[rishie]

Anyone travelling from Bangalore to Pune tomorrow?
Hope the road conditions are the same as mentioned earlier.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by rishie

Anyone travelling from Bangalore to Pune tomorrow?
Hope the road conditions are the same as mentioned earlier.

They don't change, especially when it comes to this road.

The only notable changes are 6 lane expansion work between Chitradurga and Hubli for which one is yet to encounter any diversions but will start happening anytime ahead.

Secondly, the 6 land work In progress between Satara and Pune that is nearly complete with few diversions remaining.

Rest of it all remains the same. Have a safe drive!

[vivek95]

Originally Posted by rishie

Anyone travelling from Bangalore to Pune tomorrow?
Hope the road conditions are the same as mentioned earlier.

Maharashtra normally has high highway traffic levels on any given day, easily 5 times that of Karnataka. On top of it, tomorrow is a Sunday, so brace up for some extra heavy traffic once you cross over into Maharashtra all the way upto Pune ( and till Mumbai ). Road conditions are excellent as already pointed out, expect rains in Kolhapur--Satara section.

[Safety is Param]

Hello!

Planning a leisure drive on the Pune highway tomorrow, may be up to Ranebennur Kamat.

Thinking of starting close to afternoon from Banashankari 3rd stage (BLR) so that the return is not during evening peak hours.

Salem highway, Chennai highway are done & dusted in the last few months, and Mysore highway is not even an option considering the festival & weekend.

Timings look good? Your suggestions are welcome.

Will be having wife, kid (15 months) and parents for company.

Thought of staying a night in Belgaum earlier (just to extend the drive to 500 kms, one way), but then I am 100% sure that proximity to Panaji will make me convert this leisure drive into a 2N/3D outing, at least - so just planning a 600/650 km round trip in a day.

Thanks in advance!

[karanp23]

Originally Posted by Safety is Param

Planning a leisure drive on the Pune highway tomorrow, may be up to Ranebennur Kamat.

I am not too sure whether you have completed the trip or on your way, as I just saw this message. My recommendation is to have davangere benne dosa opp. Bapuji Dental college,Davangere. This is a small deviation from the highway. Woodfired dosas,crispy,buttery..ON the return leg you can stop by at Pavithra for Thatte Idli

[Safety is Param]

Originally Posted by karanp23

My recommendation is to have davangere benne dosa opp. Bapuji Dental college,Davangere.

Oh yes! This was the agenda for the day once we decided to drive only till Davangere, since we wanted to start late and return by midnight.

Started at 13.20 hrs. and reached home around 1.20 hrs. Total drive was 540 kms.

Stopped at VRL hotel after Tumkur for tea, had the benne dosas opp. Dental college around 18.00 hrs., tea at Apoorva resort around 19.15 hrs., and finally started our return journey at 20.30 hrs.

Lots and lots of traffic! Lots and lots of erratic driving by the festival crowd, and others too.

Came across multiple instances of bike Wheeling, bang in the middle lane of NH-4.

Triple riding by bike born youths carrying small kids, and lowering them while on the move to make the kid feel a dash of fresh air, and what not.

Pls. don't even ask whether these guys were wearing helmets!

No cops on the highway to enforce discipline, be it speed or lane driving.

Highway is deteriorating, and at places feels like it's a non-tolled road.

Multiple instances of lumps of tar spread across all the 3 lanes between Chitradurga and Davangere, with absolutely no warning signs at all, passing a judder across your spine as you go over them.

Craters, though not deep, suddenly appear in random lanes, forcing you to apply sudden brakes, resulting in additional discomfort.

Personally, compared to the highways heading to chennai, salem, kanyakumari and kochi, I would rate the experience on NH-4 as miserable.

Sad to see the road connecting major industrial hubs in this condition.

Fastag worked awesome during both legs of the drive.

[condor]

Is anyone traveling BLR - Pune on 4th July ? Am looking for a ride till Belgaum. Would be nice to catch up with TBHP-ians .. else there are the sleeper buses for me.

[treadmark]

Which is the best place to try Benne Dosa in Davanagere in Highway or at the byepass.
I don't want to deviate and get into the town, any recommendations with good rest room?
Also any COCO bumps around / before Davangere other than the recommended IOCL before bypass?

Cheers

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by treadmark

Which is the best place to try Benne Dosa in Davanagere in Highway or at the byepass.
I don't want to deviate and get into the town,

Nearest is of course Guru Kottureshwara which requires a detour.

On the highway, no such good places, especially if you are looking for Benne Dosas.

any recommendations with good rest room?

There is a reliable IOCL attached with CCD before Davanagere bypass/

Location : IOCL + CCD.

Also any COCO bumps around / before Davangere other than the recommended IOCL before bypass?

Unless you intend to drive beyond Davanagere, there are quite a few between Nelamangala and Sira.

Location: BPCL COCO, After Sira Bypass

However, if you are planning to drive beyond Davanagere, this COCO is situated after Ranebennur bypass (Around 30 minutes from Davanagere).

