![]() | #1891 | ||
Senior - BHPian ![]() Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Hyderabad
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Baroda-thane:6hrs Thane to MPEW:60-90mins MPEW:90-120mins(anything lesser is asking for trouble) Pune Bypass:90mins PuneBypass End - Kolhapur:3-4hrs Kolhapur-Madgaon(via Amboli):4hrs Kolhapur-Belgaum:1hr Belgaum-Madgaon(via Miller):3-4hrs.if you are arriving after 6-7am at Belgaum you would have to negotiate town traffic as well as ask around for the road to Khanapur(if via NH4a) or for Chorla road | ||
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![]() | #1892 |
Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pune
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| ![]() On second thoughts - it isn't that all the ghat roads are a bhoot bangla at nights! Just that lack of traffic means breakdowns can be a problem. You can skirt that issue even if you get to pass Kolhapur before 6 pm. Instead of leaving NH4 at Tawandi, stay on it and leave it a little later at Sankeshwar to go to Amboli via Gadhinglaj - Ajra. The Sankeshwar route has enough traffic on it for back up if needed. I have done the Amboli ghat coming up from Goa often at 5 am, and there is enough truck traffic on it even at that time. I find ghats easier at night because on coming traffic is easily picked up via their lights. This way you will also avoid Belgaum traffic which can be a pain. |
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![]() | #1893 | ||
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Margao, Goa
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Reasons for suggesting the route, NH4 from Mumbai till Belgaum. Mumbai Pune expressway - Nothing major to worry about, End of expressway to Satara Six lane work in progress. It is 80% complete but still numerous diversion. Satara to Belgaum - Absolute breeze to drive. Belgaum to Margao (NH4A) Excellent road till Margao barring Road widening at same places (Out skirts of Belgaum & few patches before Ponda). Reason for not recommending Chorla Route - Your destination is Margoa & NH4A is wider + shorter route to Margao. Chorla was an alternative to reach Margao when NH4A was in Pathetic condition. But NH4A has been completely re-laid & is as good as any other 2 lane National Highway. Reason for not recommending Ajara-Amboli-Sawantwadi route Again your destination is Margao & you do not want navigate through dense traffic between Mapusa & Margao. Especially at few locations in Panjim (New bridge construction site over river Mandovi). Quote:
Start from Baroda - 6 PM Reach Mumbai outskirts (Hotel fountain) 11 PM Reach Pune outskirts via Thane 2 AM Reach Belgaum 7 AM Reach Margao 10.30 AM Another major reason for altering your timing is, because you certainly want to avoid End of Mumbai-Pune expressway till Satara during daytime. Trust me, it will tiring to negotiate through slower & heavier traffic, frequent traffic jams at various diversions after good 7-8 hours of nights drive. The journey is planned in such a way that you would be avoiding spots which are prone to traffic congestion. In my opinion driving close to 16 hours at one go would be too much considering your 1.5K drive a day prior. I would recommend to follow the same itinerary but take a break at Kolhapur. You should reach Kolhapur by 5 AM. Take a break. Sleep till well past noon. Have sumptuous lunch & start for Goa. Even if you start from Kolhapur by 2 PM, you should reach Margoa by 7 PM. Well I am based at Margao. Do ping me in case you get stuck at something or write in this post. ![]() | ||
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![]() | #1894 | ||
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Pune
Posts: 208
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Thank you... ![]() Quote:
Have a Happy and Safe Trip... ![]() | ||
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![]() | #1895 |
BHPian Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Pune
Posts: 75
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| ![]() ^^ well, if you do decide to take amboli, here are my two bits. I just got back to Pune from Goa today. Nippani-amboli-sawantwadi-goa route is fine. Small patches of bad roads but overall the road is fine. I was comfortably able to keep high(er) speeds on the Duke than last time when I went March end. Just watch out for the speed breakers which are yet to be removed at the diversions before satara due to road works.. I counted 6 on the way to Goa and around 5-6 unmarked ones on the way back. I took some videos on the go pro, if you're interested to actually see the road conditions. Search my name on YouTube and you'll find the playlist. Alternatively PM if you want the link.. |
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![]() | #1896 |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Margao, Goa
Posts: 238
