[suzuki san]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

Drove to Goa over the long weekend. Took my favorite Pune - Kolhapur - Nipani - Uttur - Ajara - Amboli - Sawantwadi - Goa route. All the broken patches between Nipani - Ajara - Amboli - Sawantwadi are fully patched. None of the huge potholes remain. Some sections are rough but nothing that will make you slow down. A few speedbreakers have been added between Nipani and Uttur especially where they had schools by the road side. Some of them are still unmarked. Be careful.

I still maintain a good amount of opposition to the Chorla route because it takes you via Belgaum where you lose time. Secondly, there are almost no run off areas should any of those enthu cutlets overshoot corners and come straight at you. Amboli route remains the fastest way to enter north Goa while Anmod takes you quickly down south.

I drove down from Bombay to Goa today and after reading all the reports on the Amboli road decided to use it for a change.
What a mistake-a to make-a!!!

"MoralFibre" - No Offence but Sorry! I find it hard to agree with your opposition to the Chorla Road. (Let's just agree to disagree!!)

First of all the difference in distance between the Chorla Road and the Amboli Road is just 10Kms. I have checked this numerous times.

Secondly, you spend a lot more time on a proper highway (NH4) where you can easily make up the time - especially on the stretch between Nipani and Belgaum - that you are likely to lose in Belgaum traffic.

Thirdly, the Nipani - Uttur - Ajra - Amboli road (SH120) is a continuous "lumpy" ride on a pockmarked road which has not changed over the last 10 years. If your passengers are belted in, Yes! you can maintain a speed of about 80 Kmph but it's not comfortable. Also the road seems to go on and on, twisting and turning and my wife who is prone to motion sickness was suffering today and berating me for my stupid decision to use the Amboli Road. She has no problems with the Chorla Road which is almost like a carpet compared to Amboli.

I agree totally with you about the run off areas. That can get a bit hairy on the Chorla Road but the same thing happened to me (forced off the road) three times today on the Amboli Road, so...

Anyway, to each his own.

Looks like the "Speed Breaker Fairy" has been wandering around the Nipani area. I counted 32 (individual) speed breakers today between Nipani and Uttur - a distance of just 20 Kms. After Uttur there were just a couple.

Summary :
1. We left Bombay (Andheri WEH) at 05.45 due to a late night last night. Exited via SCLR and Vashi.
2. Heavy traffic on the Expressway even so early in the morning. Trucks blocking all three lanes as usual on the ghats so had to zig zag through them.
3. Looks like some new digging has started on the Poona By Pass near "Popular Nagar".
4. Was good to see the Khambatki Ghat road is almost completed - 3 lanes for 95% of the ghat - and is in very good condition.
5. All the usual diversions between Poona and Satara are still there. Usual mini jams on the service roads.
6. Reached the Nipani turning at exactly 12.00 after 2 stops of about 20 mins and 15 mins and I figured we were making good time.
However, from the turn off at Nipani it took another gruelling 3 hours and 20 minutes to reach Mapuca (I live just outside Mapuca) including a 35 minute stop for lunch (and to give my wife a break) at Minerva (Ajra).

So, all in all, it took just over 9.5 hours which is about the same or maybe a little more time than it takes me if I use Chorla.

N.B.
Breakfast at Vithal Kamat just outside Poona (near the McD) was a disaster. Food was pathetic, Did not expect this at Kamat's. Washrooms were OK.
Lunch at Minerva was a pleasant experience. Food was tasty, reasonably priced and washrooms were clean. Plenty of covered parking.
Usual traffic jams at the toll booths.

Regards,
SS

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by suzuki san

from the turn off at Nipani it took another gruelling 3 hours and 20 minutes to reach Mapuca

That's about the time it takes me as well. I find the drive to be more scenic and a good break from boring NH4. Yes, the speed breakers are irritating, no question; but so are the ones in Goa from the Chorla foothills to Mapusa. And I probably take at least 15 minutes more on the Nipani to Belgaum stretch than you do, where I don't exceed 110-120.

How much time does it take you from the same turn off if you take the Chorla route?

[moralfibre]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

That's about the time it takes me as well.

How much time does it take you from the same turn off if you take the Chorla route?