Location: BPCL COCO

[NPV]

Originally Posted by treadmark

Which is the best place to try Benne Dosa in Davanagere in Highway or at the byepass.
I don't want to deviate and get into the town, any recommendations with good rest room?
Also any COCO bumps around / before Davangere other than the recommended IOCL before bypass?

I'm not aware of good options for Davanagere Benne Dosa on the highway.
Two good places I know of are Guru kottureshwara which is near BDT College and other one is Ravi Benne Dosa. Both these are inside the town (I haven't tried Ravi Benne Dosa though).

COCO bunks - in the Bangalore-Pune direction, on left side there is a Bharat petroleum Coco outlet about 15 km after Kamat Ranebennur (the one inside Reliance petrol bunk campus).

There is also an IOC at Chatra near Haveri (there is a coffee Day and Kamat outlet also in the campus). This is also a big/decent bunk but not sure if it's a coco outlet.

[treadmark]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Nearest is of course Guru Kottureshwara which requires a
On the highway, no such good places, especially if you are looking for Benne Dosas.

I thought Apoorva Resorts may be one to get Benne Dosa, then I'll skip dosa for this time as we can't compromise on clean restroom for ladies. Will see if we can make it during our return

There is a reliable IOCL attached with CCD before Davangere bypass

This looks like a good option, I didn't want to take a chance as VW's are very sensitive to fuel.

However, if you are planning to drive beyond Davanagere, this COCO is situated after Ranebennur bypass (Around 30 minutes from Davanagere)

Originally Posted by NPV

COCO bunks - in the Bangalore-Pune direction, on left side there is a Bharat petroleum Coco outlet about 15 km after Kamat Ranebennur (the one inside Reliance petrol bunk campus).

Thank you for those suggestions, but then I'm travelling from Bangalore to Kollur so will be taking a deviation at Davangere. I wanted to fill the tank before I exit NH4 / AH47 so that I have sufficient fuel till I reach back Davangere from Kollur.

Cheers!

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by treadmark

I thought Apoorva Resorts may be one to get Benne Dosa, then I'll skip dosa for this time as we can't compromise on clean restroom for ladies. Will see if we can make it during our return

Apoorva is just a better excuse on the highway when you have nothing but CCD and Kamat Upachar as other options.

The lunch and dinner here is way better but Breakfast is just about OKish and Benne Dosa being a local delicacy is not part of his menu.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by treadmark

I thought Apoorva Resorts may be one to get Benne Dosa

Apoorva honestly is appalling for food. Restrooms are clean and it looks fancy from outside and that's about it. On top of this, it is expensive for that quality of food served.

I'm travelling from Bangalore to Kollur so will be taking a deviation at Davangere.

For Kollur why go till Davangere? Unless ofcourse you have to pick someone up in Davangere. The route would be to get off NH4 at Hiriyur-Hosadurga-Ajjampura-Tarikere-Shimoga-Hosanagara-Nagara-Kollur.

In this case, the only prominent option I can remember is Sira Kamat attached to HP COCO, solves both filling operations in one stop. Food wise Pavithra at Kyathasandra is a good option, but the restrooms suck, so does the parking (roadside).

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Apoorva honestly is appalling for food. Restrooms are clean and it looks fancy from outside and that's about it. On top of this, it is expensive for that quality of food served.

Totally agree! Have made just 2 visits and for lunch and food was Good but definitely not VFM. And since its a resort, always expect breakfast to be mediocre here. The biggest problem when advising places like these is the actual USP - Food or Clean rest rooms. Then we need to tackle iffy travelers who are very very specific in terms of expectations. So, in short, Apoorva and CCD are good rest rooms, AND serve food and beverages as well :-)

In this case, the only prominent option I can remember is Sira Kamat attached to HP COCO, solves both filling operations in one stop

The BPCL Opposite to this COCO is also a COCO .

The one attached to Kamat needs a U-Turn for which one needs to take the service road ahead and same is the case to head back too.

This one I referred to is right diagonally opposite and will serve (one) purpose. And since its a COCO and on a highway, I would somehow manage with the restrooms here too as they are relatively better maintained than typical outlets and at times the ones for ladies are always locked.

The CCD attached to IOCL is another 75 minutes away!

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Unless you intend to drive beyond Davanagere, there are quite a few between Nelamangala and Sira.

Location: BPCL COCO, After Sira Bypass

[treadmark]

Originally Posted by narayans80

For Kollur why go till Davangere? Unless ofcourse you have to pick someone up in Davangere. The route would be to get off NH4 at Hiriyur-Hosadurga-Ajjampura-Tarikere-Shimoga-Hosanagara-Nagara-Kollur.

No, I don't have to pick anyone from Davangere and the alternate route you mentioned was suggested in Bangalore ~ Kollur route thread and even so from my office colleagues. But then NH4 is quicker, can avoid undivided roads for a long stretch and no need to navigate through small villages / towns. In fact even google suggest NH4 if leaving from Frazer Town.

Cheers!