[Ertigiat]

Originally Posted by MandarMax

Based on what I'm hearing from others about Chorla ghat - the road status, traffic etc. - taking the Anmod ghat route may be a good option if you are coming via Belgaum. (Disclaimer: I don't know if the road is going to remain open forever)

I was happy upon knowing Anmod ghat is open for traffic but joy is short lived. Guess government authorities decided to upheld your disclaimer

Anmod ghat is closed again.

[Haste]

Originally Posted by ishan12

I do Pune - Goa by road very year, there is no need for a stop over overnight. (Unless you are wary of driving 400-450 Kms in a day). I start around 7 AM and have always reached at max by 5 Pm in North Goa. (With breakfast and lunch and bio breaks). Since you have not mentioned which part of Goa you are travelling to, I am assuming north Goa. I was in Goa at the start of this month, and have always taken below route. It takes the least amount of time for North Goa.

Pune- Satara- Kolhapur- Nippani (Take a right turn and leave the NH) - Ajara - Amboli - Sawantwadi - North Goa.

Road this year upto Sawantwadi is in a better shape. Try leaving early from Pune to avoid congestion on diversions and tolls upto Satara and just follow google maps. Also, Alto would do just fine, only be careful of some large potholes after Nippani.

thanks for the tips. Yes its north goa only

We have a little kid with us who is very active, so wanted to break somewhere instead of just doing the 9 hours in one go. Somewhere in middle would have been ideal but decided on Amboli as wanted to visit the waterfall as well.

[a_myth]

Did Goa - Mumbai run on the 15th November. Took the Banda - Sawantwadi - Amboli - Ajara - Gadinglaj - Sankeshwar - Pune - Mumbai route.
Filling up of potholes and patch work is being carried out on the Goa side of the highway. Banda to Nagzhar (just where ghat starts) road surface is uneven with surface layer washed away at considerable sections. Planning to take the Sawantwadi bypass on the return trip if I do reach before sunset. Amboli ghat section is in excellent condition. After Amboli ghat where one takes a left toward Ajara, some road work is in progress for approx 100 m and surface is unpaved. Thereafter upto Sankeshwar the road condition is acceptable with occasional bad patches. But haphazard traffic at Gadinglaj slows you down a bit.
Further the highway condition and traffic is nothing to write about. Considering Nippani Uttur road on return trip.

[Altitude]

Yesterday I returned from South Goa to Mumbai via Anmod Ghat. The route is currently open through the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary.
Coming from Goa, a freshly built 2-lane concrete road starts from Mollem. The road is not yet fully finished - at a few places there are still scraps of jute stuck to the road - but can comfortably be driven on in any car. While there were no problems during the daytime, I would advise against taking this road after dark because the kerbs have not yet been established. The road is basically a slab of concrete at a height of almost a foot from the ground, with no markings or reflectors as yet, and you do not want your wheels slipping off the road in low visibility conditions.
The road is currently open till the Anmod Checkpost, from where one has to take the left-turn through the Bhimgad sanctuary to Khanapur. The straight road towards Londa is barricaded.
The roads on the Goa side till Mollem are a delight to drive on with smooth surfaces and minimal traffic. On the Karnataka side, the road till Khanapur is decent, with only one stretch having small potholes. After Khanapur the drive gets a little painful with increased traffic, 4-laning work and then Belgaum city traffic. Overall I would still rate it a more pleasant drive than the Amboli Ghat route I took while while heading in to Goa.
The Pune-Satara section seemed to now be in decent condition apart from the diversions caused by flyover construction. I saw some patchwork being applie between Khambatki Ghat and Satara, which would have temporarily fixed the potholes on this section.

[shivshanker]

All, planning a trip next week Bangalore Gokarna, Madagon, Phonda, want to know the best route to get out of of either Madagon or phonda to Belgaum or Kittur.

Considering my location in Goa, I do not want to waste time in traveling through Panji and or Amboli as mentioned by a_myth the roads are not so good there.

