[a_myth]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

How is the road surface from Ajra to Amboli? Are the two diversions for small bridge constructions on this sector still there or is the work complete and are now not there any more?

Ajra - Amboli road surface is fast deteriorating. Loose aggregate over the road has now led to potholes. I don't think the road going to last one more month of heavy rain. The work on the bridges you are referring is complete.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by a_myth

Ajra - Amboli road surface is fast deteriorating. Loose aggregate over the road has now led to potholes. I don't think the road going to last one more month of heavy rain. The work on the bridges you are referring is complete.

Thank you for the confirmation about the two bridges - using those rough road diversions in the rains and therefore mud would have taken a 4x4.
The Ajra Amboli sector then seems to be business as usual. I am travelling next week, so it ought not to be a total mess before then; one can cope with the potholes there by slow speeds. And since I will not be using Amboli ghat on weekends - or at 7 am if I do - the waterfall madness will also not be an issue.

[devyaaniverma]

Hello Guys,

Did Belgaum to North Goa drive last Sunday. Just thought of posting an update. Chorla ghat is in good condition overall, although a lot of rain has created some potholes at certain intervals. And yes,as mentioned by a few people, traffic is pretty heavy at times, due to the very nature of the drive, lot of people stop for pictures and stuff.

Also the edges of the road and sharp and deep, so don't drive close to them, be closer to the center of the tarmac. People don't honk, but you should, atleast on sharp bends, oncoming traffic is adventurous at times.

I drove my Amaze VX MT. Comfortable overall. Don't over speed here. Best to drive around the 60-70 mark all the time.

Regards,
Devyaani.

[Sawyer]

Thank you everyone, for the very useful updates. I usually prefer the Amboli route for Anjuna/Vagator, but this time I might use Chorla while returning, where I can be at the beginning of the climb by 6 am, to beat traffic there as well as in Belgaum. I will probably do that based on how bad is the outward drive via Amboli.

[vvb8530]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Thank you everyone, for the very useful updates. I usually prefer the Amboli route for Anjuna/Vagator, but this time I might use Chorla while returning, where I can be at the beginning of the climb by 6 am, to beat traffic there as well as in Belgaum. I will probably do that based on how bad is the outward drive via Amboli.

For your information and for the benefit of others wanting to know the road conditions, I am on my way back to Bombay from North Goa right now and although I was hesitating to take the Amboli route back i eventually did take it considering google maps was showing an additional hour via Chorla and it turned to be way better and faster than Chorla that I took to South Goa from Bombay 5days back. The only pain is the NH17 stretch from Mapusa- Pernem till MH border which has a lot of diversions due to road work. I blindly followed google maps and took the right from Banda giving Sawantwadi a miss , the Banda route till Amboli wasn’t in great condition but very manageable. From there on the entire Amboli Ghat was butter smooth, not too crowded for a Saturday but I crossed it at about 11am so there’s a high possibility that crowds would swell a few hours later but on the bright side very heavy police presence all throughout monitoring traffic and not letting people block traffic by parking their cars. Amboli to Ajra section was a breeze with what felt like freshly laid tarmac with only very few spots of uneven road surface. Ajra to Nipani again was smooth except for the last 7 to 8kms till the NH4 which were filled with potholes at regular patches after every few meters.

On the way to South Goa though from Belgaum five days back, crossing Belgaum city itself was a pain firstly and then Chorla Ghat road is fine in the beginning but midway onwards the road surface is quite bad and traffic is a bit heavy for the narrow width of the road. It took me almost 6 hours to reach Benaulim from Belgaum.

So I would definitely recommend using Amboli for North Goa and probably even for South as road condition is not really a concern. Whatever are the random bad patches were handled by my Octavia with low ground clearance and running on aftermarket low profile 17inch rims shod onto not particularly known to be durable Michelin PS4’s without any stress.

VVB

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by vvb8530

For your information and for the benefit of others wanting to know the road conditions,

That is very helpful indeed! I will be leaving Kolhapur around 6 am on 23rd, so Amboli, which is my usual preference, is the one I will use based on your inputs.
The diversions in Goa are irritating, but manageable in daylight. I doubt I will use Banda; the Sawantwadi-Redi road that intersects NH 17 may even be faster. Sawantwadi traffic is just a 200 metres issue.

