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Old 22nd June 2020, 10:52   #2701
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Re: Bangalore - Pune - Mumbai : Route updates & Eateries

I travelled from Vyara (Gujarat) to Bengaluru on 20th of June. Hope it helps some fellow traveller with some updates. I had registered for travel 4-5 days beforehand on Seva Sindhu. Since I have two kids under 10 so the special category 'Travelling with kids under 10' applied. Anyways travellers from Gujarat were on home quarantine list and we were prepared for that. I got the acknowledgement from the portal immediately with the barcode. The drive till Nippani Checkpost was showing 12 hours in google maps so I planned for an early start to avoid delays in the stamping at border. I called up Fairfield Marriot at Belgavi to check if they were open. The lady replied in affirmative and took my booking. I told her I would be travelling from Gujarat and asked if I should submit documents including the Seva Sindhu acknowledgement and she told I could give the id proofs on arrival.

With all set, I woke up at 3 am even though had slept only couple of hours due to all the time taken in packing things and started at 4 am. I crossed Bhilad border checkpost early without any issue and was on Mumbai-Pune expressway by around 8.30 am. After Pune there is police checking. When asked I just mentioned that I am traveling from Gujarat to Bengaluru and I showed the Seva Sindhu printout. They were polite and let us go without any further questions. I think there were 4 to 5 such check points till Karnataka border which we crossed around 2 am. We were asked to parked at a service road parking and get ourselves stamped. There was a lunch break and we waited for about 15 mins. There were 3-4 families other than us and mostly from MH I believe (later I learned from one of the other family from MH that they had been institutional quarantined for 4 days). When our turn came we gave the Seva Sindhu registration ID and our individual IDs.

The lady at the counter did our temperature checks and by mistake they stamped Institutional quarantine for us. I told them were from Gujarat and we are supposed to be home quarantine. She asked to check with the guy in the next desk. For the second desk we were asked to fill slips with name and registration ID for each of us. I again brought up that there is a mistake and we should be home quarantined. The person immediately checked and asked the lady why they did this mistake and told her to correct this so we had the stamp erased with the sanitiser and we were stamped again with Home quarantine on the wrist. He then filled some other details in his App and stamped on the paper slips as well. Outside there was a police desk where we got our vehicle pass which by giving all details. So we got in and at the toll we were again asked to get the details registered. The policeman at the desk just took the vehicle detail, name, contact and our address in Bengaluru. After that there was no checking anywhere in Karnataka.

I reached the Fairfield Marriot however the security guys asked to see the stamp on our wrist and when I showed them they said they cannot let us in. The manager came out and explained that local administration have instructed them not to let in people who have been stamped. I wasn't aware of this as well as the hotel did not communicate this earlier over phone even when I double checked with them. So the thing is hotels will not allow home quarantine persons to stay unless you have a medical certificate saying you have no covid-19 symptoms. I think this should have been clarified on Seva Sindhu or by hotels clearly beforehand to avoid confusion. Anyways we had no option but to carry on our journey towards Bengaluru and finally we reached our home in Hennur at 2.30 am to be home quarantined for next 14 days.

Last edited by Gannu_1 : 10th July 2020 at 19:51. Reason: Splitting your post into paragraphs = better readability. Thanks!
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Old 3rd July 2020, 15:29   #2702
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Re: Bangalore - Pune - Mumbai : Route updates & Eateries

I self-drove solo in my own car from Blore to Thane (near Mumbai) on June 7th, and brought back my 80+ years old senior citizen parents to Blore on June 10th (they were living alone in Thane, managing social-distancing with great difficulty).

Was prepared with all the passes as needed then (these rules keep changing):

- Fitness/medical certificate for me from an ICMR approved hospital in Blore
- KA exit pass (was required then)
- MH entry pass
- MH exit pass
- KA entry pass (with all traveler details)

I left home prepared with packed breakfast, lunch and dinner, tea in a flask, and a zillion water bottles, and hand sanitizers (and was careful NOT to use it inside the car), toilet tissues, etc. The plan was to avoid restaurants and hotels, transact in a contactless manner as far as possible, and pull over on service roads or safely on the shoulder for intermittent rest/tea breaks. Also loaded up Rs 3000 on my ICICI FASTag using UPI (the cheapest option), and Rs 5000 on PayTM (for contactless diesel) before I left home.