I am planning to take a risk @Anmod, as then I can exit from Ramnagar come to Kittur and then take the GQ straight to Bombay.

Any suggestions most welcome

[maverickxx2006]

My travel to South Goa is planned on 27th Nov. My usual route is through Chorla ghat. Now that the Chorla ghat has gone kaput, my plan was through Amboli.

Is Anmod ghat opened for sure? Is it safe to take this route?

[a_myth]

On the Uttur Nippani road, the deeper potholes have been filled and work of fresh coat of tar is in progress as on 19/11/2019. I feel that this road is now better than the Sankeshwar road.
Also work of filling of potholes on the Sawantwadi bypass road is in progress, and the same may be completed by another 15 days.

[Sawyer]

Another North Goa trip done, and the Amboli route is a no brainer now, as long as one exits the highway on the Goa side as early as possible, using the interior roads.

And the moonscape near Uttur in the Karnataka section seems to be getting serious attention from the PWD or whatever else, after many many years.

Most of the broken bits on the Ajra Amboli run are filled in, but care needs to be taken for the few that aren't.

[inder]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Another North Goa trip done, and the Amboli route is a no brainer now, as long as one exits the highway on the Goa side as early as possible, using the interior roads.

And the moonscape near Uttur in the Karnataka section seems to be getting serious attention from the PWD or whatever else, after many many years.

Most of the broken bits on the Ajra Amboli run are filled in, but care needs to be taken for the few that aren't.

So you turned from Sankeshwar or earlier towards Amboli ?

[Sawyer]

The timing meant that Gadhinglaj would have been crowded, so I left the highway earlier at Goa Ves both ways, using the Uttur road.

[vivek95]

People intending to travel from Mumbai/Pune to Goa using the Chorla route, here is an alert !

You are better off avoiding it for few months as Belgaum city is presently witnessing widespread road construction resulting in many diversions, one ways and traffic snarls. All the major roads are getting converted into concrete roads, hence the construction activity. If one stills wants to drive through Chorla, then keep in mind, Belgaum city is best crossed only during early mornings or nights.

Better to take the default Amboli route.

[PetrolRider]

Idea of a quick Goa trip is prepping up.

Google map is now showing the route as Nipani-Gadhinglaj-Tilari-Dodamarg-Mapusa road rather than the usual Amboli ghat road. I have never heard of this road before. Will it be a good option as Chorla route now is now out of bound?

Last year trip through Nipani-Amboli was literally back breaking for us in our low-slung Verna, so just wondering if this new route suggested by Google will be any better.

[Trojan]

Originally Posted by PetrolRider

Google map is now showing the route as Nipani-Gadhinglaj-Tilari-Dodamarg-Mapusa road rather than the usual Amboli ghat road. I have never heard of this road before.
Last year trip through Nipani-Amboli was literally back breaking for us in our low-slung Verna, so just wondering if this new route suggested by Google will be any better.

This and Sankeshwar has always been an alternate route for people who wanted to avoid the Nippani route.

Though would suggest, to continue with Amboli, as per latest reports the Amboli route is in great shape. If you do wish to explore a newer route then of course the Dodamarg one is there... Would think that to be slightly longer and I believe your exit is on the Bicholim - Sanquelim road (I totally hate this stretch - damn monotonous), which would add another 20kms to Mapusa as well.

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by Trojan

.... I believe your exit is on the Bicholim - Sanquelim road (I totally hate this stretch - damn monotonous), which would add another 20kms to Mapusa as well.

Slight correction - this route touches the Bicholim - Tivim - Mapusa road near Assonora, and not the Bicholim - Sanquelim road.

[Trojan]

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

Slight correction - this route touches the Bicholim - Tivim - Mapusa road near Assonora, and not the Bicholim - Sanquelim road.

Yep, thats right near Assonora, I can probably add that the entire Tivim - Bicholim - Sanquelim is a monotonous boring road with cows and speed breakers for company