[a_myth]

Originally Posted by lionell

I am visiting north Goa (Morjim) this week. s I always found the road via Nipani very narrow with broken tarmac in many places.

The Nipani Uttur Ajra road is presently in decent condition. You may not want to take the longer Sankeshwar road. You can also try the Sawantwadi bypass road (after amboli ghat) to save some more kms. Barring a couple of detours ,it's also in a good condition.

[neofromcapone]

HI @lionell,

I come back from Arambol on April 18th.
Google Maps gave me Arambol - Paliyem -Across Terekhol River (MH Starts) -Aronda Road - State Highway 123 - Redi - Belgavi Road - NH 66 - Sawantwadi - Amboli - Ajra - Nipani.

And I found these roads to be less stressful than driving on the potholed roads of Bombay.
Some (maybe 4-5) patches are being re-done so get a grin and bear it.
Overall these roads pass through villages, and understandably, traffic will be slower (as it must be) compared to the highways.

Try and do these roads in daylight and enjoy a glorious sunset sipping some kings on the beach.

[Irwin]

Hi,

I returned from GOA to MUMBAI/Borivali on the 19th of April 2022.
After a lot of deliberations & inputs from the forum, finally decided to take the South Goa-Belagavi-Mumbai via Chorla Ghat.

Left at 6 AM from South GOA/Benaulim and reached home in IC Colony/Borivali West at 7.45 PM due to traffic on Thane-Ghodbunder Road.
Total distance/time traveled as per Google Timeline 642 Kms & 13h 20m

Took refreshments/bio breaks in Belgaum & Satara.
The route we followed is as below,

South GOA/Benaulim-Raia-Borim-Ponda/Sahakari Petroleum Junction, took right towards Panjim Belagavi Road and soon after crossing the Mahadayi River bridge took a left turn at a Junction (If you go straight from this point on NH748 it will take you towards Mollem/Anmod/Ramnagar) and drove towards Candepar–Usgao-Gangem–Guleli–Codqui-Valpoi route till the roundabout/Junction of Sanquelim-Velguem-Surla-Usgao Road/Hathkamba-Goa Road via Honda, Arvalem till the NH748AA, right turn at this point and via Chorla Ghat, Kankumbi, Jamboti onwards to Belagavi/Belgaum & further towards Mumbai.

Barring medium size potholes in 5 or 6 sections on the Chorla Ghat, the rest of the roads were pretty good, condition of the roads is as usual which we expect to see anywhere across INDIA, with several broken top/tarmac in several sections of the road till Belagavi.

Inspite of all this, I would still prefer the Chorla Ghat route compared to Mollem/Anmod/BWS or Nippani-Amboli route.

The only drawback/worry for some people on Chorla Ghat would be the multi-axle mining trucks from the beginning of Chorla Ghat till 4 to 5 kms where there is a mining company & tourist buses, all of them drive carefully, however, we have to be extremely careful with the careless tourist car drivers coming down the Chorla ghat quite fast & sometimes tend to veer into the opposite lane, but they are few and far in between. Not much traffic between 7 AM to 8 AM. Overall I did not find it very unsafe to drive on this stretch. The views & greenery on this stretch are just superb.

We have plans to go back to Goa sometime around the End of May or 1st week of June and will be trying the Belgavi-Khanapur-Ramnagar-Anmod-Mollem-South Goa route.
As per google maps, it is 656 Kms, which is approximately 16 kms more than the BWS route 640 kms, and 14 kms more than the Chorla Route 642 Kms.

I have seen some very recent videos of the BWS roads on the Mollem-Anmod-BWS-Shiroli-Belagavi route, as mentioned on this forum a stretch of 10 km inside BWS looks very bad & narrow.

[revvhed]

Hi.
So the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary road is still in pretty bad shape. On the return from Goa, I'm wondering whether bypassing this section and going via Londa will be a good option. Any ideas ?

[Irwin]

Originally Posted by revvhed

Hi.
So the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary road is still in pretty bad shape. On the return from Goa, I'm wondering whether bypassing this section and going via Londa will be a good option. Any ideas?