9.5 hours from Bombay is good time. Not sure what is different in Chorla? Does it save you more? Perhaps our perception of good roads is quite different. Nipani - Sawantwadi is not butter top but any country road where you can maintain 80km/h can be termed fairly decent. Secondly, Chorla has equal number of nooks and corners throughout the road if not more as compared to Amboli. Any road which takes you down Sahyadri mountains to Konkan will be nearly the same.

Last drive I averaged 66kmph from Pune to Porvorim where we stay. My update was merely in regard to the road condition which was outright horrible after last monsoons. It has been fixed completely and thats what I suggested. Sorry to hear about your bad experience.

[suzuki san]

Hi Guys,

Just driven up from Goa to Bombay via the Chorla road.
Took the usual 9 hours and 30 odd minutes.

1. From Sanquelim to the Goa border and a bit beyond there is some cable laying work going on at the road side. The mud which has been dug up has been dumped on the road thereby effectively making it a one way system if you encounter a bus or truck. Hopefully the rubble will be replaced soon.
2. There are a couple of rough patches on the Ghat road itself but nothing that a normal hatchback or sedan would be bothered by. Apart from this the road is in very good condition.
3. There are about 29 speed breakers from Mapuca to the Goa border. There are another 17 speed breakers between the Goa border and the entrance to Belgaum.
4. Left Mapuca at 05.35. Was at the Goa border at 06.10. Entered Belgaum at 08.00. Exited Belgaum at 08.20. Stopped at Amar Hotel at Nipani (base of Tawande Ghat) at 09.00. (Clean washrooms and OK food). Departed Nipani at 09.25 after breakfast. Passed first entrance to Poona at 12.00. Passed under Hinjewadi bridge at 12.30. Stopped for petrol and sandwiches at Sai HP Pump at 12.40. Entered Expressway at 13.05. Exited Expressway at 13.55. Stuck in major traffic jam and at a standstill near Uran turn off for 15 minutes. Passed Santa Cruz Airport at 15.10.
5. Was extremely lucky with the toll booths this trip. Max waiting time was 2 minutes. Wish this was always the case.

So, basically, the two different routes have taken me the same amount of time. I again checked the difference in distances and found the Chorla road to be 18 Kms longer than Amboli.

By passing through Belgaum relatively early in the morning, I had little or no traffic. On the other hand we arrived in Bombay in the afternoon so got pretty heavy traffic which we usually avoid going the other way as we leave early in the morning.

All in all, it seems to be a "six or two three's" situation and I guess it's up to each individual which road he decides to use.

For those travelling with people who are prone to motion sickness : My wife who is prone to this was miserable on the Amboli road but had just one queasy moment on the Chorla road.

Regards,
SS

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by suzuki san

Departed Nipani at 09.25 after breakfast. Passed first entrance to Poona at 12.00. Passed under Hinjewadi bridge at 12.30.

You do that in 3 hours?! How much is that - about 270 kms for an average speed of 90?!

[docaxe]

What were youbdriving ? Its super fast timing till pune

[suzuki san]

Hi Sawyer,

Not really sure about the distance but it sounds about right. My speedo needle is usually stuck at the 3 digit+ mark so average of about 90 seems reasonable. We were also very, very lucky with the toll booths on this run (almost all of them were clear) and not too much traffic around Kolhapur either.

Docaxe : My usual steed for the highway is an SX4 Zxi 1.6 petrol.

Regards,
SS

[Sawyer]

I don't think that at our slow speeds through bottlenecks/diversions I would be much slower than you, so arithmetic says that for an average of 90 compared to the 70 I make on that stretch, your cruising speed would have to be much higher than mine! Less than 3 digit cruising would not allow a 90 average.

I usually keep a track on my progress for a 4 30 am Pune departure by a 7 15 am arrival at Sai for a stop. Since my Goa drives are for a holiday there, I am never much fussed about time on my return drive.

Apart from the very likely matter of inadequate high speed driving skills, I find myself unable to trust four other factors to run a higher cruising speed:
1. Mechanical failure possibility in my car
2. Mechanical failure possibility in other vehicle on the road
3. Skill or lack thereof of other road users in addition to the usual idiotic things that they often do.
4. Failure of other road users to appreciate that I may be running faster than they expect.

