[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

Does anyone know what is the current status of Ahmadnagar->Shirdi->Malegoan->Dhule->Indore roads? Has the NH3 4-laning work been completed in Maharashtra?

Has anyone taken the other route Pune-Nagar-Aurangabad-Jamner-Muktainagar (Edlabad)-Burhanpur-Indore recently? Any update on the road conditions, particularly after Aurangabad?

And lastly, is there anyone travelling from Pune to Indore on Nov 9/10?

NH3 is fully 4-laned and a pleasure to drive in all the way to Indore from Malegaon.
If you leave early from Pune, you may as well take NH50 via Chakan & Sangamaner to Nashik. In NH3 in Nashik, road widening is going on, quite a mess during daylight hours.

The Aurangabad-Burhanpur road is quite OK after the rains.

[pjbiju]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

NH3 is fully 4-laned and a pleasure to drive in all the way to Indore from Malegaon.
If you leave early from Pune, you may as well take NH50 via Chakan & Sangamaner to Nashik. In NH3 in Nashik, road widening is going on, quite a mess during daylight hours.

The Aurangabad-Burhanpur road is quite OK after the rains.

Thanks HVK for the update. I would be able to start by 4:30 a.m. from Pune. I had taken the Pune->Nashik->Indore route two years back. It then took me 4 hours to reach Dwaraka Circle, Nashik. So I should reach Nashik by 8:30 a.m. and then have breakfast there before heading towards Indore. Do you know from what point beyond Nashik is the 4-lane road work completed? Also any good petrol pump on NH3 beyond Nashik towards Indore for filling petrol?

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

Thanks HVK for the update. I would be able to start by 4:30 a.m. from Pune. I had taken the Pune->Nashik->Indore route two years back. It then took me 4 hours to reach Dwaraka Circle, Nashik. So I should reach Nashik by 8:30 a.m. and then have breakfast there before heading towards Indore. Do you know from what point beyond Nashik is the 4-lane road work completed? Also any good petrol pump on NH3 beyond Nashik towards Indore for filling petrol?

Around 35 kms of road from Dwaraka Circle is being widened and in a mess, after that 4 laned roads begin. I would suggest you first get into the 4-laner before stopping for breakfast & refuelling to avoid getting jammed once peak hour traffic begins. There are several good petrol pumps on the route, although I can't think of any. I remember one Club HP pump after crossing Nashik octroi naka.

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

Do you know from what point beyond Nashik is the 4-lane road work completed?

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Around 35 kms of road from Dwaraka Circle is being widened and in a mess, after that 4 laned roads begin.

IIRC, this is the route we'd followed last year for bypassing Dwaraka Circle while travelling to Indore.

http://maps.google.co.in/maps?saddr=...sz=18&t=m&z=18

The start point is just before the huge flyover at Nasik Road, about 5-6 kms before Dwaraka Circle. Coming from Pune, instead of getting on to the flyover, you will need to take the service road to the left of the flyover and then turn right under it at the Bhagur road intersection [if you turn left here, you will go to Deolali Camp]. Please ask the locals for directions if you plan to try this route and I've confused you too much!

Cheers,
Vikram

[CANPUSH]

Pune - Nashik road is really unpredictable these days. Depending on traffic conditions it takes anywhere between 4 hrs to 8 hrs to transverse this distance. If you leave Pune before 5 am in the morning you may cover the distance till dwarka in 4 hrs.

Other option is to go via Ahmednagar-Shirdi-Malegaon route. It will be some 25 kms more but most of the road is four lane except small patches between Kolhar and Shirdi and a bridge near Kolhar. Going by this road also saves the hassle of crossing the under construction portion near Nashik and you directly reach 4 lane section of NH3. On this road also early morning departure is advisable to cross Ahmednagar and Shirdi before the rush begins.