Hi,

Yeah as per this following video the road conditions are pretty bad, though I have not experienced it myself.
https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxFPlaBEQ...xukXXA0Z6LDS9x

I got the feedback about the Chorla Ghat from a Tourist Taxi Driver who is a regular on this route. I would personally take this Chorla route again if I have to, however, I would want to experience the Ramnagar-Londa route to see the conditions of the roads & ease of driving.

And if you don't mind the extra 16 km, then the Mollem-Anmod-Ramnagar-Londa-Khanapur route would be a better bet if you don't want to take the Chorla Ghat.
However since road works are going on in the Mollem-Ramnagar-Londa Route, you will perhaps come across several diversions & the 4-lane route converging into 2 lane etc.

One word of caution for everyone who will be passing through the Bombay-Pune-Bombay Expressway.
Do not exceed the Speed Limit of 100 Kms/Hr, it is safer to be between 90-95 Kms/Hr.
I had set my CRETA Cruise Control exactly at 100 Kms/Hr (as per Digital ODO Meter) and yet got an e-Challan for Overspeeding at 105 Kms/Hr.

I have disputed the challan giving this reason, and also checked my Dashcam GPS footage which shows 101 Kms/Hr.
I suppose I need to check the calibration of the ODO Meter and if needed recalibrate it if possible. Will contact Hyundai about this.

It appears it is of no use disputing the e-challan because there is no human one can talk to & once the challan is issued, they will not take it back.
Grudgingly I paid the Challan of 2000 Rupees, because any delay would perhaps attract additional penalty etc.

[a_myth]

Originally Posted by Irwin

Hi,

One word of caution for everyone who will be passing through the Bombay-Pune-Bombay Expressway.
Do not exceed the Speed Limit of 100 Kms/Hr, it is safer to be between 90-95 Kms/Hr.
I had set my CRETA Cruise Control exactly at 100 Kms/Hr (as per Digital ODO Meter) and yet got an e-Challan for Overspeeding at 105 Kms/Hr.

because any delay would perhaps attract additional penalty etc.

Correct me if I am wrong, but the notification issued by Additional Director General of Police (Traffic) on 25/10/2019 notifying the Speed limits on various roads in the state, clearly states at point no 05, that no cognizance of the violations in speed will be taken if it's within 5 % of maximum Speed Limit. In case the Limit is 100 , then one can drive up to 105 kmph. I think many of the violators will fit in this bracket and should not be penalised.

[Irwin]

Originally Posted by a_myth

Correct me if I am wrong, but the notification issued by Additional Director General of Police (Traffic) on 25/10/2019 notifying the Speed limits on various roads in the state, clearly states at point no 05, that no cognizance of the violations in speed will be taken if it's within 5 % of maximum Speed Limit. In case the Limit is 100 , then one can drive up to 105 kmph. I think many of the violators will fit in this bracket and should not be penalised.

Hi,

I checked and found out that you are right, but when we get an e-challan, there is nobody/human that we can talk to. While paying the fine, I have raised a grievance stating that my car was on 100 Km/Hr Cruise Control and the GPS speed on my dashcam recorded was 101 km/Hr.

If it was an interceptor vehicle with a hawaldar/police, then we can produce the evidence & explain our side of the story with proper evidence. But with AI/Fixed Speed Camera/e-challan, I guess it becomes a bit difficult and we will end up with never-ending running around in circles.

Even in 2022, with the kind of bureaucracy we have, I am not very hopeful that anything will come out of my complaint/grievance.

This is the first time ever in my life I am involved in a traffic offense/challan since I got my license in 1982. Always drove the car with utmost diligence & followed the traffic rules.

I am not sure whether this offense goes against my car or my license, since the challan is issued on the Car Registration Number & Not my Driving License Number.

In Western Countries/the UK etc. normally the offense is registered with DL & the associated negative points go to the DL of the person who was/is driving the car when the offense took/takes place.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/88630166.cms

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/84740012.cms

[maverickxx2006]

We had been to South Goa on 19th April and we took the Anmod ghat both ways.

