[Figopian]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

After crossing goa check post, travel for 1-2 km,
you will enter in banda town,
take first right turn which is tar road going little downward,
ask someone for exact location.

Thank you, that helps!

[Ravi Yadav]

Just Back from the Goa Trip. The route to Goa was Panvel-Nipani-Sankeshwar-Amboli-Dandoli-Banda-Panji-Canacona. The return trip was Canacona-Cuncolim-Quepem-Kullem-Molem-Belgaum-pune-Panvel.

Nh4 is excellent ,nothing to mention about it. The connecting stretch is where you loose a lot of time. Sankeshwar-Banda is a mixed path . Some good stretches and some really bad. NH4A is in bad shape. It took me almost 5 hours to reach Belgaum from Palolem.

I regret not taking the Belgaum-Hubli-Kanwar-Canacona route .Just came to know that the roads are in excellent condition on this route . May be next time.

[suniladhiya]

Drove back from Panaji, Goa to Pune yesterday via NH4A.

Admittedly, the road condition could be said to be better than the Amboli route, however overall, there are atleast 30 kms of horrible road. Divided about equally before and after Ramnagar. Also, the topography of this road is crazy, goint up one minute, down the next, turning left and then suddenly right, added towhich there are innumerable speed breakers in all the villages. Miles and miles of mining trucks parked along the road add to the misery leaving a small space for two lanes of traffic to try and pass each other. Overall a most fatiguing drive, I took 4 hours to cover the 153 kms. When I drove over the bad patches, I felt like hanging my head in shame - that this should be called an Indian National Highway in the 21st century - one can understand these conditions on district roads like Nippani-Amboli etc, but on a NH ?

[suniladhiya]

Originally Posted by Figopian

No way. I travel day in day out on this road. It is INR 58, at both toll booths, I travelled last Sunday on this road and both tolls are same cost since day one. I would be surmised if only one is increased.

@ Figopian - I stand corrected. The toll at each of Kini and Tasawde is Rs.58/-each, and the combined amount they charge is Rs.115/- (and not Rs.120/- as I mentioned in an earlier post). So in fact there is a discount of Re.1/- !

[S_U_N]

Originally Posted by suniladhiya

Drove back from Panaji, Goa to Pune yesterday via NH4A.

Admittedly, the road condition could be said to be better than the Amboli route, however overall, there are atleast 30 kms of horrible road.

I had mentioned in post 597 that this route is bad as of November. Hope the car did not suffer much.
Overall, not worth the extra KM since it would take the same time overall or maybe even more.

[Maverick79]

Originally Posted by rkavthekar

All,

Returned early morning today from a less than 24 hours round trip from Pune to Ponda and back. Here's summary :

Started from Pune at 4:00AM. Toll paid together for Khed Shivapur + Anewadi (INR110). Tasawade+Kini (INR120). Frankly doing this does not save any time, but saves paper. Reached Kolhapur ( Sai International ) for first pit stop at 6:45AM.

How bad is the fog in early morning in this route bro?

I am planning to do this on 16th morning. Ofcourse only till Kolhapur and then detour to Tarkarli beach.
Planning to start at the same time. Pls let me know about the road conditions too along with the traffic.

Regards,
Maverick79.

[suniladhiya]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

I had mentioned in post 597 that this route is bad as of November. Hope the car did not suffer much.
Overall, not worth the extra KM since it would take the same time overall or maybe even more.

@ S_U_N: Thanks for your concern. I dont think the car suffererd anything much since I was literally crawling along the bad patches, cant say the same about myself though.

Yes, I do remember reading you post of November, but then there were some later posts suggesting that it has improved.

Incidentally, this route is supposed to be under 4-laning GQ style - the NHAI website shows that the work on Belgaum-Goa border section started in March, 2011- I honestly could not see a single km of work actually on the ground. As regards the Panaji-Karnataka border stretch, its mired in several legalities, public protests etc, so really wonder when this will ever improve.

[suniladhiya]

Originally Posted by Maverick79

How bad is the fog in early morning in this route bro?

I am planning to do this on 16th morning. Ofcourse only till Kolhapur and then detour to Tarkarli beach.
Planning to start at the same time. Pls let me know about the road conditions too along with the traffic.

Regards,
Maverick79.

Fog is generally pretty thick from 6 to 9 a.m. all along the Kolhapur stretch in this season. I experienced it twice - once in last December, and the second time a few days ago.

Road condition upto Kolhpur is excellent no issues at all - no idea after that on the Tarkarli detour

[Maverick79]

Originally Posted by suniladhiya

Fog is generally pretty thick from 6 to 9 a.m. all along the Kolhapur stretch in this season. I experienced it twice - once in last December, and the second time a few days ago.

Road condition upto Kolhpur is excellent no issues at all - no idea after that on the Tarkarli detour

Thank you. Will it be possible to cover this stretch in 3 hrs as rkavthekar did Sunil?
I am planning to start at 4.00am and reach Kolhapur latest by 7.00am.
I will be driving my Manza QJT.

