[Avid trekker]

@ampere, paragsachania : Thank you very much.

Are the curves on Chorla steep? Would request if you can provide detailed route from Chorla to Mapusa/Panjim.

thanks,

[CANPUSH]

Originally Posted by Avid trekker

@ampere, paragsachania : Thank you very much.

Are the curves on Chorla steep? Would request if you can provide detailed route from Chorla to Mapusa/Panjim.

thanks,

Curves at Chorla are not steep. It is one of the easy ghats to descend/ climb.
Once you reach Goa drive straight upto Sanquelim where you pass under a flyover. Soon as you pass below you have to take a 'U turn' on left to reach over the flyover. Once on the flyover take left to reach Mapusa - Panaji via Asnoda-Tivim.
(You can also go to right to reach Panaji via Usgaon - Banastari-Old Goa but that is little complex and longer.)

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Avid trekker

Are the curves on Chorla steep? Would request if you can provide detailed route from Chorla to Mapusa/Panjim.

They are not steep. But do expect long winding roads. The ones which can induce motion sickness.

[CANPUSH]

Originally Posted by CANPUSH

Curves at Chorla are not steep. It is one of the easy ghats to descend/ climb.
Once you reach Goa drive straight upto Sanquelim where you pass under a flyover. Soon as you pass below you have to take a 'U turn' on left to reach over the flyover. Once on the flyover take left to reach Mapusa - Panaji via Asnoda-Tivim.
(You can also go to right to reach Panaji via Usgaon - Banastari-Old Goa but that is little complex and longer.)

I am sorry for spelling error.. It is Orgaon not Usgaon..before I could edit net connectivity was lost. Hence another post.

Sorry mods..

[Avid trekker]

Thanks @ampere, canpush. Will take note of the points mentioned.

[nec2152]

Just back from Goa, here's an update on road conditions:

Pune to Goa on 15th March, I took this route: Pune - Belgaum - Jamboti - Chorla - Sanquelim - Ponda - Borim - Margao - Palolem

Pune to Satara: Okayish, Diversions and some potholes
Satara to Kolhapur: Good
Kolhapur to Belgaum: Awesome
Belgaum to Sanquelim via Chorla ghat: Awesome
Sanquelim to Margao: Awesome
Margao to Palolem via NH17: Okayish to Good.

While coming back on 20th March, I took the Goa-Sawantwadi-Amboli-Ajara-Gadhinglaj-Sankeshwar-Kolhapur-Pune.

Goa(Calangute)-Sawantwadi: Good to okayish.
Sawantwadi-Amboli: Okaish to bad, Amboli ghat is bad, worn out tarmac mostly, some small to medium sized potholes though, not very big ones.
Amboli to Ajara: Okayish, some tarmac sections feel like rumble strip.
Ajara to Gadhinglaj: Okayish, some bad sections.
Gadhinglaj-Sankeshwar: Okayish, some bad sections.
Sankeshwar to Satara on NH4: Good.
Satara to Pune: Okayish.

I think folks should take the Chorla route even when going to North Goa. Might increase distance by 20-30 kms but the roads are super awesome.
For south Goa bound people, the chorla ghat route is a no-brainer.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by nec2152

Amboli to Ajara: Okayish, some tarmac sections feel like rumble strip.
Ajara to Gadhinglaj: Okayish, some bad sections.

Much better to take the left turn to Uttur instead of going to Gadhinglaj/Sankeshwar from Ajra. Very good road now, and saves some distance too.
Going from North Goa to Pune, if one can leave early in the morning - before 5 am - it takes an hour less than via Chorla-Belgaum.

[bhavtol]

Dear All,

Most of the time the Travel Queries in this Post range on how the Amboli Ghat road is and i have found that apart from a few posts there are almost no pics available (atleast i was unable to locate them).

I recently had the chance to drive down in My Ford Ikon all the way from Indore to Goa and during the time managed to click a few snaps (of reasonable quality). I post them here so that it may help others to get the idea of this route.

As for any Ghat, i would suggest that you travel either at Sunrise or Sunset, but in this section since there are many Sugarcane lorries and Volvos post sunset, i would like to be there are at Sunrise.

Route from Nipani to Ajra
It has been laid down and is now complete without pothholes.

Start of the Ghat

Some more Pics of the Ghat

Hope these pics give you some idea of the road.

Bon Voyage !!

[Gannu_1]

I may have to go to Karad next week (10, 11 April) to attend some factory tests. Train tickets are waitlisted at the moment and I might drive down if the tickets do not get confirmed by 8th.

Towards south, I have driven to Bombay (Ghatkopar) via Thane and I am quite familiar with the roads. Mumbai to Pune is via the expressway and I am told that although the expressway is good, there have been sporadic accidents reported quite often. Just a bit worried thus.

Pune to Karad is via Satara. How about these roads? This looks like a 4-lane road going by Google maps.

Proposed travel plan - leave Surat by 5:30 AM on 9th so we can reach Thane around 10 AM (non-stop averaging 90-100 kmph). Have breakfast at Thane and leave for Pune. Reach Pune by 3 PM. Leave Pune after a tea break around 3:30 PM and reach Karad before 7 PM.

I shall be travelling with a colleague of mine. Any inputs would be greatly helpful! Many thanks in advance.