Our usual default route is Chorla, but took risk and went by Anmod going by the recent comments.

Only bad patch is in Bhimgad wild life sanctuary and that too for 10 odd kms which would take 15-20 mins and you need to drive very slowly and you wont scrape anywhere. Drive fast and you will scrape somewhere. Some of the potholes are big.

Road from Belgaum to Khanapur is 6 lane. Roads from Anmod to Goa are very good. The road inside BWS is mostly straight and its easy to negotiate the bad/non existent road in slow speed as there is very less traffic. Its far better experience compared to the twists and turns and oncoming traffic in Chorla.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by Irwin

This is the first time ever in my life I am involved in a traffic offense/challan since I got my license in 1982. Always drove the car with utmost diligence & followed the traffic rules.

Don't feel too bad. I got my DL in 1984 and got 2 speeding tickets for the 1st time ever last year in Feb/March 2021 when the cops are at their most 'trigger happy' and given penalty targets for the last quarter of the FY. Well, I guess the thinking is given the sheer number of indisciplined drivers on our roads there should be no dearth of cases to penalise.

I was 6 km over the limit per the first ticket and 9 km over the limit in the 2nd one. Their limit was 90 and 95 kmph respectively with no signs to warn the driver, pretty normal practice.

If you drive on the Mumbai/Pune/Bangalore highway be cautious on the stretch from Satara to Kolhapur. Many highway patrol vehicles parked on the road side with speed guns. This is in both directions. Do not exceed 90 kmph if possible.

Also, you can try an app called "Radarbot" to warn you of speed traps.

[SSD2122]

I had posted this in Street experiences > Pune section, however thought this would be useful re-posting here as well for those going to Satara via Mahabaleshwar,

Guys,

I have to share this experience. 2 weeks back I had dropped my parents to Mahabaleshwar. I wanted to go to Yamai devi shrine located in Aundh sansthan near Satara.

So I thought of taking the "Medha" ghat going on towards Satara from Mahabaleshwar. "Medha" is a small town on the way hence the name. I had never been through it so thought this is a good opportunity to explore. Next few hours were pure bliss!

The entire road right up-to Satara was absolutely a marvel to drive. I got to drive on an absolutely newly made road (mix of concrete and tar sections) with not a single pothole! Width was almost similar to Pune-Bangalore highway. The only bit rough patch were on small construction activity being done on small culverts. If anyone wants to go to Satara from Mahabaleshwar, pls follow this "Medha" route. Also no tolls (at least as of now).

The road to Aundh via Rahimatpur has also been widened and newly made. Absolutely no potholes or bumpy surface. Only rough patches were at the railway crossings and few culverts where work is being done. Quality is such that travel time from Satara to Aundh was reduced by 30 minutes.

So enjoy these roads and drive safely! After a long time, saw the turbo of my Tjet whistling off happily.

While we (including me) rant and rant on the miserable quality of roads, this is one of those rare instances where I fully appreciate the effort of all those workers, contractors and agencies, ministries who would have worked hard to make these beautiful roads! Hope the quality of these roads remain sustainable for years to come.

Cheers.

[revvhed]

Originally Posted by Irwin

And if you don't mind the extra 16 km, then the Mollem-Anmod-Ramnagar-Londa-Khanapur route would be a better bet if you don't want to take the Chorla Ghat.
However since road works are going on in the Mollem-Ramnagar-Londa Route, you will perhaps come across several diversions & the 4-lane route converging into 2 lane etc.

Hey Irwin,
Thanks so much for your prompt response. Was really helpful.
I'm back and i tried the above route. It was an absolute disaster !!
The road upto Londa is good. From Londa, once you turn left onto NH748 it's a complete mess. NH748 has a LOT of roadwork going on and basically consists of 200 - 300 m. stretches of concrete road punctuated by, what i can only describe as a minefield. So you get onto the concrete bit drive for a few hundred meters and then the road disappears, you have to drop off the concrete, make your way across the minefield, and then climb back onto the next stretch of concrete, praying all the while that you don't rip a tyre. This resulted in incredibly slow progress and added at least an hour to our travel time. Fortunately we were in my friend's Creta so climbing on and off the concrete bits wasn't a concern but if you are in a car with low ground clearance ( say a Civic or a Polo) you;re going to scrape your underbelly for sure. This went on until we passed Khanapur after which the Khanapur -Belgaum road was superb.