[f1fan]

Folks,
Have a month end trip planned to Ponda.
Was planning on going the Belgaum-Ramnagar-Londa-Ponda NH4A route. From recent reviews, looks like NH4A is not that great. What would be a good replacement if any?
Also how bad is NH4A i.e. bad in some sections or bad completely and is it rough roads or potholes. Asking bcos I want to specifically go to Ponda and NH4A is the closest route to go there from Mumbai.

Car would be a Dzire.

[suniladhiya]

Originally Posted by Maverick79

Thank you. Will it be possible to cover this stretch in 3 hrs as rkavthekar did Sunil?
I am planning to start at 4.00am and reach Kolhapur latest by 7.00am.
I will be driving my Manza QJT.

I think at that time of day, 3 hrs should be sufficient, provided the fog doesnt slow you down. I guess, the queues at the toll booths would be negligent at this hour. Also, you would not face any traffic getting out of Pune.

[suniladhiya]

Originally Posted by f1fan

Folks,
Have a month end trip planned to Ponda.
Was planning on going the Belgaum-Ramnagar-Londa-Ponda NH4A route. From recent reviews, looks like NH4A is not that great. What would be a good replacement if any?
Also how bad is NH4A i.e. bad in some sections or bad completely and is it rough roads or potholes. Asking bcos I want to specifically go to Ponda and NH4A is the closest route to go there from Mumbai.

Car would be a Dzire.

@f1fan: As mentioned in my earlier post today, I drove this yesterday, From Belgaum to Khanapur, the road is okay. After Khanapur, for the last 15-20 kms upto Ramnagar and then another 15-20 kms after Ramnagar, the road is a shambles. It is potholes, with stones sticking up out of the ground. After the bad stretch upto Ponda is again not too bad. Please note that I was in a Wagon-R and maybe felt the roads more. I a Dzire, you may be okay. Since you are coming from Bombay, I really dont see any better alternative for Ponda. Other regulars may have some view on this.

[Maverick79]

Originally Posted by suniladhiya

I think at that time of day, 3 hrs should be sufficient, provided the fog doesnt slow you down. I guess, the queues at the toll booths would be negligent at this hour. Also, you would not face any traffic getting out of Pune.

Thank you. I stay just 4 kms off the Hinjewadi crossing. Hence the city traffic is almost negligent.
Hope the queues at toll booths too would be lesser unlike my last trip to Mahabaleshwar, I wasted more than half hour each, on to and fro journey last saturday.Ofcourse, it was around 10.30am and 5.00pm of the day.

Also pls suggest some breakfast points just before reaching Kolhapur if any.

[suniladhiya]

Originally Posted by Maverick79

Thank you. I stay just 4 kms off the Hinjewadi crossing. Hence the city traffic is almost negligent.
Hope the queues at toll booths too would be lesser unlike my last trip to Mahabaleshwar, I wasted more than half hour each, on to and fro journey last saturday.Ofcourse, it was around 10.30am and 5.00pm of the day.

Also pls suggest some breakfast points just before reaching Kolhapur if any.

Your Mahableshwar trip timings were peak times at the tolls. For your forthcoming trip I dont see any issues there, considering you will leave at 4 a.m.

For breakfast, ideal would be Hotel Sai International, which is about 38 kms after the Karad flyover and about 32 kms before Kolhapur. Of course since you would be reaching there around 6.30, don't know whether the restaurant would be open that early. This is strongly recommended by Kumar, so may be he can opine on their opening time.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by f1fan

Folks,
Have a month end trip planned to Ponda.
Was planning on going the Belgaum-Ramnagar-Londa-Ponda NH4A route. From recent reviews, looks like NH4A is not that great. What would be a good replacement if any?
Also how bad is NH4A i.e. bad in some sections or bad completely and is it rough roads or potholes. Asking bcos I want to specifically go to Ponda and NH4A is the closest route to go there from Mumbai.

Car would be a Dzire.

NH4A is only going to deteriorate.IMO,take the route via Amboli and go via Sawantwadi-Panjim-Ponda.Its not going to be that difficult negotiating Goa traffic.Not worth scraping the bottoms of the Dzire.NH4A is a crazy road and it doesnt stay good for more than 1-2 months at a stretch.

Originally Posted by Maverick79

Thank you. I stay just 4 kms off the Hinjewadi crossing. Hence the city traffic is almost negligent.
Hope the queues at toll booths too would be lesser unlike my last trip to Mahabaleshwar, I wasted more than half hour each, on to and fro journey last saturday.Ofcourse, it was around 10.30am and 5.00pm of the day.

Also pls suggest som1e breakfast points just before reaching Kolhapur if any.

With a 4am departure from Pune,I doubt you would get any breakfast places,because you would reach Kolhapur in about 3hours..You could try Sai International before you reach Kolhapur,its quite prominent and you wouldnt miss it.The only other option is to drive till the end of Kolhapur on NH4 and get something to eat from the Mcdonalds/CCD outlet.