Still another option is to leave early and take Nashik road till Sangamner and from Sangamner take toll road to Shirdi- Kopargaon that meets NH10 beyond Shirdi just near Kopargaon. I believe that is the nearest in terms of distance also. When I last traveled on the toll road before monsoon, condition was good.

[pjbiju]

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

IIRC, this is the route we'd followed last year for bypassing Dwaraka Circle while travelling to Indore.

http://maps.google.co.in/maps?saddr=...sz=18&t=m&z=18

...

Cheers,
Vikram

Thanks Vikram. I am familiar with this flyover. However I was not aware of this road to bypass Dwaraka Circle since I have never used this in the past. So this looks like a good route to follow if I travel all the way to Nashik.

Originally Posted by CANPUSH

Pune - Nashik road is really unpredictable these days. Depending on traffic conditions it takes anywhere between 4 hrs to 8 hrs to transverse this distance. If you leave Pune before 5 am in the morning you may cover the distance till dwarka in 4 hrs.

I would not take this road any time during the day. It would be better to take the expressway and go to Nashik via Mumbai during the day time. However, it is usually sparsely crowded during the early morning hours, which is when I plan to take this route. And I have also learned that the road conditions are still quite good, all the way to Nashik.

Originally Posted by CANPUSH

Other option is to go via Ahmednagar-Shirdi-Malegaon route. It will be some 25 kms more but most of the road is four lane except small patches between Kolhar and Shirdi and a bridge near Kolhar. Going by this road also saves the hassle of crossing the under construction portion near Nashik and you directly reach 4 lane section of NH3. On this road also early morning departure is advisable to cross Ahmednagar and Shirdi before the rush begins.

I have heard that road conditions are quite bad beyond Ahmednagar. I will try to get some updated road information before considering this option.

Originally Posted by CANPUSH

Still another option is to leave early and take Nashik road till Sangamner and from Sangamner take toll road to Shirdi- Kopargaon that meets NH10 beyond Shirdi just near Kopargaon. I believe that is the nearest in terms of distance also. When I last traveled on the toll road before monsoon, condition was good.

I have used the Sangamner - Babaleshwar route (toll road) a couple of times and the road conditions have been quite good. But this road takes you Babaleshwar which is before Rahata (and Shirdi). On the maps I can see a road branching off towards Kopargaon from the Sangamner-Loni road. Is that the road you are referring to? Any idea about the present road conditions?

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Around 35 kms of road from Dwaraka Circle is being widened and in a mess, after that 4 laned roads begin. I would suggest you first get into the 4-laner before stopping for breakfast & refuelling to avoid getting jammed once peak hour traffic begins. There are several good petrol pumps on the route, although I can't think of any. I remember one Club HP pump after crossing Nashik octroi naka.

Thanks for this suggestion. We usually carry our breakfast and so we can stop anywhere.

I am now looking at Pune->Sangamner->Kopargaon->Manmad->Malegaon->Indore as another option.

[shabahmad]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

Does anyone know what is the current status of Ahmadnagar->Shirdi->Malegoan->Dhule->Indore roads?

Hi,

I went to Shirdi last month and roads are good, only issue is the last 15-20 km were speed needs to be reduced.

Starting at 4.30 you could be there by 7.
Hope this would be help in your planning.

Regards,

[CANPUSH]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

However, it is usually sparsely crowded during the early morning hours, which is when I plan to take this route. And I have also learned that the road conditions are still quite good, all the way to Nashik.

I have heard that road conditions are quite bad beyond Ahmednagar. I will try to get some updated road information before considering this option.


I have used the Sangamner - Babaleshwar route (toll road) a couple of times and the road conditions have been quite good. But this road takes you Babaleshwar which is before Rahata (and Shirdi). On the maps I can see a road branching off towards Kopargaon from the Sangamner-Loni road. Is that the road you are referring to? Any idea about the present road conditions?


I am now looking at Pune->Sangamner->Kopargaon->Manmad->Malegaon->Indore as another option.

