[suniladhiya]

There is one new innovation in the toll collection process. I drove from Pune to Goa on 30th November, and now you can opt to pay combined tolls as follows:

Khed Shivapur+ Anewadi - 110 to be paid at Khed Shivapur and just show the receipt at Anewadi.
Tasawde + Kini - 120 to be paid at Tasawade and show the receipt at Kini

I hope I've got the names of the toll booths right.

The combined tolls are optional and one can still opt to pay each one separately.

There is no difference in the total amount, however there is less hassle regarding giving and taking of change/ coins / toffees etc.

If they can do this, I dont see why they cant offer a 4-in-1 combined toll to persons travelling upto Kolhapur. Maybe this may come about sometime in the near future.

[Figopian]

Originally Posted by Dr.Sav

Ok, just for reference, here's a list of all the toll booths one has to go through from Mumbai to Goa via the Kolhapur route. I usually take a right at Nipani so am not aware of any beyond that to Belgaum.

The list includes the toll rate as of June 2011. Any new updates are welcome.

Mumbai Exit Point : Rs 30
Khalapur : Rs 165
Talegaon : Rs 99
Shivapur : Rs 65
Anewadi/Virmade : Rs 45
Taswade : Rs 52
Kini : Rs 52
Kognoli : Rs 25
Total : Rs 533

I use this list and keep all the money ready in proper order so time spent at each booth is minimal and I don't get toffees in return as change.

Kini and Tasawade is now Rs. 58.
in case of return journey within 24 hours, return toll makes sense. I tried at Shivapur (100) and Anewadi (70). You should ask for change instead of toffees and then they give money back.

Till a few days back, I used to accept toffees from one booth and give the same back in the next booth, it worked fine. Now I see they don't give back toffees too often. Anyways I don't accept it now.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by suniladhiya

There is one new innovation in the toll collection process. I drove from Pune to Goa on 30th November, and now you can opt to
I hope I've got the names of the toll booths right.

The combined tolls are optional and one can still opt to pay each one separately.

There is no difference
If they can do this, I dont see why they cant offer a 4-in-1 combined toll to persons travelling upto Kolhapur. Maybe this may come about sometime in the near future.

this might not happen because the toll contractors are different on different stretches.unless some kind of a govt order comes about it is very unlikely that we would be able to pay the entire toll in one location!

[Figopian]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

this might not happen because the toll contractors are different on different stretches.unless some kind of a govt order comes about it is very unlikely that we would be able to pay the entire toll in one location!

You could do this for the last 2 tolls near kolhapur till a few years back (Tasawade and kini) at some point they stopped it.
I would actually le to see all tolls getting automated with a card which can be preloaded with some amount. Something that the Delhi NRC toll booths have implemented.

[rkavthekar]

All,

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

Had an urgent work at Ponda (Goa). Initial plan was to go to Ponda on Saturday and Return by Sunday evening.

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.

Tool Sankeshwar - Gandinglaj - Ajra - Amboli route this time. (September I had taken Nipani - Uttur - Ajra - Amboli route). Gandinglaj road is much better. Second pit stop was at Vithal Kamat in Amboli ( around 9:30AM ).
There was heavy fog in Kolhapur - Nipani - Sankeshwar patch.

Took Banda route at end of Amboli ghat. Initial and last patch is good. middle patch (about 35%) of the road is average/bad with potholes. Road is not as narrow as perceived. Encountered few truck and had no issues while passing.

Banda - Patradevi (Goa Checkpost) is very bad. Crossed Goa border around 11:30AM. Reached Ponda via Panaji at 1:00PM. No driving fatigue. Completed the work by 3:30PM. Some important work cropped up in Pune so instead of staying in Goa, decided to start back and reach atleast Kolhapur and if needed, stay put in Kolhapur and start early on Sunday morning.

