[CANPUSH]

Has anyone recently traveled from Kolhapur to NH17 via Radhanagari - Phonda Ghat or via Gagan Bawda - Karul ghat?

I would like to know road conditions on these roads too as I may have to visit a place near Kanakvali either while going or while coming back.

Please respond.

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by CANPUSH

Has anyone recently traveled from Kolhapur to NH17 via Radhanagari - Phonda Ghat or via Gagan Bawda - Karul ghat?

Gaganbawda road surface reported to be 'malai' (smooth) by some who returned from Goa by this route last week. No news from me about Radhanagari - Phonda ghat.
PS - they were in a WagonR new model.

[bj96]

Originally Posted by CANPUSH

Has anyone recently traveled from Kolhapur to NH17 via Radhanagari - Phonda Ghat...

I did in August around Janmashtami. 80% of phonda ghat was decent, rest had top coat damaged, but, drivable (was driving Safari). The route is scenic and you see a lot of greens and drive around water body formed by Radhanagari dam. However, it takes longer to reach Goa than Amboli ghat route. If you want joy ride you can take this route otherwise, Amboli ghat is recommended. I drove both routes, found Amboli Ghat faster and better surface.

-BJ

[CANPUSH]

Originally Posted by selfdrive

Gaganbawda road surface reported to be 'malai' (smooth) by some who returned from Goa by this route last week. No news from me about Radhanagari - Phonda ghat.
PS - they were in a WagonR new model.

Thanks @Selfdrive, That is surely encouraging information.

Originally Posted by bj96

I did in August around Janmashtami. 80% of phonda ghat was decent, rest had top coat damaged, but, drivable (was driving Safari). The route is scenic and you see a lot of greens and drive around water body formed by Radhanagari dam. However, it takes longer to reach Goa than Amboli ghat route. If you want joy ride you can take this route otherwise, Amboli ghat is recommended. I drove both routes, found Amboli Ghat faster and better surface.

-BJ

Thanks @bj96, As I have to go near Kanakvli Either Phonda Ghat or Karul Ghat are more convenient than Amboli. But while returning from Goa it is Amboli for sure.

[AvonA7]

As on 21-11-2012

Gadhinglaj - Ajra : Potholes repaired for 90% of route
Ajra - Amboli : Work In Progress, 50% of roads repaired

NH4 -

Pune - Satara : Few diversion, rough patches with occasional potholes, nothing to worry about. The return route is better.

Rest of the road is excellent, .i.e., satara - turn @NH4 towards Gandhinglaj, Sawantwadi - Goa.

[clix22]

UPDATE ON NH4A- between Belgaum and Madgaon (south Goa).

Just got back from Goa. Took the 4A from Madgaon. Madgaon to Karnataka Border is butter smooth. A few occasional potholes. the Ponda bypass is smooth too.
Karnataka Border to Kushalnagar - Is pure horror. 500m of smooth tarmac followed by 100m of utterly potholed roads. This goes on and on and on.

3Km after Kushalnagar towards Belgaum the road is smooth again.

Hope This helps.

[Figopian]

Originally Posted by clix22

UPDATE ON NH4A- between Belgaum and Madgaon (south Goa).

Just got back from Goa. Took the 4A from Madgaon. Madgaon to Karnataka Border is butter smooth. A few occasional potholes. the Ponda bypass is smooth too.
Karnataka Border to Kushalnagar - Is pure horror. 500m of smooth tarmac followed by 100m of utterly potholed roads. This goes on and on and on.

3Km after Kushalnagar towards Belgaum the road is smooth again.

Hope This helps.

Is this the road that goes through Chorla that that you are referring?

[clix22]

Originally Posted by Figopian

Is this the road that goes through Chorla that that you are referring?

No, It's the NH4A via Ponda, Mollem to Belgaum.

[mwzd]

I made the (huge) mistake of taking the Nipani-Gadhinglaj route, both while going and coming, didn't know of the Sankeshwar option, should have researched the route more.

The road is pretty much a lunar surface for a good 10/12 kms, both my car and my back are not happy about it.

Avoid this stretch of road if you can.

