[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by jaaz

Planning to do a Road Trip - Bangalore to Mumbai in a SRV. If at all it works out - then may start around 4 am from Bangalore.

Is there anyone planning tomorrow? I heard the rains have stopped now.

No rains between Belgaum and Pune - as of yesterday. Road is OK. Heard the same thing about roads between Tumkur and Haveri. Was told that last week's rain washed a car off the road near Belgaum last week - so take care. You have an SRV - so enjoy the drive (the car is yours and you can enjoy it any time you want!)

[jaaz]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

No rains between Belgaum and Pune - as of yesterday. Road is OK. Heard the same thing about roads between Tumkur and Haveri. Was told that last week's rain washed a car off the road near Belgaum last week - so take care. You have an SRV - so enjoy the drive (the car is yours and you can enjoy it any time you want!)

Thanks for the information. It'll be finalised tonight.

If any of our members are joining, they can reach me on 990099 6099

[jaaz]

Originally Posted by jaaz

Planning to do a Road Trip - Bangalore to Mumbai in a SRV. If at all it works out - then may start around 4 am from Bangalore.

Is there anyone planning tomorrow? I heard the rains have stopped now.

Yes!! Leaving for Mumbai. It's finalised. But I may be behind schedule. I'll try to leave as early as possible.

[JMaruru]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Topped fuel at Shell just after the first toll from Pune at 1-30Pm...

Rains had stopped and I continued driving and reached Bangalore at 1-30Pm and since this was my first all alone drive, I hadnt informed anyone at home just to give them a surprise but apart from the scoldings from my Parents, I bore the brunt of my wife's wrath for attempting such a risk on a flooded weekend.

I think you meant 1.30AM. Correct me if am wrong.

[prince_pervez]

Listening to all this rain affected travel I'm glad I cancelled the Pune trip last to last week. If I had an SUV I wouldn't have had second thought on making the trip.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by JMaruru

I think you meant 1.30AM. Correct me if am wrong.

Nope, It was indeed 1-30PM when I left from Pune.

By the way, I am just home now In Pune after doing Bangalore-Pune again!

Latest Updates:

Best remain the best and Good stretches remain good except for a few potholes closed inappropriately, especially between Kolhapur and Satara.

Coming to the infamous Chitradurga - Haveri stretch, It is still the same but I felt it to be better as compared to my Bangalore trip on October 2nd may be due to the fact that It was day and I passed this under natural light. Also, right after the Toll exit at Tumkur, a bridge is Open (Not sure if I am mentioning this too late)

But, those huge potholes where diversions exist have been repaired good enough even for my WagonR to pass over them with ease. They were horrible last week when I drove down and even trucks getting stuck in them.

Update for those planning this on any Sunday: Ranibennur has a weekly market on a Sunday and I spent more than 45 minutes to traverse through the town around 11-30am. There were Jams on both the sides with beeline of trucks and a few private cars. Fellow Bhpians travelling down to Bangalore during this time may know what sort of Jam I am referring to. It was pathetic.

And there was another huge Jam right before the entry to Haveri at the Second Railway crossing which wasted another 30 minutes.

Few things (Did you know?):

-As I was driving all alone, I offered the Toll Administrator a drop (Upon request) from Hubli Bypass to Dharwad Exit. Learnt from him that the Average Daily collection at One toll is 7 lakhs INR.

-I also offered another drop to one more Toll Administrator (again on request) before Nippani and learnt that the Average collection at this booth was 4.6-4.8 lakhs INR and 90% of the employees are from Defence background and he too was a Subedar.

First time ever, I was stopped by cops at the Maharastra Entry (before Kolhapur) probably due to elections. I showed all the documents and he let me go but I heard him tell other cops to ensure that a white KA registered Ambassador (Govt Vehicle) is not allowed unless the driver showed up all the docs.

Then on, all the way till Pune it was traffic and more traffic with overtaking from left , right and everywhere but stressing more on the right side. Toll booths became time consuming due to increase in No of private vehicles from here on.

In all, I am sure the road aint that bad as it should've even after those rains. Overall, It is doable even with those bad stretches.

[JMaruru]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Nope, It was indeed 1-30PM when I left from Pune.

You had put across your reaching time for b'lore, as 1.30PM. If indeed, it is 1.30PM, then it would be a 24 hour trip!!

[prince_pervez]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Ranibennur has a weekly market on a Sunday and I spent more than 45 minutes to traverse through the town around 11-30am.
And there was another huge Jam right before the entry to Haveri at the Second Railway crossing which wasted another 30 minutes.

Thats strange. Ranibennur is a small villiage, I never took more than 15 minutes to cross it. Probably it was in the afternoons that I crossed.

Average Daily collection at One toll is 7 lakhs INR.