FASTag worked superbly, never had to open my window. I crossed 16 toll plazas each way. All toll plaza were FASTag enabled except one toll plaza. And amongst the 15 toll plazas that were enabled, all lanes were enabled, except one. And my ICICI FASTag worked flawlessly in ALL those 15 toll plazas, in onward as well as return journey. So that’s great to see, 3 cheers for Nitin Gadkari! Of course, the downside is that there are still a few vehicles who were paying cash in the FASTag lanes, but I guess that’ll take time to settle. The plus side for me was that I could pay tolls without having to open the window or exchange currency, thereby comply with maximal social distancing. Total tolls for the trip about Rs 950 each way. Anyway, about the drive …

Took 15 hours door-to-door in the onward journey, and 19 hours door-to-door in the return journey.

ONWARD JOURNEY:
Left Blore home at 5.15 am. Reached Chitradurga at 8 am. The Tumkur – Chitradurga stretch is fantastic. Was able to comfortably and safely cruise at 120 kmph between Tumkur and Chitradurga. It’s a 6-laned road and in very good shape. Stopped for breaker just after Chitradurga outside a Mysore Cafe (which was open only for tea) for breakfast.

Saw a lovely bypass under active construction just before Chitradurga, which I guess is the Chitradurga bypass and will eventually become part of the same NH48 that I drove on.

Then took a tea break just after Shiggaon just before 11 am (near SRJVG College Ground).

Lots of active 6-laning work and overpasses being built on the 200 kms stretch between Chitradurga and Hubli, hence many diversions; had to maintain slow speeds on this stretch. This would be wonderful to drive when complete. The contractor was PNC Infratech, IIRC. Very active work going on.

Just south of Hubli, I saw the Hubli bypass under active construction (which is perpendicular to NH48 and is part of another highway)

Hubli to Dharwad was only 2-laned road, about 30 kms long. Good condition and scenic with gentle rolling hills, but slow speeds and dangerous to overtake. It is maintained/tolled by Nandi Infra, and this was the sole one that didn’t accept FASTag! (Looks like any project taken up by Nandi Infra is jinxed. Just like the Blore - Mysore expwy which never happened, 2 decades ago!) This was the slowest stretch. I hope they 4/6-lane it sometime.

After Dharwad (towards Mumbai) it is again 6-laned and scenic. Fantastic roads. Beautiful bougenvillas on the divider, clean concrete. Very comparable to California Hwy 99 or something.

I stopped for a tea break at 12.45 pm about 20 kms before Belgaum.

At 2.15 pm, I entered MH near Nippani, IIRC. There was a very nice huge, beautifully concrete floored lay-bye (about 20 acres in size) setup for entry pass examination and query. That was my first experience with inspections. It felt like a US port of entry! I had no issues, was allowed on 2 mins. Thereafter there were checkpoints every few hours, I just had to flash my pass through the window and they let me go.

Highways were very crappy in the MH side of the border. Looks like Gadkari has neglected western Maharashtra, I have no clue why. NH48 between Pune and Satara is 6-laned but totally crappy. You can maintain good speeds, but it's surface quality is verrry bad. It beats me how this was allowed to happen (or allowed Reliance to get away with it; its their work I believe). And most of the incomplete works in this stretch had indications of minimal to 0 work in progress.

Also, in MH especially, I saw all kinds of inconsistent highway number signages, viz. NH48 (new name), NH4 (old name) and AH47, and all of them looked fresh and in good condition. I don't understand why they can't solve this simple problem and disseminate the updates to all stakeholders and keep it consistent.

After Pune, I hit the MPE, which was absolutely fantastic as always.

Reached my parent’s place in Thane at 8.15 pm.

RETURN JOURNEY:
Again packed ample food and water, along with pillows for my mom for sleeping in rear seat. And some Tamil dramas and old Hindi songs on a USB pen drive for my parents. Left Thane home at 5.15 am. I don’t have any logs for the return, as I was busy with my parents. But took things more leisurely, took more breaks, so it took 19 hours on the return, I reached Blore home at midnight.

