AH47". Any idea please what "AH47" stands for?

[bsdbsd]

Originally Posted by musafir_blr

Even I was traveling on NH4 in the year end from BLR to PUNE and back. Was surprised to see on some multiple stages on NH4, it was named as "AH47". Any idea please what "AH47" stands for?

Just back from Goa via Karwar-Yellapur-Hubli-Bangalore. My inputs for all travelling from/to Goa/Bangalore:

1. The Bangalore-Hubli-Yellpur-Karwar-Goa is the route to take. Avoid all other routes like plague. Period.

2. The boards proclaiming AH47 kept me challenged during the drive. I have not figured out what it stands for till now . Weird!

3. My car broke down in Ankola-Yellapur ghat section. I somehow pulled it till Yellapur. There is a garage called Mahaganapathi garage in Yellapur. This may help you if you get in trouble during this section. I will get the phone number soon.

4. In Goa, the NH gets awfully jammed due to poor traffic management at roundabouts (circles). Be prepared for long waits if this happens. Its a given during the evenings. Its a real pity that they haven't figured out the 'corner cuts', which fully eliminates this condition.

5. The traffic density is negligible in all the sections. Few cars here and there...

6. Dont lose your cool in toll-gates. Have the cash ready at all times.

Drive safe and be well.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by musafir_blr

Any idea please what "AH47" stands for?

Originally Posted by bsdbsd

2. The boards proclaiming AH47 kept me challenged during the drive. I have not figured out what it stands for till now . Weird!

I think it stands for Asian Highway.

Asian Highway Network - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[satshen]

Originally Posted by suniladhiya

@Sachin: I am with Fauji all the way. Avoid Belgaum-Khanapur-Ramnagar-Mollem-Ponda like the plague. Drove this in the first week of December and never ever again. My son-in-law drove from BLR to Goa via Hubli-Yellapur-Ankola-Karwar-Madgaon and its excellent throughout. Driving comfort more than compensates for the extra distance.

Hi
I have got to go the Ponda, Goa via Belgaum - got some work at the University in Belgaum. Please let me know what is the condition/problems one encounters on the Belgaum-Khanapur-Ramnagar-Mollem-Ponda road.

[suniladhiya]

Originally Posted by satshen

Hi
I have got to go the Ponda, Goa via Belgaum - got some work at the University in Belgaum. Please let me know what is the condition/problems one encounters on the Belgaum-Khanapur-Ramnagar-Mollem-Ponda road.

Section from Khanapur to Ramnagar is pathetic road condition, potholes, craters, stones jutting out from the ground. From Ramnagar for another 40 kms, the same situation. Near Ponda, you have lines of countless mining trucks parked right on the highway eating up half of the already narrow carriage width, becuase they are allowed into Ponda only during certain restricted hours during the day. So all the cars end up vying for the remaining half of the road which includes driving into the ditch at the side. Besides all this, the basic alingment of the road is completely crazy, and added to all that is the innumerable speed breakers at every few kms when the road goes through a village. I would'nt go back on this road even for a million dollars.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by satshen

Hi
I have got to go the Ponda, Goa via Belgaum - got some work at the University in Belgaum. Please let me know what is the condition/problems one encounters on the Belgaum-Khanapur-Ramnagar-Mollem-Ponda road.

Originally Posted by suniladhiya

Section from Khanapur to Ramnagar is pathetic road condition, potholes, craters, stones jutting out from the ground. From Ramnagar for another 40 kms, the same situation.

The other option is to take the Amboli/Sawantwadi road from Belgaum.
Its about 30km more, but I think conditions would be better. But please do confirm who would have done this stretch recently.