[Trojan]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

I may have to go to Karad next week

Mumbai to Pune is via the expressway and I am told that although the expressway is good, there have been sporadic accidents reported quite often. Just a bit worried thus.

Mumbai - Pune expressway is safe if you drive at sensible speeds. But be on guard don't mean to scare you but keep a check at these sections especially

1. Ghat section - since you're travelling in the afternoon, traffic should be low, however, keep check on vehicles parked on the left most lane near Khandala.

2. Post Lonavala there is a long straight and then a super curve (you can see the Sinhagad institute on the hill) this is a common mishap point, due to the gradual gradient and assisted by the curve, 100 becomes 120 much faster before you realize it

3. Kamshet tunnel : Another common area due to vehicle breakdowns and everybody using hazard lights (whether they have a breakdown or not)

4. Post the 2 Kamshet tunnels, there is a cut in the highway (you cannot see it) which has been made for emergency purposes. This cut is usually the reason for many accidents which happen here.

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Pune to Karad is via Satara. How about these roads? This looks like a 4-lane road going by Google maps.

Between Pune to Satara there is a lot of road work going on, with multiple diversions, post Warje road will open up till you cross the toll at Khed Shivapur.
Post Khed Shivapur be extremely cautious of villagers crossing the medians on their bikes.
Road conditions are ok on the way to Satara and a little bad/worse on the way back.
Satara - Karad is a very good highway

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Leave Pune after a tea break around 3:30 PM and reach Karad before 7 PM.

Sounds doable.

[Musaafir]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

I may have to go to Karad next week (10, 11 April) to attend some factory tests. Train tickets are waitlisted at the moment and I might drive down if the tickets do not get confirmed by 8th.

Towards south, I have driven to Bombay (Ghatkopar) via Thane and I am quite familiar with the roads. Mumbai to Pune is via the expressway and I am told that although the expressway is good, there have been sporadic accidents reported quite often. Just a bit worried thus.

Pune to Karad is via Satara. How about these roads? This looks like a 4-lane road going by Google maps.

Proposed travel plan - leave Surat by 5:30 AM on 9th so we can reach Thane around 10 AM (non-stop averaging 90-100 kmph). Have breakfast at Thane and leave for Pune. Reach Pune by 3 PM. Leave Pune after a tea break around 3:30 PM and reach Karad before 7 PM.

I shall be travelling with a colleague of mine. Any inputs would be greatly helpful! Many thanks in advance.

I do Fountain Hotel (Ghodbunder road) junction to Pune in about 3.30 hrs via express way. Pune to Karad is usually 2.30 hrs non-stop. Add breaks if you want to. There is nothing to worry about the Express Way. Please drive in the middle lane and don't overspeed. Stay within your own comfort zone.

Pune to Karad have some bad diversions upto Satara. Beyond is better. Two wheeler traffic could be a bit less in afternoons during these hot summer days. But be careful about people/vehicles crossing the four lane highway.

Have a safe trip.

[Avid trekker]

Thanks @ampere, paragsachania, canpush for your inputs.
A big thank you shoutout to suzuki_san (post#1144) for the detailed driving directions to access the Chorla road via Belgaum exit. Absolutely spot-on details.

Attaching an update on the Goa route via Belgaum and Chorla (a big thank you to my friends ABS9 & Gajju who have compiled the details)

1. Pune to Satara : Good, fast zone; Few potholes and few diversions; Inter-mediary village/town traffic; Slow traffic near toll-booths
2. Satara to Kolhapur : Good, fast zone; Inter-mediary village/town traffic; Slow traffic near toll-booths
3. Kolhapur to Belgaum : Very good, fast zone; Totally pothole free; Slow traffic near toll-booths
4. Belgaum to Sanquelim (via. Chorla ghat) : Very good, medium zone; Newly laid road; occasional pothole on Chorla ghat in Goa; Single road, less traffic, few sharp curves

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by Musaafir

Please drive in the middle lane and don't overspeed.

Hey, I thought the right most lane was meant for cars? Here in Gujarat, the right most lane i.e. the one closest to the median is meant for cars whereas the centre lane is meant for trucks. The left most lane is meant for bikes.

Thanks for the inputs. The trip is now confirmed and I shall be starting from Surat around 5 AM.

[Musaafir]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Hey, I thought the right most lane was meant for cars? Here in Gujarat, the right most lane i.e. the one closest to the median is meant for cars whereas the centre lane is meant for trucks. The left most lane is meant for bikes.
.

In a three lane road, the middle lane is for cars. If some car needs to overtake another vehicle in front, the car should use the first lane to overtake and again go to the middle lane and continue driving. Trucks are supposed to drive in the third lane and use the second lane to overtake. First lane therefore is expected to be empty for overtaking.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Musaafir

In a three lane road, the middle lane is for cars. If some car needs to overtake another vehicle in front, the car should use the first lane to overtake and again go to the middle lane and continue driving. Trucks are supposed to drive in the third lane and use the second lane to overtake. First lane therefore is expected to be empty for overtaking.

But what we see on roads is exact opposite! Trucks drive on the right most lane and they overtake via the center lane. Most cars drive on center or the fast lane (right) and over taking some times happen from the left most lane !

The reason being left is perennially occupied by local trucks/tractor and two wheelers. And thanks to that; the heavy vehicles almost always use the right most lane! Sad but that is the state of our highways.