[condor]

Belgaum - Gulbarga looks fine, though after Bijapur I am not very sure. Will let you know if I get more info.

Kurnool will be a suitable place for a halt.

[ampere]

I would still suggest go via NH7 and then into Sedam. That option I think can turn out to be smoother.

[vivek95]

Belgaum - Bagalkot - Bijapur - Gulbarga is the standard and preferred route while driving from Goa/Belgaum to Hyderabad. You will get many latest updates on this stretch in the Hyderabad to Goa thread ( route queries section ).

[Santoshbhat]

Well I completed the trip (quoted below) and am updating thread with latest road conditions.

Belgaum to Gulbarga
Belgaum - Bagalkot - Bijapur - Gulburga
Total distance = 376 km
Travel time as per Google= 6 hrs 31 mins
Actual time taken 6 hrs (including half hr breafast break at Bijapur) with an early morning 4:30 am departure. So city traffic was nil.
Roads are good throughout. No worries at all. Some stretches the road surface is breaking up. Still one can carry on at an average of 60 kph. Few months down the line the deterioration will accelerate unless resurfacing is taken up. But no major potholes and such.
Do note there are no worthwhile eateries with toilets along the way. We were forced to go into Bijapur town for breakfast which delayed us a bit. Otherwise I could have taken the ring road which bypasses the town.


Gulbarga to Bangalore
Gulbarga - Sedam - Kodangal - Mahbubngar - Bangalore
Total distance = 640 kms
Travel time as per Google = 9hrs 8 mins
Actual time taken : 8 hrs (excluding breaks)
We broke this journey at Kurnool where we halted for the night at Hotel DVR Mansion, Kurnool. Very decent hotel and good food too.
Gulbraga to Sedam is a two lane tolled road. Fast and smooth roads here are a real pleasure. Sedam to Mahbubngar is also decent but not as good as Gulbarga - Sedam. You need to cross Mahbubnagar town to hit the HYD - BLR highway and google took us through some very narrow market streets . Once you hit the HYD BLR highway its smooth sailing to BLR.

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

I've got to visit Gulburga this month. Have never visited the place and what's more I'll be doing Belgaum - Gulburga and then Gulburga - Bangalore.

Google maps gives the foll routes

Belgaum to Gulburga
Belgaum - Bagalkot - Bijapur - Gulburga
Total distance = 376 km
Travel time = 6 hrs 31 mins

Gugburga to Bangalore
Gulburga - Sedam - Kodangal - Mahbubngar - Bangalore
Total distance = 640 kms
Travel time = 9hrs 8 mins

[mvp]

I would be traveling from Bangalore to Shahbad (near Gulbarga) and back to Bangalore next week.

I am considering to take the highway towards Hyderabad and take a left near Shakapur (NH) towards Naranyapur - Gurmatkal and proceed to Shahbad. Please advise the road conditions from Shakapur onwards. Is there any other better option?

And, would be returning from Sannathi to Bangalore.
https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Sa...12.9715987!3e0

Is the route through Mahaboobnagar a better option?

Thanks

[condor]

Originally Posted by mvp

I would be traveling from Bangalore to Shahbad (near Gulbarga) and back to Bangalore next week.

Had travelled BLR-Mahbubnagar- GLB-Akkalkot at Diwali.

I may not recollect the route correctly, but we went via Sedam. We initially tried to take this turn at Kandoor before Mahbubnagar, but then went upto mahbubnagar and then came to Marikal. The section between Mahbubnagar - Marikal will be the one to watch out for. Road was not too wide, local traffic, speed breakers etc. Also, not much about food options. We didnt find too many even on the highway, and hardly anything after Mahbubnagar. Road work is going on in sections in the area.

[prashkul]

Did a Bangalore - Gulbarga drive mid Sep. Started from home in e-city around 8:45am - we were up since 4am and got ready for a 6am start. But we have rarely managed such an early start, no matter how far our destination is . An accidental locking of a bedroom door delayed us and we could start only by 8:45am. Utilized the delay to have a hearty breakfast at home itself before starting, and packed some lunch as well for the road. With a total break time of around 1h30min for lunch, tea etc, we reached Gulbarga home around 9:20pm. Took the Blr-Hyd highway till just before Mahbubnagar and deviated towards Gulbarga at Boothpur. Road conditions from Boothpur deviation till Kodangal (thru Kosigi) were pretty bad and slowed us down. Kodangal to Gulbarga via Sedam was again very good.