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| ![]() Since there are lot of questions popping up regarding road condition between Belgaum & Goa, I thought I will pen down my recent travel on this route. Not very often but I drive at least twice in a month on this route. Onward Jouney Date of Travel 29th April, Friday Destination Pune Route Margao Anmod Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary Khanapur Belgaum Nippani Satara Pune. Vehicle/s Ertiga Till Nippani, Scorpio from Nippani till Pune Start time 5.35 AM Break Reached 8.40 AM at Nippani (Included a power nap break for around 15 mins). Vehicle Swapping Scorpio needed a thorough wash as it wasnt used for 10-15 days. I almost lost close to 1.5 hours in cleaning it, filling fuel, checking tyre pressure etc. Start after break 10 AM Reached Hinjewadi 1.35 PM. I prefer early morning start as I face relatively lesser traffic enroute. Route till Anmod is breeze. After Anmod check post took immediate left for Khanapur through Bhimgad wildlife sanctuary. This route is open only from 6AM to 6PM (Very apt decision as you can sometimes come across Jackel, Bison & Snakes. Time restriction should help wildlife at fall). One can also continue on NH4A towards Khanapur via Ramanagar. But route through Sanctuary saves me good 20-25 kms. Sanctuary road is fairly good barring few patches where top layer is disappeared. It becomes narrower when you enter Belgaum district & sometimes you have to get off the track to accommodate oncoming vehicle (Read Truck). I maintained speed of around 80-90 Kmph till I crossed Belgaum. Road between Belgaum & Nippani is excellent where I was cruising at around 100-110 Kmph. Somewhere between Belgaum & Sankeshwar I parked vehicle in parking bay & took a break for quick power nap (Whenever I feel sleepy I prefer parking vehicle aside and taking a power nap instead of tea or any form of caffeine). Reached Nippani at around 8.40 AM. I started the journey again around 10 AM in Scorpio. The speed of Scorpio is infectious but I hate its rideability. Cruised at around 110-120 Kmph only to reach Pune (Hinjewadi Bridge) by 1.35 PM. I did not take any break during journey except one for getting the Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate after Khed Shivapur toll. Though there were numerous diversions between Satara & Pune, at none I faced traffic jam. Return Journey Date of Travel 30th April, Friday Destination Nippani Route Pune Satara - Kolhapur - Nippani Vehicle Scorpio S6+ Start time 6.00 PM Nippani Reached 10.30 PM Most probably this was one of the most torturous drive, I have done till date. I wanted to start by 2 PM so that I could reach Margao for a sleep. But couldnt complete work before dusk. Started from Hinjewadi at around 6 PM. Till Satara came across umpteen traffic jams at various diversions. It was really tiring to negotiate through absolute heavy traffic. It wasnt traffic that was tiring me but lane discipline of other vehicles. Everyone was in hurry to outrace others. In doing so there was no respect for lane following. Couple of Wagon Rs overtook me when I was doing at around 100 kmph & when I dropped to 90 kmph more than couple of Altos zoomed pass me. Sometimes I wonder whether the average driving speed on National Highways has gone close to 100 kmph? It also is heart wrenching to see people squeezing life out puny 800 CC engine (No offence Alto owners). Anyway I reached Nippani at 10.30 PM and was in no mood to drive further. Crashed on bed only to wakeup 4.30 Next morning. Date of Travel 1st May 2016 Destination Margao Route Nippani Belgaum Khanapur Anmod - Margao Vehicle - Ertiga Start time 5.30 AM Nippani Reached 8.45 AM. Break 15 minutes of bio break before start of Anmod Ghat Nothing exiting happened during the journey. Just to give hint of vehicle density between Khanapur & Anmod, I came across 3 trucks & 7 four wheelers through the drive of 30 odd kms. Lesser traffic might be because of time (7.00 in the morning). My parents stay at Nippani & I often end up travelling there. My earlier preferred route was Margao-Panjim- Sawantwadi- Amboli-Ajara- Nippani. Since the NH4A has been re-laid I prefer driving via Belgaum. Many people prefer Chorla for being scenic but I always felt Amboli route is equally scenic & definitely wider than Chorla. So anyone travelling to South Goa from Mumbai/Pune I would recommend NH4/NH4A. If you are travelling to North Goa then Nippani- Ajara Amboli - Sawantwadi- North Goa or Belgaum Chorla North Goa. (I would recommend Amboli route anytime over Chorla, not only for it being wider but also because of availability of Cellular network throughout the journey which is of lot of help during emergency). Well my next journey on same road is planned in coming 5-6 days. |
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![]() | #1897 |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Bombay
Posts: 540
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| ![]() Hi guys, A quick one, On my last travel to Kolhapur from Mumbai, i spotted baords of AH47 and not NH4. A bit of help from Google and AH refers to 'Asian Highway'. Can somebody help me get the bigger perspective on this ? Why this renaming ? HAs Indian Government taken help (FInancial or otherwise) for this road ? Regards Dieseltuned |
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![]() | #1898 | |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Navi Mumbai