The border at Nippani was smooth. The KA staff were very helpful, they checked my pass and documents and ID card, and they saw my senior citizen 80+ aged parents, and made it smooth. They stamped “Home Quarantine” on my parents arm, I was excused despite asking them twice. I guess its because I stayed in MH for only 2 days

Needless to say, all of us quarantined ourselves for full 2 weeks after reaching Blore, including my wife and kids who actually didn’t travel (but yet, just to be safe)

Last edited by vharihar : 3rd July 2020 at 15:38.
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Old 3rd July 2020, 22:47   #2703
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Re: Bangalore - Pune - Mumbai : Route updates & Eateries

Where did you apply for MH Entry/Exit Pass ? covid19.mhpolice.in ? I found the Application very confusing. It would be helpful if you could provide the steps you followed
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Old 4th July 2020, 05:38   #2704
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Re: Bangalore - Pune - Mumbai : Route updates & Eateries

Quote:
Originally Posted by vharihar View Post
I self-drove solo in my own car from Blore to Thane (near Mumbai) on June 7th, and brought back my 80+ years old senior citizen parents to Blore on June 10th (they were living alone in Thane, managing social-distancing with great difficulty).
Sir, I am extremely happy to read your post about bringing your parents home to Bangalore from Thane.
I trust you are all doing well.

I live in Navi Mumbai and may have to travel to Hyderabad and Bangalore in Aug or Sept.
I was telling my 75 year old mother this and she asked me to find out from you

1. Being above 65 years, does she too have to do her medical tests prior departure?
2. How did you manage washrooms on the way for elderly folk - are they clean and available along the route
3. Were you able to find decent restaurants / Mc Donalds etc along the way for small breaks.

Glad to read about FasTag enabled toll and I can assume the only place it did not work may have been at Airoli / Mulund Toll plaza.

Your post has given me a lot of good information which will be helpful for me & others like me.
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Old 4th July 2020, 06:49   #2705
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Re: Bangalore - Pune - Mumbai : Route updates & Eateries

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Originally Posted by Ithaca View Post
Sir, I am extremely happy to read your post about bringing your parents home to Bangalore from Thane.
I trust you are all doing well.

I live in Navi Mumbai and may have to travel to Hyderabad and Bangalore in Aug or Sept.
I was telling my 75 year old mother this and she asked me to find out from you

1. Being above 65 years, does she too have to do her medical tests prior departure?
2. How did you manage washrooms on the way for elderly folk - are they clean and available along the route
3. Were you able to find decent restaurants / Mc Donalds etc along the way for small breaks.

Glad to read about FasTag enabled toll and I can assume the only place it did not work may have been at Airoli / Mulund Toll plaza.

Your post has given me a lot of good information which will be helpful for me & others like me.
Yes sir, thanks, we're all doing well. Washrooms at that time were few in number. My dad went on the roadside in the open countryside on a couple of occassions. I went prepared with a bedsheet (forgot to mention this earlier), in case I need to provide cover for my mom; luckily it never came to that. Found 2-3 restrooms open that my mom could use. One was clean, the other wasn't. The toilet tissues help here in laying it over potentially soiled seats.

Absolutely no restaurants open in MH at that time per state orders. In KA they were open but we had quarantine stamp by the time we entered KA, so couldn't visit any restaurants. Pls read thru other forumers posts too. In any case, even if they were open, our plan was to avoid. Else that defeats the purpose of *cocooning and getting by car* and I might as well have brought them by flight.




Quote:
Originally Posted by lifeinpune View Post
Where did you apply for MH Entry/Exit Pass ? covid19.mhpolice.in ? I found the Application very confusing. It would be helpful if you could provide the steps you followed
Yes, that's the exact website.

As I said earlier, the website layout (as to the info they ask for) and the parameters on which they approve, keep changing as the days go by and as the situation/severity in the states change over time. So I don't think I'll be able to advise any better.
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Old 4th July 2020, 20:04   #2706
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Re: Bangalore - Pune - Mumbai : Route updates & Eateries

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Originally Posted by vharihar View Post
Yes sir, thanks, we're all doing well. Washrooms at that time were few in number.
Thank you sir for your reply. I have noted what you have mentioned and will take proper precautions regarding same when I have to travel.
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Old 10th July 2020, 15:32   #2707
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Re: Bangalore - Pune - Mumbai : Route updates & Eateries

Planning to drive to Bangalore tomorrow from Pune. Wanted to check how's the road condition currently. There are no online passes currently as post unlock 2.0 interstate travel has been opened. So heading home for some time.

Did anyone did the route recently. Hows the road condition currently. I am planning to leave at 5 AM in the morning and reach Bangalore by 7 PM.
Any inputs and suggestions are welcome.
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Old 10th July 2020, 15:51   #2708
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Re: Bangalore - Pune - Mumbai : Route updates & Eateries

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dushie View Post

Did anyone did the route recently. Hows the road condition currently..
I did very recently till kolhapur, roads are fantastic no issues. You will breeze past Kolhapur before 9 am it seems. You will have to get down at kini toll naka just before Kolhapur to get formalities done.

