[pudarsanketh]

Did a quick Bangalore-Mumbai-Bangalore road trip.Entire drive was very good and enjoyed it.
Had an unfortunate experience on my return near Hubli when a small stone came flying from the other side and hit my windshield causing a crack.

For benefit of people planning the journey(this thread helped my planning) i am posting below some timelines as shown in my google maps.

Started from Vijaya Bank layout on 19th Jan at 6.45 AM
Stopped at Apoorva Davangere for breakfast at 10 AM
Stopped at Pai resorts Belgavi at 1.20 PM for lunch
Stopped at Amar only Veg,Satara at 5.10 PM
Reached my destination Renaissance Hotel Powai at 9.20 PM
All the above mentioned places food was great and rest rooms were very well maintained.

Bangalore to Tumkur road surface is just average and too much traffic.
Tumkur to Belgavi is 6 laned excellent road and can engage cruise control for majority of the time.
Lost time between Hubli and Dharwad since a small stretch was being asphalted and traffic was held up.
Belgavi to Kolhapur excellent roads throughout.
Kolhapur to Satara is 4 laned good quality roads but during day time too much traffic considering most of the towns it passes are well populated. Once you get into Maharastra lots of 2 wheeler and tractor traffic occupying half the road.
Satara to Pune road surface is bad compared to rest of the stretch.
Too much trafic in Pune

Next day left Renaissance hotel at 4.15 PM
Stopped at first food court in expressway to fill fuel and drive through takeaway from McDonalds
Was stuck in Pune for almost 30 min due to a stretch being asphalted.
Stopped for dinner at Burger King Kolhapur at 10.40 PM(they are open till 1 AM).
Reached the check-post around 11.30. Was asked for the RT-PCR report but was let off without checking may be because at that time a ambulance joined queue with sirens on.
Reached Hotel Sankam Residency at 12.30 AM and stayed over
Checked out from Sankam at 10 AM and reached home at 5 PM with a stop for lunch at Kamath, Chara (Byadagi)

[explorer09]

Originally Posted by pudarsanketh

Stopped at Amar only Veg,Satara at 5.10 PM
Reached my destination Renaissance Hotel Powai at 9.20 PM

Was this on a Sunday? Satara to Powai in 4hrs is fast even for a Sunday evening though.

Last time I did this stretch during evening hours, just the Pune stretch took me a couple of hours.

[pudarsanketh]

It was on a Wednesday- Jan 19. All through my journey never crossed 120 kmph.

[bong_voyager]

Hi All, Can anyone suggest some hotel option in the Hinjewadi area outside of the big chain ones. Since I will reach pune ~10pm and will continue towards Ahmedabad ~6am next day, don't want to spend a fortune on the branded ones. Only requirement is that hotel should be okay for family and have a safe car parking.

[manjubp]

You can try Hotel Ginger just adjacent to national highway. Around 2.5K per night if you book on their website. Decent hotel.

https://goo.gl/maps/r6Hy9cDJzWYodNT68

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by bong_voyager

Hi All, Can anyone suggest some hotel option in the Hinjewadi area outside of the big chain ones.

Sadanand Regency. Ginger suggested by Manju is a good option as well. Both are on the highway

[alokn87]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

[list]

[*]Most Industries are closed on Sundays; Kolhapur, Islampur, Karad, Shirwal have a lot of industrial labor crowd who will be on bikes with their family on rides to some place around and will occupy the highway, big time

A small correction Sir, All industries in kolhapur district are closed(staff and labour) on Monday.Islampur,karad MIDC(sangli district) is closed on tuesday and shirwal MIDC is probably closed on thursday.So on sunday it might just be random people from nearby villages who might be visiting their relatives/friends.
Peak MIDC traffic on any working day is between 8am to 9am and between 5pm to 7pm in the evenings on the highways especially from Islampur till kagal.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by alokn87

So on sunday it might just be random people from nearby villages who might be visiting their relatives/friends.

But the traffic of 2 wheelers on a Sunday is spread throughout the day than specific timings. On regular days this there is always a pattern.

Another thing I have observed is that most 2 wheelers would ride into Karnataka side for refueling on a Sunday due to cheaper fuel rates.

All said and done, when one is driving on Maharashtra roads, you can expect 2 wheeler traffic even on a peak summer afternoon or an extremely wet monsoon weekend. On a Sunday, even when it was rainy and all gloomy, along with the fact that Punekars generally do not compromise on their 2-4pm siesta, I have witnessed zero change in 2 wheeler traffic when crossing from Nashik Phata towards Westerly bypass for Kolhapur.

[alokn87]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Another thing I have observed is that most 2 wheelers would ride into Karnataka side for refueling on a Sunday due to cheaper fuel rates.

All said and done, when one is driving on Maharashtra roads, you can expect 2 wheeler traffic even on a peak summer afternoon or an extremely wet monsoon weekend.

For people like me living in border areas we get best of both the worlds. Petrol is 9 rupees cheaper in Karnataka.

The only time to avoid traffic in this stretch all year long is between 9pm to 7am. Period

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by bong_voyager

Hi All, Can anyone suggest some hotel option in the Hinjewadi area outside of the big chain ones.

Consider VITS Orchid, Balewadi chowk. Ginger is a few kms ahead but on the right hand, of a very chaotic junction. There's also Sayaji, Wakad but again on the opposite side.

[alokn87]

Hi, I will be travelling to Bengaluru tomorrow from Kolhapur, Maharashtra.Is the Goreguntepalya flyover finally open for traffic? It is showing as open on google maps now but choked with traffic.
I hate taking the NICE road to reach Jayanagar especially since the NICE road too is under repair (concretisation)

[narayans80]

The long overdue waiver of RT-PCR requirement for MH->KA is here. The double vaccination requirement is there, which many of us already have.

[Pam81]

Planning to drive to Pune from Coimbatore this Saturday. Here's what I thought of in general, might change a bit considering kids..

4am start
8.30am breakfast at Hosur
2pm lunch at Davangere
7pm stop over for night at Belgaum and drive the rest next morning

Have twin dose vaccination certificates although don't expect any stopping with current situations.

Any other delays I should anticipate?
NICE road from Electronic City to join just before Neelamangala, - any issues there?

[ShreyG]

Originally Posted by Pam81

Any other delays I should anticipate?
NICE road from Electronic City to join just before Neelamangala, - any issues there?

NICE road between Kanakpura Road exit and Nelamangala exit has white topping construction in progress. Traffic is being diverted to one side of the road. Timing would be key here. Since you will hit it around 9:30-10am, it should be ok. However, please do not take the city route. Goraguntepalya flyover is closed for repairs so, it is total chaos on that route.

[condor]

Looks like the elevated road between Yeshwantpur towards Tumkur is a goner, and has to be reconstructed. This is as per a news item being circulated on SM that the CM has said so. There is a request to NHAI to at least allow lighter vehicles.

If reconstruction is the way, then it's going to a maddening & frustrating situation.