[CANPUSH]

Originally Posted by mwzd

I made the (huge) mistake of taking the Nipani-Gadhinglaj route, both while going and coming, didn't know of the Sankeshwar option, should have researched the route more.

The road is pretty much a lunar surface for a good 10/12 kms, both my car and my back are not happy about it.

Avoid this stretch of road if you can.

@mwzd, Nipani - Amboli road via Tawandi ghat is perpetual bad road in stretches. I have in last 35 years that i am travelling on this stretch have not any time seen it in good condition. Soon as you cross into Maharashtra next 4 kms is almost no-mans land and hence is more like moonscape. Even after you cross that further road is single and at many places shoulders are missing or at very low level making the drive difficult and damaging to side walls of tyres.

Always try and avoid this section.

[Akshay1234]

Just drove down to Goa from the 23rd to the 26th, made a big mistake of following the damn Tomtom GPS and turning of at Nipani. The roads were horrible till we joined at Amboli.

On the way back we went via Gadhinglaj (if that's what its called) and joined the NH4 at Sankeshwar. The roads were utterly beautiful compared to the way there, and we could cruise at 70 peacefully. Saved over an hour going back from that route.

[alto99]

Originally Posted by akshay1234

Just drove down to Goa from the 23rd to the 26th, made a big mistake of following the damn Tomtom GPS and turning of at Nipani. The roads were horrible till we joined at Amboli.

On the way back we went via Gadhinglaj (if that's what its called) and joined the NH4 at Sankeshwar. The roads were utterly beautiful compared to the way there, and we could cruise at 70 peacefully. Saved over an hour going back from that route.

1. Road from before ajra to amboli (41kms) is same whichever option you choose. Its the remaining part that is either longer ~40km but better roads or bad (~30kms) where one has a choice.
2. There is a 3rd option (35kms) - to join Sankeshwar-Ajra road at Gadhinglaj. https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=A...3&t=m&z=12Road
Road till Bahirewadi is bad but from Bahirewadi to Gadhinglaj is newly laid and excellent. I am not sure about the road between Bahirewadi and Ajra via Uttur but the last I had been on that, 4 yrs before, it had very narrow sections for 2 cars to pass.

[ritzy]

Hello People,

I am planning a road trip to Goa from Pune with some friends. However, we'll have to take a detour to Khed near Chiplun to drop a friend before we proceed to Goa. Can someone suggest which route is better for us? I got two options


Option 1 > Proceed by Mumbai Goa road ( NH66?) all the way to Goa.
Option 2 > From Chiplun > Patan> karad > meet NH4 > Sankeshwar> Gadhinglaj> Sawantwadi > Goa.

By option 1, we would save approx 70 Kms. How is the road condition? Will this route help us save time when compared to option 2? what should be the approximate drive time to Goa from Khed?

If option 2 is suggested , please comment on the road condition from Chiplun to Karad. Again what should be the drive time to Goa?
I have checked Google suggestions, but would like to know real experiences , if any.

Thanks a lot.

[deutscheafrikar]

Originally Posted by ritzy

Can someone suggest which route is better for us? I got two options
Option 1 > Proceed by Mumbai Goa road ( NH66?) all the way to Goa.
Option 2 > From Chiplun > Patan> karad > meet NH4 > Sankeshwar> Gadhinglaj> Sawantwadi > Goa.

By option 1, we would save approx 70 Kms. How is the road condition? Will this route help us save time when compared to option 2? what should be the approximate drive time to Goa from Khed?


Thanks a lot.

If you drive all the way to chiplun from pune via Khed, then you might as well drive on the Mum - Goa highway all the way instead of going back to the NH4.
Is NH66 the new number for NH17?

[kaushik60]

@deutscheafrikar: Yes, The old NH17 is the new NH66.

I had a related query. I'm going to be returning from Goa to Pune sometime next week, and I dont want to take the Amboli ghat as I have taken that too often. Plus, I want to enjoy riding along the Konkan coast for a while. So I need suggestions on a good ghat that I can take to join NH4 from NH66. Also, I have done Poladpur-Mahabaleshwar before, as also Warandha and Tamhini. Are there any other ghats that I can take, somewhere after Ratnagiri?