[goandude]

Did Mumbai Bangy on 30 Aug.
It was raining throughout and my wipers had a long workout. The scenery is fantastic with greenery everywhere, BUT, my biggest surprise, besides the unmarked speedbreakers, was the completed rail overbridges near haveri and rannebenur. The Devangere bypass is also completed.
there is a downside too. The south bound traffic have to take a diversion into Harihar for about 3 kms to join back the NH4. Probably 4 laning work around the Bridge over Tungabadhra river.
Left colaba at 0630 and really enjoyed the drive till I got off the elevated road at Yeshwantpur at 2200 h where I was met with a massive traffic jam. reached Home at Big Bazar OMR at 2300. Total break time of about 1 hour.
The toll booths on expressway and in MH took a lot of time.

To summarise, the MH part of the trip has a lot of traffic, some potholes have appeared and tolls are a pain, the KA part has less traffic and better roads.

Going back to mumbai on Sunday, anyone else going then?

[binand]

Have to bring a car to Bangalore from Mumbai. Was planning on doing this during the weekend of 24/25 September, but now a conference in Pune has come up on 10/9. So I am thinking of doing Mum-Pune on early hours of 10th (arriving at around 8AM in time for the conf) and then Pune-Mumbai on 11th Sunday.

This is what Google Maps told me to do within Pune to reach the conference venue (Aurora Towers):

Google Maps
203049353637028716113.0004abee130f4bc9e2b5a

Can someone from Pune confirm this is fine? Remember I will be entering Pune around 8-8:30AM and leaving around 5AM (hope that is sufficient to reach Bangalore by 5PM). I am driving an I10 Sportz Manual so average speed I doubt will be any better than 65-70kmph.

[suniladhiya]

@binand: Are you sure you have given the right link on google maps mate? When I click on it, it shows me the map of Mexico !!!!

Anyway, I am from Pune and glad to help:

At Katraj, take the left exit onto the new Katraj Bypass - the one with the twin tunnels. Follow this until you come to a huge flyover at a place called Vadgaon. Go under this flyover and take a right turn. Now you are headed towards the intersection of the Katraj bypass with the old Pune-Satara Road. At the junction take a left towards Pune. Continue straight till you reach Swargate Bus Depot Junction. Here take a right and get on to Shankarsheth Road. Take the flyover on Shankarsheth Road and go straight till you come to a signal at a four-road cross. Take a left any you have entered M.G.Road. Keep going straight for about 3 kms. Hotel Aurora Towers is almost at the end of M.G.Road. Just at the corner of the hotel, take a left into the small lane and there you will see the underground parking for the hotel on your right.

Wishing you a safe and happy journey.

[suniladhiya]

@binand: I doubt if you can make it to Bangalore in 12 hours with that kind of average speed. The distance from Pune is approx 850 kms, so that comes to about 13 hour drive time plus halts. Give yourself 14 hours. My son-in-law drove to BLR recently in his ZEN and he took around 15 hours (of course he lost 1 hour due to searching for Hotel Sankam in Belgaum)

[binand]

Originally Posted by suniladhiya

@binand: Are you sure you have given the right link on google maps mate? When I click on it, it shows me the map of Mexico !!!!

The forum software broke my link. Here's one that will work:

Pune Conference - Google Maps

Also, please remember that I'm coming to Pune from Mumbai, and exiting to Bangalore.

[suniladhiya]

@binand: Sorry, I misunderstood - thought you were coming to Pune from Bangalore side.

Yes, the link is working now and seems to give the correct directions. If it helps, here are some detailed instructions:

- As shown in the map, you will exit Mumbai-Pune Expressway at the fag end, take a left towards Dehu Road exit and join Katraj-Dehu Road Bypass on Dehu Road end.
- The bypass will meet old NH4 at a T-Junction, where you take a right on old NH4 going towards Pune
- Now keep going straigt passing Dehu Road, Akurdi, Chincwad, Pimpri, Nashik Phata (where big flyover work is in progress), Harris Bridge (there are two parallel bridges for road and rail) - Khadki Railway Station - Shivajinagar (you will pass Shoppers Stop on your left) - Engineering College Junction. This stretch will be approx 20-25 kms.
- At Engineering College Junction take a left and you will shortly be on Sangam Bridge where there are 3 parallel bridges - two for road and one for rail
- At the end of the bridge there is a signal - go straight past Hotel Le Meridien on the left and back side of Pune Railway station on your right. At the next signal you will see Jehangir Hospital gate diagonally opposite to your right. At this signal, turn right and you will cross a small railway overbridge - keep straigt at the next 3 junctions until you again come to a T-Junction. At this T-Junction take a left and you are on Moledina Road. After the next signal you will see the huge SGS Mall on your left and just at the signal after that is Hotel Aurora Towers on your right at the corner of M.G.Road and Moledina Road. So you will need to go further up 100 mts. and take a right turn on to East Stree which is parallel to M.G.Road. After getting on East Street, take the first right turn and you come to the M.G.Road running perpendicular to this lane. Cross M.G.Road, get into the lane opposite and you will see the Hotel Aurora Towers Parking to your right.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need detailed directions for exiting onto BLR highway as well for the next morning.

[binand]

Originally Posted by suniladhiya

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need detailed directions for exiting onto BLR highway as well for the next morning.

It is incredibly helpful. Couple of questions, though.

1. I intend to follow your "in" directions in an earlier post on my way out of Pune towards Bangalore. I was looking at those directions in Google Maps, and it appears to me that taking the right exit at Katraj and following old NH4 into Pune city is shorter - why did you suggest coming via the bypass till Vadgaon and then a right turn to hit old NH4? Is it that in the former, the roads are not good/not dual carriage way/slower etc.?

2. Your directions say that I should go behind Pune Jn. railway station upto Jehangir Hospital and then take a right turn (on my way in). Google's directions tell me to turn right immediately after the Sangam bridge, to cross the railway tracks via an underpass before Pune Jn. station, pass by Ambedkar Bhavan and on to Modelina Road. This appears shorter to me, and the difference seems to me is a jam/waterlogging-prone underpass vs a decent flyover. Since I expect to start from Mumbai at around 4-4:30 AM (and hope to reach this point by 7:30-8 AM), do you reckon I should try the shorter route here?

[binand]

Originally Posted by suniladhiya

My son-in-law drove to BLR recently in his ZEN and he took around 15 hours (of course he lost 1 hour due to searching for Hotel Sankam in Belgaum)

You are right. It took me 12 hours the last time, in a considerably faster car (a Civic). I reckon 15 hours is closer to the mark.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post2355701

[suniladhiya]

@binand: 1: The reason for suggesting that you come on the bypass till Vadgaon and then take a right turn to hit old NH4 is that you completely avoid the ghat section. The old route via the old Katraj tunnel is basically a two-lane road, with lot of S.T.Bus and truck traffic, twisty ghat section, and the road surface in the tunnel in the rains is generally pathetic what with the water seepage from the tunnel roof. On the new bypass through the new tunnel then over the brilliant viaduct and onto Vadgaon is a fantastic drive believe me - you wont regret the few extra kms.

2. Yes, you could take a right turn immediately after Sangam Bridge also as suggested by google maps. However, here again, the road surface at the railway underpass is often potholed, and there would be lots of truck and bus traffic proceeding towards Moldeina Road. Should not make much difference however early in the morning and you could take this route also. I gave the directions via Jehangir Hospital only because I thought it would be simpler to follow for a person new to the city.

3. For exiting to BLR, yes you can follow my directions from the earlier post with the following modifications: Since M.G.Road is a one-way street going towards Hotel Aurora Towers, you will have to get on to East Street by crossing M.G.Road through the small lane just opposite Aurora Towers, take a right on East Street, continue till the end of East Street and follow the traffic taking a gradual left turn. Then take a right into the lane adjacent to the Mahatma Gandhi bus stand and proceed till you hit the Shankarsheth Road junction. Take right here, proceed straight across the next signal and over the Shankarsheth Road flyover till you come to the Swargate Junction. Take a left here and you are now on old NH4 towards Satara. Preferably, get on to the Katraj bypass road which will be to your right around 10 kms from Swargate and then at the Vadgaon flyover take a left towards the new twin Katraj tunnels. When you exit from the tunnel you are speeding towards BLR.

Please feel free to ask for any more information. Welcome to Pune and have a safe trip.