Here's the latest toll data for onward route -

1. Navayuga Devanahalli - 10:22 AM - Rs. 85
2. Bagepalli - 11:24 AM - Rs. 90
3. Marur - 12:29 PM - Rs. 105
4. Kasepalli - 1:32 PM - Rs. 95
5. Amkathadu - 2:16 PM - Rs. 100
6. Pullur - 3:41 PM - Rs. 100
7. Western Andhra Tollways Ltd. - 4:43 PM - Rs. 60
8. GVRMP Wagdhari Ribbanpally Tollway Pvt. Ltd - 8:10 PM - Rs. 75


I was originally thinking of returning via the same route with a small change - i.e instead of turning right at Kodangal towards Kosigi, proceed straight thru Paragi and hit the Hyd-Blr highway a little closer to Hyd, to avoid the bad stretch of Kodangal-Kosigi-Boothpur. But then there was a change of plans, and I returned thru Glb-Bellary-Blr route. Most of this 650km route was fine except for some 25-30km stretch just before Bellary where the top surface has gone bad and I could only do around 40-50kmph.

Fuel efficiency during onward journey: 18+ kmpl
Fuel efficiency during return journey: 17+ kmpl
Car: 11-year old Fiat Palio Stile (Petrol). AC was on throughout.
Total toll paid during onward journey: Rs. 710/-
Total toll paid during return trip: Rs. 135/-

[prashkul]

Did another roadtrip to Gulbarga last week during Deepavali holidays. Based on latest road conditions, I suggest avoiding the Mahbubnagar/Shadnagar to Sedam section completely. Lots of road construction underway right from somewhere before Pargi stretching all the way to KA border. The whole Telangana stretch in this section is undergoing these works. So best to stick to Bangalore-Bellary-Gulbarga option for now.

[Philistine]

Originally Posted by prashkul

Did another roadtrip to Gulbarga last week during Deepavali holidays. Based on latest road conditions, I suggest avoiding the Mahbubnagar/Shadnagar to Sedam section completely. Lots of road construction underway right from somewhere before Pargi stretching all the way to KA border. The whole Telangana stretch in this section is undergoing these works. So best to stick to Bangalore-Bellary-Gulbarga option for now.

How much time did this route take for you?

Google is suggesting this route from Gulbarga to Bangalore through Bellary
https://goo.gl/maps/g6WDU1Vskto

Should I follow the above route? or Use the previously suggested Gulbarga-Sedam-Kodangal-Mabubnagar-Bangalore stretch. It's 3 months since your last update and the road work 'could' be complete.

I will be travelling the day after from Gulbarga to Bangalore.

[prashkul]

Originally Posted by Philistine

How much time did this route take for you?

Google is suggesting this route from Gulbarga to Bangalore through Bellary
https://goo.gl/maps/g6WDU1Vskto

Should I follow the above route? or Use the previously suggested Gulbarga-Sedam-Kodangal-Mabubnagar-Bangalore stretch. It's 3 months since your last update and the road work 'could' be complete.

I will be travelling the day after from Gulbarga to Bangalore.

During the last trip, I had actually driven from Tirupati to Gulbarga (Tirupati >> Kurnool >> Gulbarga). So my journey time will not be comparable to Bangalore >> Gulbarga trip. Typically, I take around 11-12 hours on my Gulbarga-Bangalore trips, including 3-4 pit stops.

Yes, the roadwork around Pargi could be complete now. I had seen reports of Rahul Gandhi's rally in that area shortly after my trip, in the run up to Telangana state elections. So it is a possibility the roadwork may be complete now.

The other route you've shared is also fine - no uncertainties. I took the same route from Gulbarga to Bangalore on my return trip. I usually continue from Bellary onwards to Challekere >> Tumkur >> Bangalore, instead of coming via Bellary >> Anantapur >> Bangalore. Roads are absolutely fine on the Bellary >> Challekere >> Tumkur >> Bangalore stretch. You will also end up paying lesser toll money on this route, compared to Anantapur option.

HTH, and drive safe.