Pune - Nashik Road condition is good. No doubt about it. Only issue is Unpredictable traffic. It can get jammed for hours at drop of hat.

Via Ahmednagar, upto Shirdi, Road is good. Exception is small 2-3 Km patch and old bridge near Kolhar. I have travelled on this road a month ago. It took 3 hrs and 20 minutes of driving time at normal pace (60-90 kmph)

The toll road to Kopargaon originates from Sangamner - Loni- Babhaleshwar road a few kms from Sangamner on your left. It is a two lane road but not much traffic and it meets NH10 near Kopargaon. On the way it also branches off to Shirdi at a place called Jawalke or Jawalge. Only irritant on this road is rumbler strips at every village.

[dave7377]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

NH3 is fully 4-laned and a pleasure to drive in all the way to Indore from Malegaon.

Sir,
Are the roads around Sendhwa Ghat (MH-MP border) between Dhule & Indore so four laned.
Sendhwa ghat used to be notorious for traffic jams.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by dave7377

Sir,
Are the roads around Sendhwa Ghat (MH-MP border) between Dhule & Indore so four laned.
Sendhwa ghat used to be notorious for traffic jams.

Fully 4-laned, beautiful highways, no traffic jams any more.

[mmxylorider]

Bumping up for any new updates...

I might be driving from Pune to Dewas nearabouts end of this month (if my train tickets are not confirmed)

Due to leave problems, I might not have a choice in doing night driving. Personally - it is not a problem but what route works out best considering

1. I would be able to start , say midnight ish (post a small nap in the evening)
2. Family and in-laws accompanying (age from 8 to 70)
3. Need to reach Dewas around Lunch time.
4. Vehicle is a Xylo.

I have driven to Indore multiple times in the past using
1. Pune-NH50-NH3
2. Pune-A'nangar-Aurangabad-Burhanpur-Indore (twice)
3. Pune-A'nangar-Aurangabad-Dhule-NH3

but almost year+ ago. At that time the stretch from Dhule to MP border was undergoing 4 laning and was a bad patch to cover.

Also open to suggestions around leaving late evening with a night halt somewhere in between.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by mmxylorider

but almost year+ ago. At that time the stretch from Dhule to MP border was undergoing 4 laning and was a bad patch to cover.

Also open to suggestions around leaving late evening with a night halt somewhere in between.

NH3 from Dhule is fantastic after 4-laning has been completed.
Ideally, if going at night, go via Nashik to Dhule. Be prepared for some bad roads in Nashik due to road widening, but if you reach after peak hour, no problems.
Hotels en route - very poor. Maybe you can try out Hotel Manas in Dhule

[mmxylorider]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Ideally, if going at night, go via Nashik to Dhule. Be prepared for some bad roads in Nashik due to road widening, but if you reach after peak hour, no problems.

Kumar - will joining NH3 by taking the Sangamner-Malegaon be good alternative or is the NH3 condition post Nashik worth the bad stretch I would encounter taking NH50 all the way to Nashik?

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by mmxylorider

Kumar - will joining NH3 by taking the Sangamner-Malegaon be good alternative or is the NH3 condition post Nashik worth the bad stretch I would encounter taking NH50 all the way to Nashik?

NH3 25 kms beyond Nashik is a beauty of a road, worth taking it.

[frequentflyer]

I was working out my options to travel to MP to Burhanpur and later Ujjain Indore and back to Pune. I think Pune Aurangabad road is good if you exit Pune early and not get bogged down in intra city Ahmednagar traffic. On the return journey I have done Indore Pune via Kopargaon - preferring it to Nasik and Aurangabad as it is not only the shortest distance but Pune Nasik road with its winding, treeless and hotel-less stretch is not too good. Besides nearer Pune one gets stuck in traffic from Bhosari onwards and the road then joins NH4 to Pune which is crowded with people getting back after working hours in the evenings.