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Map of the highways Asian Highway 2 sign near Ratchaburi, Thailand Asian Highway Route Sign. This sign is used on the AH 18. The Asian Highway (AH) project, also known as the Great Asian Highway, is a cooperative project among countries in Asia and Europe and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), to improve the highway systems in Asia. It is one of the three pillars of the Asian Land Transport Infrastructure Development (ALTID) project, endorsed by the ESCAP commission at its 48th session in 1992, comprising Asian Highway, Trans-Asian Railway (TAR) and facilitation of land transport projects. Agreements have been signed by 32 countries to allow the highway to cross the continent and also reach to Europe. Some of the countries taking part in the highway project are India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, China, Japan, South Korea and Bangladesh.[1] Most of the funding comes from the larger, more advanced Asian nations like Japan, India and China as well as international agencies such as the Asian Development Bank. The project aims to make maximum use of the continent's existing highways to avoid the construction of newer ones, except in cases where missing routes necessitate their construction. Project Monitor, an Asian infrastructure news website, has commented that "early beneficiaries of the Asian Highway project are the planners within the national land transport department of the participating countries [since] it assists them in planning the most cost-effective and efficient routes to promote domestic and international trade. Non-coastal areas, which are often negligible, are the other beneficiaries."[1] However, in the mid-2000s some transportation experts were sceptical about the viability of the project given the economic and political climate in both South and South-East Asia.[1] | |
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![]() | #1899 |
Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pune
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There won't be any change. Ask the same question after a couple of months of monsoon rain - around August - and you will get a different answer! |
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![]() | #1900 |
Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pune
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| ![]() It is good to know that the old NH4A is in good shape again, that was my route to Goa in the early 90s, even before NH4 was upgraded. I remember a horror drive in about 1995, in the Nipani area where the new road construction was in full swing leaving many kilometres of horrendous surface that I had to slowly negotiate in a new Zen. Given the traffic on the arterial north south Goa roads now, it is probably a better way to get to Margao and places further south. Even with some time lost in negotiating Belgaum traffic. For North Goa, Uttur/Ajra/Amboli remains the fastest, I believe. Last edited by Sawyer : 11th May 2016 at 07:13. |
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![]() | #1901 | |
BHPian Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Pune
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![]() | #1902 |
BHPian Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Goa
Posts: 88
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It is!! I've just come back to Goa yesterday, and while the roads are smooth with almost 100% drivability, it still remains the quickest by far. Through Amboli that is. Notably, if one wishes to take Chorla route via belgaum (now belagavi), widening of the only main road on entering belgaum is under progress. Once that is up and running, one shouldn't take too much time to cut across to nh4 or Chorla through the city. |
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![]() | #1903 |
Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pune
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| ![]() With Amboli the fastest to north Goa and Mollem to the south, that leaves Chorla in third spot as slower than either of the other two for any part of Goa other than those close to the end of that ghat. As for scenic value, I find every road down to Konkan/Goa is scenic in its own way. And in the monsoons, all are spectacular, but equally landslide risk prone in the first few weeks of the season. Although it is good to have three very viable roads now, that ought to reduce the load on any single one. The big question is how things will remain on this score once the rains have had their say. |
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![]() | #1904 | ||
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Pune
Posts: 208
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Wanted a latest update from local Goans on the Weather, Beach Shacks Status and any other useful information. Since i am traveling to Benaulim in South Goa, i am planning to take the below Route based on your recommendation. Route Pune Satara - Kolhapur - Nippani Belgaum Khanapur Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary - Anmod - Margao. Just wanted to know the difference between Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary Route and Ramanagar Route to Anmod. Is the Wildlife Sanctuary Road safe enough to travel ? Which route will be preferable ? Thanks Guys. | ||
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![]() | #1905 | |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Pune
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The Ramnagar route has wider roads as compared to Bhimgad. | |
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