Average collection at this booth was 4.6-4.8 lakhs INR

Ohh come on! We deserve better roads for that much of a collection. I don't even want to calculate the monthy & yearly figures for every toll booth on NH4 and depress myself.

First time ever, I was stopped by cops at the Maharastra Entry (before Kolhapur) probably due to elections.

Yes, all the whos who have recently visited Kolhapur, right from Ma'am to Raj Thackery.
@paragsachania Thanks for all the valuable contribution you have made on this thread. It certainly takes some of the pressure off the 850 kms drive.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by JMaruru

You had put across your reaching time for b'lore, as 1.30PM. If indeed, it is 1.30PM, then it would be a 24 hour trip!!

Ah Yes!
My bad and the reaching time to Bangalore should actually be 1-30am.

Originally Posted by prince_pervez

Thats strange. Ranibennur is a small villiage, I never took more than 15 minutes to cross it. Probably it was in the afternoons that I crossed.

Exactly, and this was the first time that I too was stuck in this massive Jam and kept wondering untill I moved further and checked that hundreds of tractors trying to make an entry into the market and making a train on the opposite direction, resulting in a 3 lane traffic inside the town. My usual time to cross this town is around 10am and only this time it was 11am

Ohh come on! We deserve better roads for that much of a collection. I don't even want to calculate the monthy & yearly figures for every toll booth on NH4 and depress myself.

, But I wouldn't mind paying for for Hulbli-Belgaum-Kagal section for the quality of roads. Rest make me furious sometimes for the bumpy rides, bad banking and potholed bridges!

@paragsachania Thanks for all the valuable contribution you have made on this thread. It certainly takes some of the pressure off the 850 kms drive.

Thanks prince_pervez, What only started as a first ambitious drive to Pune from Blr 2 years back has now become an almost twice/thrice a year phenomenon and what better than include the latest details on this thread which will help many!
Now, doing this 850kms in a stretch is an "eveready" affair except for that Haveri-Chitradurga section and I wish this gets ready sooner.

[netarchie]

Did Mumbai-B'lore strech yesterday.
started 4:30 A.M from Navi Mumbai and reached b'lore at 9:30 P.M.
My stoppage time was very less, Less than one hour.

Faced heavy traffic in pune expressway and after satara. Haveri to Chitrudurga is very bad.
Rest of the roads are fine.


NH4 after Tumkure and B'lore has some horrible speedbreaks, I am really worried if the car is going to surivive those breakers.

[jaaz]

!! I'm back from Mumbai. Started on 11-10-2009 from Bangalore, 12-10-2009 in Mumbai, and 13-10-2009, back in Bangalore.

I'll post a detailed thread on my experience later.

Even I faced Traffic Jam in Rannebennur Town, so cleared about 2-3 kms. in 20 mins. There is no bypass in this Town and it is still under construction.

Took about 16 hours including Breakfast, Lunch and Tea breaks and Prayer breaks. So, actual driving hours are about 12 hours.

But while returning back, took about 18 hours owing to Traffic from Tumkur onwards. It took 2hrs. 45 mins. from Tumkur to Bangalore in between 9.45 pm and 12.30 am.

[viveklk]

Guys,
Did Bangalore <--> Belgaum again for Diwali. Left Bangalore on 16th Oct at 4:30am, absolutely no traffic throughout. Reached Belgaum at 12:45pm. Left Belgaum on 19th Oct.

One noticeable thing that might help is Kamat Restaurant in Tumkur. There's new Kamat on the left side of the road when you are headed towards Mumbai. Otherwise you couldn't go to Kamat on the other side of the road.

The roads between Davangere & Ranibennur are really screwed up, need to drive very carefully, there are deep potholes. Especially, where at the boundary of good road & bad patch there are feet deep potholes.

Here are two of the pics that I could take while driving.
Happy Diwali!

Cheers,
Vivek

[netarchie]

Just back from the b'lore yesterday,
Started b'lor at 6:00 A.M and reached Navi Mumbai at 9 P.M. Included one hour of break.
B'lore city till tumkur traffice was high. Chitradurgar to Haveri is worst, lot of time is wasted there.
After that its a dream run till navi mumbai but faced heavy traffic entering satara till pune expressway.

[litesaber]

I am planning to leave at 6am from Blr to Dharwad on Friday. Is it better to take the Yelahanka - Dodabelapur - Dobbspet route at this time? Or stick to the Tumkur route? Whats the latest time you guys suggest the NH4 - Tumkur route should be taken?

Thanks

[prince_pervez]

Originally Posted by viveklk

The roads between Davangere & Ranibennur are really screwed up, need to drive very carefully, there are deep potholes. Especially, where at the boundary of good road & bad patch there are feet deep potholes.

Are those pics somewhere near Davanagere ?