While coming back refilled i10 at Pernem ( Petrol 65.60/litre). i10 Average 20.35km/l. Took Sawantwadi route while coming back instead going in from Banda. Banda to Sawantwadi Policecheck post route is extremely bad. Unpaved village roads are much better than this one. After police check post to Sawantwadi and beyond road is excellent. Reached Amboli for first pit stop on return at 7:00PM

We had a police escort vehicle with red beacon flashing from Amboli - Ajra - Gadinglaj route ( not that we had ordered :-), but that was incidental). So all the vehicles gave way for our car as well. Reached Kolhapur for second pit stop at McD around 9:30PM.

No fog this time. Must mention about NH4 in Karnataka - Excellent signs all the way, with reflectors on the road, service lanes, shoulders well marked and most important, load of plants on the Divider - boon for night driving.

Started from Kolhapur at 10:00PM. Less traffic, disciplined traffic. No two wheelers, no rushing vehicles haphazardly. Smooth drive to Pune reached home at 1:30AM.

Total distance covered - 967Kms
Total Time - 21 Hrs 30 Mins with 2.5 hours halt at Ponda.
All driving done by self.
Returning average - yet to work out. Tank shows still little less than half mark.
No Photographs. No camera taken as it was not a pleasure trip.

takecare and drive safely

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by rkavthekar

Had an urgent work at Ponda (Goa). Initial plan was to go to Ponda on Saturday and Return by Sunday evening.

Completed the work by 3:30PM. Some important work cropped up in Pune so instead of staying in Goa, decided to start back

do-dhai ghante me hi goa se return,
dhat tere,
arey boss ko bolna tha ''kaam nahi hua, will return tomorrow.''

That was pretty quick drive.

[suniladhiya]

@kravthekar:

Since you went to Ponda, would'nt NH4A via Belgaum have been a better option or did you have any confirmed information that its in bad condition

I will be driving back from Goa to Pune on 6th Dec. As mentioned by rkavthekar, the Amboli-Gandhiglaj-Sankeshwar is much better than Amboli-Uttur-Nipani.

Can anyone who has travelled recently advise as to how this would compare with NH4A via Ponda-Londa-Belgaum

[Figopian]

Why is Tasawade+Kini toll = INR120 ?? If you get individual, its 2x58, isn't it? Forget the amount but this is plain robbery.

[suniladhiya]

Originally Posted by Figopian

Why is Tasawade+Kini toll = INR120 ?? If you get individual, its 2x58, isn't it? Forget the amount but this is plain robbery.

I dont remember the individual amounts, but I definitely remember that the combined amount works out to the same as individual amounts, perhaps its 62+58 now.

[misquitas]

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.

Tool Sankeshwar - Gandinglaj - Ajra - Amboli route this time. (September I had taken Nipani - Uttur - Ajra - Amboli route). Gandinglaj road is much better. Second pit stop was at Vithal Kamat in Amboli ( around 9:30AM ).
There was heavy fog in Kolhapur - Nipani - Sankeshwar patch.

Took Banda route at end of Amboli ghat. Initial and last patch is good. middle patch (about 35%) of the road is average/bad with potholes. Road is not as narrow as perceived. Encountered few truck and had no issues while passing.

Banda - Patradevi (Goa Checkpost) is very bad. Crossed Goa border around 11:30AM. Reached Ponda via Panaji at 1:00PM. No driving fatigue. Completed the work by 3:30PM. Some important work cropped up in Pune so instead of staying in Goa, decided to start back and reach atleast Kolhapur and if needed, stay put in Kolhapur and start early on Sunday morning.

While coming back refilled i10 at Pernem ( Petrol 65.60/litre). i10 Average 20.35km/l. Took Sawantwadi route while coming back instead going in from Banda. Banda to Sawantwadi Policecheck post route is extremely bad. Unpaved village roads are much better than this one. After police check post to Sawantwadi and beyond road is excellent. Reached Amboli for first pit stop on return at 7:00PM

We had a police escort vehicle with red beacon flashing from Amboli - Ajra - Gadinglaj route ( not that we had ordered :-), but that was incidental). So all the vehicles gave way for our car as well. Reached Kolhapur for second pit stop at McD around 9:30PM.