[prashkul]

Originally Posted by Philistine

I will be travelling the day after from Gulbarga to Bangalore.

Which route did you traverse? Any updates you could share on the latest road conditions?

I'll be driving to Glb this weekend.

[Zezé]

Originally Posted by prashkul

.......Also, I travel frequently to Gulbarga as it is my home town.......

I am driving from Hyderabad to Goa during the Dassera vacation. On the return leg, I was planning to stop over at Gulbarga. Since it is your home town, can you recommend some good hotels, where we can stay overnight? A hotel closer to the road to Hyderabad or Zaheerabad would be ideal.

[prashkul]

Has anyone driven recently to Gulbarga? Which of the below route is suggested?

a. Blore-Hyd highway till Mahbubnagar>Pargi>Sedam>Gulbarga
b. Blore>Tumkur>Bellary>Gulbarga

Travel is tomorrow, so urgent inputs are needed.

TIA!

[Awaz]

Last month I did a Blr-Glb-Blr trip

Onward route taken was Blr>Chikkaballapur>Kurnool>Boothpur>Kosgi>Kodangal >Ripponpalli>Sedam>Glb
Distance travelled was ~630kms and travel time of 11hrs 30min with 3 breaks. Overall road conditions from Blr to Boothpur on NH44 is very good, occasional invisible speed breakers. Boothpur/Mahbubnagar to Kosgi had wide smooth new roads and I was thinking I made a good decision but it was going to be just a lull before the storm. The stretch from Kosgi to Kodangal was so horrible that RTC Bus tyres were getting sunken in those ditches. I had taken this stretch after more than 7-8 years but unfortunately things have not improved in TS, atleast in these regions. Bad stretch continues on the small patch off TS SH4 at Ravalpally up until KA border crossing at Ripponpalli. My SUV was a saving grace to comfortably cross all the obstacle course put forward. As part of trip preparation I tried to find out the latest road conditions on this forum and from my friends on the Kosgi Kodangal way. One friend had recently done Blr to Glb via Shadnagar>Pargi>Ripponpalli and gave a good feedback regarding it but had no inputs on my planned route. I was not interested to take a longer detour and was optimistic that things may have improved in all these years which was not to be.

On the way back I had multiple options. Last year I had done Glb>Jewargi>Bijapur bypass>Chitradurga>Blr which was my safe and fallback option but I was eager to checkout NH150. I found +ve reviews from couple of sources and I made up my mind.

My return route was initially the NH150 Glb>Shahbad>Wadi>Yadgir>Raichur then NH340C Raichur> Gadwal>NH44>Kurnool>Blr and in the end I must say I made a good decision. Road conditions from NH150 even though a single carriageway all throughout is superb excluding stretches when the road passes through towns enroute or deviations at Flyover/Bridge works that are in progress. You can safely run at 80-100kmph with not much traffic (along or oncoming). Yadgir-Raichur is a special mention, permitted speed limit is 100 kmph, its a breeze to run through and if weather is good like it was in my case cloudy with occasional drizzle, it is icing on the cake !! There were no operational toll gates on NH150 as on Sep 2021. Raichur to Gadwal to NH44 intersection is winding, undulating yet smooth, paddy fields all along and hardly any road traffic. Exiting Raichur towards Gadwal is a nuisance, a small patch has numerous speed breakers, I stopped counting them. Total distance covered was ~610kms in 11hrs and 30min with 3 breaks.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Awaz

My return route was initially the NH150 Glb>Shahbad>Wadi>Yadgir>Raichur then NH340C Raichur> Gadwal>NH44>Kurnool>Blr and in the end I must say I made a good decision. Road conditions from NH150 even though a single carriageway all throughout is superb excluding stretches when the road passes through towns enroute or deviations at Flyover/Bridge works that are in progress. You can safely run at 80-100kmph with not much traffic (along or oncoming). Yadgir-Raichur is a special mention, permitted speed limit is 100 kmph, its a breeze to run through and if weather is good like it was in my case cloudy with occasional drizzle, it is icing on the cake !! There were no operational toll gates on NH150 as on Sep 2021.

The way Chitradurga-Hospet-Solapur has developed in the last few years, we need to think a good way to connect this express way from Gulbarga. Either to Vijayapura or Hungund. This option may get you the maximum 4-lane coverage probably.