[suniladhiya]

I am planning to visit Bangalore around Diwali. We are looking for a clean, reasonably priced Serviced Apartment providing kitchen facility, in and around HSR Layout/ Koramangala areas. I hit upon one called D-Habitat (through google search) which is at Koramangala. This looks to be fabulous from the pictures and videos available on their website, but it seems to be a bit pricey @ Rs.3500/- per day. Anything closer to HSR layout (24th Main) would be preferred.

Can any of the several Bangaloreans on this forum help to find one ?

[lavish_n]

Originally Posted by suniladhiya

I am planning to visit Bangalore around Diwali. We are looking for a clean, reasonably priced Serviced Apartment providing kitchen facility, in and around HSR Layout/ Koramangala areas. I hit upon one called D-Habitat (through google search) which is at Koramangala. This looks to be fabulous from the pictures and videos available on their website, but it seems to be a bit pricey @ Rs.3500/- per day. Anything closer to HSR layout (24th Main) would be preferred.

Can any of the several Bangaloreans on this forum help to find one ?

The prices in Koramangala will be on the higher side if compared with HSR Layout. If you're looking for budget/economic serviced aprts, do check out
The Essence Suites or Blue Moon Log Inn
They are both in HSR Layout near the BDA Complex.
Fellow TBHPians from/near HSR Layout, please comment if you know of any more ones.

[suniladhiya]

@lavish_n: Thanks a lot lavish_n. I have just checked out the Essence website and they seem to be pretty good and well within the budget of Rs.1500/- per day. Any more suggestions from other Bangaloreans welcome. Once again, I must genuinely appreciate the quality of the response on this forum.

[binand]

@suniladhiya - I would like to caution you though. I currently spend every other week in Mumbai in (many) serviced apartments - all run by the same company with which my employer has a tie-up (details via PM or email if needed). Every apartment has its own problems - either the A/c doesn't work, or the bed has bugs, or the toilet is filthy etc. Right now I am in an apartment where out of about 5 plug points, only one work - the one that hooks the TV up. I will have to disconnect the TV in the night to charge my mobile. It is always advisable to ask for testimonials (people to whom you can speak) before committing.

This could be a Mumbai-specific problem though - where hotel rooms are really costly and unaffordable for small SMEs.

[Rajesh1968]

Hi,

As I understand that you are from Pune , can you help me in reaching the address - E 601, Supreme Palms Apt, Baner, Balewadi Link Road, Baner 411045.

I would be driving from Bangalore.

I am told that Pune traffic is as Chaotic as bangalore, if not more.

Hope you can help.

Regards,

Rajesh

[suniladhiya]

@rajesh: Since you will be coming from Bangalore, when you reach the base of the Katraj Ghat just before Pune (at Shindewadi) take a natural left onto the new Katraj Bypass. This will take you through one of the twin tunnels (Do not turn right under the flyover at this point as this will take you up onto the old Katraj Ghat). Shortly after this tunnel, you will cross a lovely viaduct and speed along till you see another huge flyover at a place called Vadgaon. Take a left here along the side of the flyover and keep going straight towards the Mumbai side. You will shortly cross a longish road over-bridge, then one more short bridge. After a few meters you will go straight ahead over the Warje flyover. A few kms after the Warje flyover, you will pass under a road over bridge at Chandni Chowk. Keep going straight along the highway until you see a small overbridge straddling the highway. Immediately after this small overbridge, you will see an exit to a service lane on your left. Get onto this service lane and take a right turn at the underpass under the highway. Now you are on the other side of the higway, the side from where you can get access to the Balewadi-Baner Link Road. Ask for Hotel Sadanand, this is a prominent landmark at the point where the Balewadi-Baner Link Road meets the Pune-Bangalore Highway going towards the Bangalore side. Follow the Baner Link road from Hotel Sadanand and as per google maps your destination i.e. Supreme Palms appears on the left side of the road. From the map, it seems to be set back from the Baner Link Road, so you will need to ask around for the exact entry point.

As regards Pune traffic, yes it is chaotic, but apparently not as bad as Bangalore (at least thats what my daughter tells me - she shifted to BLR recently). In any case, for your destination, I can assure you its a smooth drive all the way, since you dont enter the main city at all, right upto Supreme Palms.

Do let me know in case you need any more details, always glad to help. Have a safe trip