[CPJ]

Dear All,
I need to travel to North Goa (Porvorim) from Pune tomorrow. I usually take the Pune-Satara-Kolhapur-Nipani-Ajra-Amboli-Sawantwadi-Goa Route and wanted to know the present condition of the same.

I'm a little concerned about the road conditions as it is raining continuously since last few days and the patch between Ajra-Amboli-Sawantwadi is what I'm most worried about.

Any update from members will be of immense help

Thanks.

[Sawyer]

I got back from Goa today; Ajra Amboli is the best I have ever seen it the last couple of years or more. A few potholes, and most of these are on the last stretch to Amboli. The ghat is also in splendid condition, all the way to where the ghat ends at the bottom; this is a new development and a pleasant surprise. Take the Sawantwadi to Redi road, for intersecting NH17 - the Banda road is slow going because of poor surfaces. On the way back, I used Google for the interior road from Vagator through Siolim that meets the highway much later and avoids over half the road widening mess on it that is a nuisance all the way to Mapusa. I should have done this on the way to Vagator as well.
The Nipani to Uttur bit remains a mess, but that is only a 15-20 minutes part of the total drive.
Before and after Satara watch out for the occasional huge craters in the middle of fast stretches - these can be seen from a distance in the day and avoided once one knows to look out for them.

[Sawyer]

Further to the above, I must also say that this is the best time for this drive - even the black tar does its work to set off the many shades of rain washed green that surround one, especially in the hills. Even on NH4, one has the rare pleasure of seeing green hills in the distances, some covered by cloud/rain.

In the hills, and the Konkan foothills, another pleasure is to roll down the windows and drive getting drunk on the herbal fragrances from the surrounding trees carried in by the fresh air.

As to Goa, this is the best of times there as well. And in places like Vagator, one can get all the fun/charm of North Goa without the chaos of Baga Calangute - even in this season, the latter is not a place I care for, except perhaps the north side of the Baga river where the Royal Enfield cafe run by the evergreen Jamshed Madon is a great place to hang out, watching the rain crash down with a warming drink in hand.

A word for the Amboli waterfalls; I have never understood the pleasure of standing under one in this season, when it is cold enough already. But to each his own, and even on weekdays there already was a crowd there at 8 am; but not enough to cause a jam. Later, I can imagine the mess being made by revellers, so the ghat is best traversed early.

[TaurusAl]

Major crack on NH-4 due to rains, bus services from Karnataka to Pune, Mumbai halted.
The crack developed on Monday night near the Karnataka-Maharashtra border after heavy rainfall in Belagavi and its neighboring districts in northern Karnataka.


https://www.thenewsminute.com/articl...-halted-106731

[vivek95]

The below video on fb shows the scary situation at Amboli waterfalls. Avoid driving Mumbai--Pune--Amboli--Goa. There has already been landslide at Chorla ghat, so avoid taking Belgaum--Chorla route as well. And first of all, NH4 Pune--Kolhapur--Belgaum itself is blocked at many places due to heavy rains and overflowing rivers on the highway.

https://www.facebook.com/14643754736...2679836144356/

[bj96]

Any route open from Pune to Candolim (north goa) other than via Kolhapur which still seems to be blocked?

Tia,
-BJ

[Maverick5490]

I have road trip planned to Goa for the 21st of August, is it advisable to continue with the plan or look for alternatives considering the present scenario.

[sharanvenu]

Originally Posted by bj96

Any route open from Pune to Candolim (north goa) other than via Kolhapur which still seems to be blocked?

Tia,
-BJ

I am planning to drive to Goa on 15th Aug. With the NH conditions near Kolhapur, this is the route which I have finalized to navigate for the trip.

Pune-Satara-Karad-Malkapur-Sakharpa-Watul-Rajapur-Oros-Goa

I have checked with people who live around these areas and so far there has been no adverse reports. Keeping fingers crossed.

[nitinralli]

Originally Posted by sharanvenu

I am planning to drive to Goa on 15th Aug. With the NH conditions near Kolhapur, this is the route which I have finalized to navigate for the trip.

Pune-Satara-Karad-Malkapur-Sakharpa-Watul-Rajapur-Oros-Goa

I have checked with people who live around these areas and so far there has been no adverse reports. Keeping fingers crossed.

Me too driving to Goa on 15th. Hope this route is OK. Please update here if anything comes up so that we also get to know.
Thanks.