[Sawyer]

On the way to Pune, there is another decent place to eat with clean bathrooms, just after the Tarli river crossing after Karad, on the left. It is a Vithal Kamat franchise with an open parking space, adjacent to the highway; I specify this because I think there is another one before it that is more inset from the road. There also are interesting shops adjacent to it and a couple of stalls in front that sell the Rs 25-50 toys that can be as interesting/fun for the kids as the more expensive ones in cities. Plus a range of interesting and good masalas/condiments.

[ar.abc]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

On the way to Pune, there is another decent place to eat with clean bathrooms, just after the Tarli river crossing after Karad, on the left. It is a Vithal Kamat franchise with an open parking space, adjacent to the highway; I specify this because I think there is another one before it that is more inset from the road. There also are interesting shops adjacent to it and a couple of stalls in front that sell the Rs 25-50 toys that can be as interesting/fun for the kids as the more expensive ones in cities. Plus a range of interesting and good masalas/condiments.

I think you are talking about the Vithal Kamat Shirgaonkar after Umbraj (while going towards Pune).
https://goo.gl/maps/aHDnZDWHjpj
I had tried having food their once but the utthapa and masala dosa were not cooked properly and the batter tasted stale. Highly disappointed. Since then my wife does not want to visit any Kamat's joint anywhere whatsoever! However, the washroom is very clean and every time I travel by this road I stop there just to use the washroom!
The one before this is I think 'Kamat's Idli' which is not good. The washroom is in a dilapidated condition. Please avoid.

[Sawyer]

I don't eat much on the drives, and their coffee was fine; but more to the need are the clean bathrooms.

On another subject, the widening of the Pune Satara stretch is still crawling to a completion, more then three years after the promised end date. I only hope that contract awarding agendas do not turn the Karad Kolhapur 4 lane stretch into another five year nightmare.

[suzuki san]

Hi Guys,
Drove back down to Goa a week ago.
Used the Chorla Ghat road. Nothing special to mention. The road is still in excellent condition. The cable laying between the Goa border and Sanquelim which I mentioned in my last post is almost complete and most of the dug up mud has been replaced. Decided to take it easy this run and check the fuel efficiency instead. Took 10 hours and averaged an additional 1Kmpl compared to previous runs. Stopped at McD's outside Poona for breakfast and again at Sai for a coffee. Washrooms in both places were clean. Traffic Police out in force in Belgaum. Speed must be kept at 40Kmph or less.
Regards,
SS

[ampere]

Originally Posted by suzuki san

Used the Chorla Ghat road. Nothing special to mention. The road is still in excellent condition.

Does this basically mean one takes Ajra/Amboli only for the sake of the drive and not for the sake of destination?

Chorla coming to prominence must have considerably thinned the traffic on the Ajra side?

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by ampere

Does this basically means, one takes Ajra/Amboli only for the sake of the drive and not for the sake of destination?

Extra toll, passing Belgaum city and now the fact that the approach to as well as the Amboli Ghat road itself remains in good shape most of the times makes it a preferred one over Chorla.

It is exactly when Chorla suddenly developed into a better alternative to Amboli that everyone including traffic from Bangalore started to take this (Remember how bad the Anmod Ghat was always till around 2013 it starting getting better).

So basically, Chorla ended up as a new 'good' kid on the block offering pristine roads and scenes as you drove into Goa, and especially around Panaji.

Chorla coming to prominence must have considerable thinned the traffic on the Ajra side?

If one simply stops at the Tawandi Ghat for 15 minutes on a busy weekend, they can count number of Pune/Mumbai cars turning right towards Ajra or even emerging out to merge onto NH giving an easy hint that for traffic from Maharashtra, Amboli is a preferred one.

Also, the fact that while Chorla is narrower yet an excellent road, it doesn't witness either Bus or much truck traffic due to this reason.

And having taken all of them including the Tilari once in 2014, for a first timer less accustomed to ghat roads and ease of driving, Amboli is better to Chorla.

[Waspune]

Originally Posted by ampere

Does this basically means, one takes Ajra/Amboli only for the sake of the drive and not for the sake of destination?



Chorla coming to prominence must have considerable thinned the traffic on the Ajra side?

Actually Ajra/Amboli makes sense only if you are headed to North Goa and Chorla makes sense if you are going to South Goa. So there shouldn't be much change in the traffic conditions in both the routes.