[adi58]

Will be leaving for Goa tomorrow any update on the current status of Nipani-ajara-Amboli road widening? On google maps it shows bright red traffic

[ashlil]

Take karad->malkapur->amba ghat->oni route. I just travelled two days back and road is very nice with no potholes.

[dvl666]

Originally Posted by adi58

Will be leaving for Goa tomorrow any update on the current status of Nipani-ajara-Amboli road widening? On google maps it shows bright red traffic

Yes do not take nipani. Take amba ghat route as per my earlier post to connect nh66

Make sure to check everything in malkapur or before.

[dvl666]

Originally Posted by Anim8349

Thank you so much for putting up this post. I was traveling from South Goa to Pune.

This route helped so much to bypass Kolhapur when the NH-48 was blocked because of riots. The highway was blocked for 50 kms while crossing Kolhapur.
The Oni to Karad roads were very good via Anuskura ghat.

The requirement on this route is an experienced driver only to navigate the ghats.

True. They looked such even on the map & since we were returning in late afternoon took the amba ghat which is more simpler.

I would love to do the Anuskura ghat in my Troc early hours of the daytime, they looked fantastic like the olden day ghats on paper.

[adi58]

Originally Posted by dvl666

Yes do not take nipani. Take amba ghat route as per my earlier post to connect nh66

Make sure to check everything in malkapur or before.

Sorry cannot take Amba ghat since you mentioned it is lonely and I am travelling with family. So the only option is Nipani. Is the under construction bad enough for 5 series sedan?

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by adi58

Sorry cannot take Amba ghat since you mentioned it is lonely and I am travelling with family.

Amba ghat is not lonely! It is used extensively by private as well as commercial traffic. If anything, Amba ghat can get crowded easily on the weekends. Anuskura is the ghat which sees comparatively much less traffic.

Given that monsoon is here, watch out idiots who park their cars all over the ghat to click pictures and eat corn.

[neoonwheels]

Originally Posted by adi58

Sorry cannot take Amba ghat since you mentioned it is lonely and I am travelling with family. So the only option is Nipani. Is the under construction bad enough for 5 series sedan?

I had been to Goa through Amboli route in 1st week of May. The section between Ajra and Amboli was under road widening and had 6-7 diversions. I could manage it in my Octavia pretty easily. Rest of the road between Nipani and Sawantwadi was in good shape.

[dvl666]

Originally Posted by adi58

Sorry cannot take Amba ghat since you mentioned it is lonely and I am travelling with family. So the only option is Nipani. Is the under construction bad enough for 5 series sedan?

I am used to seeing traffic so I got carried away in my definition of lonely. Really sorry.

The 2 routes being suggested::
1) Karad - Malkapur - Pachal Phata - Watul - Goa
2) Kolhapur - Nipani - Ajra - Otavane - Banda - Goa
3) Kolhapur - Nipani - Ajra - Sawantwadi - Banda - Goa

Let me lay out the facts for you and you can decide.

Amba ghat doesnt have passenger buses but has decent truck & lmv traffic such that you would see a vehicle every 1-2 mins. Its not crowded like the Nipani route.

On the Nipani Otavane route to Banda (route 2), there was a lot more construction going on in the 2nd week of june and after the rains, not sure of the conditions. If you have to take this route, take the Savantwadi route instead of Otavane to Banda (route 3)
On the amba ghat route, its freshly laid tarmac till Goa and the rains will make it prettier.

Dont overspeed, drive in control and follow the common sense of not overtaking without line of sight, etc on both routes and you are golden.

However if you are entering the ghats such that you wont come out the other end before sunset then just take route 3.

[adi58]

Although I had no other options, anyone who is considering doing the Nipani-Ajara-Amboli route should absolutely never make that mistake, at least not for a few months. The 45 km section before Amboli ghat looks like this. Yes, this is how the entire 45 kilometre stretch is. There is no help if your suspension or tyre fails!

[dvl666]

Originally Posted by adi58

Although I had no other options, anyone who is considering doing the Nipani-Ajara-Amboli route should absolutely never make that mistake, at least not for a few months. The 45 km section before Amboli ghat looks like this. Yes, this is how the entire 45 kilometre stretch is. There is no help if your suspension or tyre fails!

Ouch. Roadworks have not moved forward since I visited. With rains this will be a nightmare.
If you happen to take Nipani route, further on its best to go via Sawantwadi to Banda since work is incomplete at Otavane.

It seems the NH66 route I took might be the best bet.
I am attaching a screenshot of the route with stops to put in the map. I started from Calangute.

[suzuki san]

Originally Posted by dvl666

Pictures of the NH66 and rest of the route till Karad NH48
The first 3 are of NH66
The next 2 are after the turn at Watul
The last 2 are of the ghats

All through freshly laid roads.

Hey DVL 666;

Thanks for the suggestions and the pics. I intend to use this road next week when we will be driving from N. Goa to Poona.

I can only hope that the roads are still in as good a shape as your pics show.

Here in Goa there are huge potholes on the roads after just a week f not so heavy rains.

Cheers,
SS

[dvl666]

Originally Posted by suzuki san

Hey DVL 666;

Thanks for the suggestions and the pics. I intend to use this road next week when we will be driving from N. Goa to Poona.

I can only hope that the roads are still in as good a shape as your pics show.

Here in Goa there are huge potholes on the roads after just a week f not so heavy rains.

Cheers,
SS

I think thats the condition everywhere including maharashtra.

We were really appreciating the smooth roads in goa all through. We went from candolim all the way north and till utorda beach in south goa.

All the best for your ride.
Please update the road condition pics if you can.

Have a safe & joyous trip!

[Dodge_Viper]

Folks traveling on Pune Satara stretch, please be very careful between Pune Satara stretch. Currently Pune till Katraj tunnel has very dangerous potholes which can unsettle any car easily. Post that till Satara, the road has held up good till now but that soon will have potholes.

[gary]

Did Pune to South Goa yesterday. I took the Karad- Malkapur - Pachal - Oni - Goa.

The Karad - Pachal drive is therapeutic. Almost no traffic, smooth roads and pristine views.
Rest of the part was good too. There are small stretches where the roads aren’t the best, but still quite good.

Thanks to @dvl666 for his previous posts suggesting this route.

The only word of caution is that all the driving through ghats can lead to motion sicknesss for those who are prone to it.

[Prat33k]

Travelled back yesterday from Cavelossim to Pune using Banda - Otavane - Ajra - Nipani route as my family was reluctant to try new route as suggested by @dvl666 .

The Otavane route was good with only exception on the canal bridge where there is a mud slush, so be cautious for loss of traction & drift .

Amboli ghat had no issues like landslides and the fog was also not so dense (at 8:30 AM).

As mentioned by @adi58 , a stretch post Amboli ghat between Ghatkarwadi to Uttur is at worst condition and takes almost an hour to cross.

Rest of the route was in good condition till Pune except for traffic jams from Narhe to Warje which added almost 30+ mins to our trip .