I was also completely unimpressed with the Anmod ghat stretch. Though concrete, the surface isn't very smooth and the sharp drop off at the edges is worrying when you're passing oncoming trucks and buses who push you to the edge.

It's 1) Chorla and 2) Amboli for me from now on.

The rest of the roads (including those in Goa) are awesome.

Also, thanks for the heads up on the expressway speed checks. A friend of mine had also messaged me telling me of the same. I tried to maintain between 94 and 98 as far as i could, though sometimes with the change in elevation it invariably crept up. Will check for Challans in a bit

Cheers.

[abhi3284]

Am driving to South Goa (Benaulim) with my Wife and Kid this Monday with a night stopover at Belgaum. Had almost made up my mind to take the Anmod Ghat Route either via BWS or Ramnagar. But, i am now undecided post the recent updates by fellow members regarding the road conditions on these routes. If it helps in making a decision, i will be travelling in my Ritz D and will be driving in the morning time between 9 am - 12 noon from Belgaum to South Goa. Given the above, which route would be better suited:

1. Belgaum - Khanapur - BWS - Mollem
2. Belgaum - Khanapur - Ramnagar - Mollem OR
3. Chorla Ghat

Appreciate your inputs. Thanks.

[maverickxx2006]

Originally Posted by abhi3284

Am driving to South Goa (Benaulim) with my Wife and Kid this Monday with a night stopover at Belgaum. Had almost made up my mind to take the Anmod Ghat Route either via BWS or Ramnagar. But, i am now undecided post the recent updates by fellow members regarding the road conditions on these routes. If it helps in making a decision, i will be travelling in my Ritz D and will be driving in the morning time between 9 am - 12 noon from Belgaum to South Goa. Given the above, which route would be better suited:

1. Belgaum - Khanapur - BWS - Mollem
2. Belgaum - Khanapur - Ramnagar - Mollem OR
3. Chorla Ghat

Appreciate your inputs. Thanks.

I would say option 1, just came back both ways two weeks back.
Chorla was my default route.

Only bad stretch is some 10+ kms in BWS. You can safely negotiate the road in slow speed without scrapping and there is very less traffic, road is straight. So there is no stress. Rest of the roads are good.

[iamsandeep]

I just did a Pune- South Goa (Palolem) trip this Saturday. Started from Pune at 7:15 AM. Took the Pune-Satara-Belgaum- Khanapur-Agonda-Mollem-NH16 route.

Roads are good throughout except the 10 ODD Kilometers in the Bhimgad Sanctuary where the roads are really bad. The road from Belgaum to Khanapur is really good. I hope there is a plan to extend this road till NH-66 in the future.

NH66 in Goa just before Palolem is undergoing road work. We were stuck there for over an hour as the road was blocked in the Ghat section. Please keep this in mind if you are travelling this section.

[harpoon]

We are planning to go to South Goa on 7th and 8th. We will be stopping over in Kolhapur on the 7th and will start for Cavelossim on the morning of the 8th.

We would be in a Honda City with 2 small kids - which route would be the best?
I had made the trip in November of 2021 and the Chorla Ghat potholes scraped the underbelly at least on one occasion - they were almost moon craters back then.

That experience makes me want to take a different route - I was contemplating either:
1) Nipani -> Uttur -> Ajara - > Sawantwadi - > Mapusa - > South Goa (which is a longer route, but better Road?)
2) Belgaum -> Khanapur - > BWS -> Bhagwan Mahavir - > Mollem -> Cavelossim (BWS, Bhagwan Mahavir road quality in doubt?).

Any expert tips would be appreciated!