No fog this time. Must mention about NH4 in Karnataka - Excellent signs all the way, with reflectors on the road, service lanes, shoulders well marked and most important, load of plants on the Divider - boon for night driving.

Started from Kolhapur at 10:00PM. Less traffic, disciplined traffic. No two wheelers, no rushing vehicles haphazardly. Smooth drive to Pune reached home at 1:30AM.

Total distance covered - 967Kms
Total Time - 21 Hrs 30 Mins with 2.5 hours halt at Ponda.
All driving done by self.
Returning average - yet to work out. Tank shows still little less than half mark.
No Photographs. No camera taken as it was not a pleasure trip.

takecare and drive safely

Whoa, an incredible display of a nearly round-the-clock driving skill. I would have been tired with a one-way trip, let alone a two-way trip within 22 hours.

Pray tell me...

1. What was your speed along the route? I'm interested in this as you took barely 2.45 hours to travel from Pune to Kolhapur and 9 hours from Pune to Ponda, especially with poor-to-bad roads in Banda-Sawantwadi and busy traffic between Pernem and Ponda.

2. How on earth did you get an astounding FR of 20+ kmpl on an i10? Was it with AC or not?

3. How was the performance of your i10? Surprising that you encountered no fatigue throughout the 22-hour round-trip.

Once again, an incredible trip indeed.

[Figopian]

Originally Posted by suniladhiya

I dont remember the individual amounts, but I definitely remember that the combined amount works out to the same as individual amounts, perhaps its 62+58 now.

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.

[rkavthekar]

Originally Posted by misquitas

Whoa, an incredible display of a nearly round-the-clock driving skill. I would have been tired with a one-way trip, let alone a two-way trip within 22 hours.

Pray tell me...

1. What was your speed along the route? I'm interested in this as you took barely 2.45 hours to travel from Pune to Kolhapur and 9 hours from Pune to Ponda, especially with poor-to-bad roads in Banda-Sawantwadi and busy traffic between Pernem and Ponda.

2. How on earth did you get an astounding FR of 20+ kmpl on an i10? Was it with AC or not?

3. How was the performance of your i10? Surprising that you encountered no fatigue throughout the 22-hour round-trip.

Once again, an incredible trip indeed.

@misquitas - Thanks for your kind words. Answers to your queries pointwise

1. Only a couple of time I went over 100km/hour. But surely never crossed 110km/hr. The traffic was sparse in the morning and reached Sai International which is 20-25kms short of Kolhapur. Most importantly, I was lucky at all toll booth and if not first, only a couple of trucks/cars were in front of me.

2. Fuel average was without AC. It was pretty cold through out till one reaches Banda. Secondly, I didn't drove at insane speeds. Thirdly, I was light on accelerator. Use to ease off whenever I use to see nearing 100km/hr speed and ease off on the slope etc. Never redlined the i10. To me, if you drive between 80-90km/hour, one should get good average. With same principles, my Indica DLS use to give me 20-22km/l average.

3. I was surprised too. When we reached Ponda, it never felt like I have been driving for over 9 hours. We took halts for 30-40 mins every 3-3.5 hours of driving. I think that plus the disciplined traffic, comfortable speeds, Michelin XM+ tyres, good roads and cool air - all contributed towards fatigue free driving.

take care and drive safely

[S_U_N]

^Very nice timings and driving style. Thank you for sharing.

[Figopian]

Guys,

I will be coming back from Goa in the last week of December, can someone tell me some landmark around Banda where I can get onto the Danoli road? While going I will be going (from Kolhapur) to Malvan first (via Phonda ghat) and then go ahead to Sanquelim, Goa. Just don't want to miss this road diversion while coming back?

Also, are there any suggestions on a good road from Malvan to Sanquelim? I am planning Malvan -> Kudal -> Sawantwadi -> Banda -> Bardez -> Bicholim -> Sanquelim.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by Figopian

can someone tell me some landmark around Banda where I can get onto the Danoli road?

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.