Keep your basic docs ready in a file, most police personal will not even ask when they see you pulling something out of a file.
If you dont have an epass they will mostly question you IMO, so do check with your local police station once.

Last edited by silverado : 10th July 2020 at 15:54.
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Old 10th July 2020, 16:09   #2709
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Re: Bangalore - Pune - Mumbai : Route updates & Eateries

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I did very recently till kolhapur, roads are fantastic no issues. You will breeze past Kolhapur before 9 am it seems. You will have to get down at kini toll naka just before Kolhapur to get formalities done.

Keep your basic docs ready in a file, most police personal will not even ask when they see you pulling something out of a file.
If you dont have an epass they will mostly question you IMO, so do check with your local police station once.
I did check post unlock 2.0, there is no Epass or documentation to carry which i am aware of. We all are carrying our Aadhar cards, as identification proof. I am not ware of any other documentation.

Effective 6th July interstate travel is open for all goods and people. I hope they do not trouble and bother now at least. Only 14 day home quarantine is mandatory for people coming into Karnataka from Maharashtra.
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Old 10th July 2020, 16:16   #2710
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Re: Bangalore - Pune - Mumbai : Route updates & Eateries

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Originally Posted by Dushie View Post
Planning to drive to Bangalore tomorrow from Pune. Wanted to check how's the road condition currently. There are no online passes currently as post unlock 2.0 interstate travel has been opened. So heading home for some time.

Did anyone did the route recently. Hows the road condition currently. I am planning to leave at 5 AM in the morning and reach Bangalore by 7 PM.
Any inputs and suggestions are welcome.
Please share your experience wrt Corona restrictions on the route. Thank you
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Old 10th July 2020, 17:34   #2711
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Re: Bangalore - Pune - Mumbai : Route updates & Eateries

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Please share your experience wrt Corona restrictions on the route. Thank you
Sure. The only extra thing i just did now is apply for a travel pass in Seva Sindhu site for Karnataka. I got an acknowledgement RD no and this needs to be shown and verified at Kinni checkpost. I just did it to be on the safer side. Apart from this i will carry the hardcopy of Adhar for all members.
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Old 10th July 2020, 19:36   #2712
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Re: Bangalore - Pune - Mumbai : Route updates & Eateries

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Sure. The only extra thing i just did now is apply for a travel pass in Seva Sindhu site for Karnataka. I got an acknowledgement RD no and this needs to be shown and verified at Kinni checkpost. I just did it to be on the safer side. Apart from this i will carry the hardcopy of Adhar for all members.
Thank you. Just to be sure, you didn't carry any additional document except Aadhaar, DL, vehicle papers while moving from KA to MH ? Where you stopped at the border ?
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Old 10th July 2020, 20:51   #2713
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Re: Bangalore - Pune - Mumbai : Route updates & Eateries

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Thank you. Just to be sure, you didn't carry any additional document except Aadhaar, DL, vehicle papers while moving from KA to MH ? Where you stopped at the border ?
I am travelling tomorrow, so will be able to update on Sunday post i reach home and share what happened.
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Old 10th July 2020, 22:49   #2714
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Joshuakeys, a fellow BHPian had posted on the Chennai-Mumbai-Chennai route queries thread about his recent drive to Chennai from Mumbai. Roads seem good per that Update. I am on the phone now and wasn't able to copy or quote that post here.
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Old 11th July 2020, 11:40   #2715
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Re: Bangalore - Pune - Mumbai : Route updates & Eateries

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Originally Posted by Dushie View Post
I did check post unlock 2.0, there is no Epass or documentation to carry which i am aware of.
Only 14 day home quarantine is mandatory for people coming into Karnataka from Maharashtra.
I did this route couple of days ago, Roads are at best condition.

I was travelling to TN so I had TN pass, like wise I assume that you would need a KA pass, because MH does many checks and I'm sure you would need an Epass, its better have one because you will be entering the Vehicle number at Nippani KA checkpost and it will pop up your details on his screen only if you have the pass.

KA wouldn't take long to approve the Epass.

Not sure about HQ guidelines in KA, it isn't there in TN, though it mentioned 14-days IQ or HQ. check on that before you drive in to KA.

Note:- I would strongly suggest you to get an Epass, I have seen people without pass and are taken for questioning I guess. So better plan it well to avoid any hassles and delays.

Cheers
Josh
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