[issigonis]

>>>
Did 1027.8 kms yesterday from Whitefield to Bombay in about 15 hours. Start time 05.47.
1. Encountered lorry/ BPO Sumo traffic on my way out of Bangalore
2. Heavy heavy lorry traffic till Chitradurga- relaxed driving keeping a max of 80-90
3. Haveri to Konduskar's ahead of Kolhapur was the best stretch
4. Narrower/ two laners from Kolhapur to Poona - the usual two-three wheeler traffic on the left lane, lorries on the right but thankfully no major traffic snarls
5. Irritating - Office/BPO Sumos & Taveras honking and trying to muscle you out by nosing in without a by your leave, but then we are renowned for our civic sense the world over
6. Usual traffic on the expressway with some irresponsible T 20 type driving by some small cars - weaving in and out, honking etc
7. Heavy traffic build up after Kalamboli with long snarl up on the Thane creek bridge and beyond



Inserted a pic of the instrument cluster, taken at Kamat Upchar , Sira in a BPCL pump about 130 odd kms after Bangalore. The range is 860! After driving 130.
Regards

[nileshch]

Originally Posted by issigonis

>>>
Did 1027.8 kms yesterday from Whitefield to Bombay in about 15 hours. Start time 05.47.
1. Encountered lorry/ BPO Sumo traffic on my way out of Bangalore
2. Heavy heavy lorry traffic till Chitradurga- relaxed driving keeping a max of 80-90
3. Haveri to Konduskar's ahead of Kolhapur was the best stretch
4. Narrower/ two laners from Kolhapur to Poona - the usual two-three wheeler traffic on the left lane, lorries on the right but thankfully no major traffic snarls
5. Irritating - Office/BPO Sumos & Taveras honking and trying to muscle you out by nosing in without a by your leave, but then we are renowned for our civic sense the world over

How was the traffic near the Khedshivapur plaza? Among all the toll plazas on way to Mumbai, I fear this one the most! For some reason, the devil gets turned on and everyone from heavy trailer trucks to ST buses to puny cars fight for road space on this stretch to death.

[goandude]

Originally Posted by issigonis

Sorry the range was 860.
Regards.

Could you add approx timings too. Where did you refuel after Sira? And the tolls in MH took a toll of your time?

Originally Posted by nileshch

How was the traffic near the Khedshivapur plaza? Among all the toll plazas on way to Mumbai, I fear this one the most! For some reason, the devil gets turned on and everyone from heavy trailer trucks to ST buses to puny cars fight for road space on this stretch to death.

I fully agree with you here. I stick to the Left most lane which is for exempted vehicles. it is slightly faster than the rest.

[issigonis]

Originally Posted by goandude

Could you add approx timings too. Where did you refuel after Sira? And the tolls in MH took a toll of your time?


I fully agree with you here. I stick to the Left most lane which is for exempted vehicles. it is slightly faster than the rest.

>>>

goandude,

I had completely filled the tank in Bangalore on 29th afternoon at BPCL opp. Manipal Hospital on the old Airport Road ( the only road that I felt comfortable there, especially where it is heavy wooded, I don't know why?).

On my way out of Bangalore, I filled up again to ensure that I was on a full tank - this was about 3 litres for full - on a BPCL pump in HRBR Layout in Kalyannagar. The attendants were shocked to see so little go in. So I was on a full tank starting from Bangalore.

My range must have been about 750-770 odd kms then, thanks to driving in heavy traffic in Bangalore. Once on the open road the range increased and that is what you see in the pic taken at Kamat Upchar. By the way this Upchar wasn't particularly clean (flies buzzing, unclean toilets, in short a typical, normal place).

After that my only refuel was at Konduskar's. That's all.

This is the way I normally refuel - try to find beforehand the best BPCL ( COCOs preferred) and refuel fully in the larger cities. On my long inter city runs, as for instance the Bombay - Delhi run, I had the tank full in Bombay. Then I stopped at BPCL Bharuch for a tankfull as a pre-caution, for I could have reached Udaipur without doing so . Then I had a tank full in BPCL Mor & Sons Udaipur. Another tank full in Delhi. And so on to Uttarakhand and back.

I am not particularly worried about chaos in the tolls because I can do very little about it except to grin and bear it. After all we are living in India and we all know how disciplined we are. So if there is chaos so be it. I guess I spent about 5-7 minutes on average at each toll plaza. Some were crowded ( I frankly do not remember) with assorted vehicles seven to ten deep. The worst was at the Thane creek- when I lined up I must have been # 30 in the queue.

Re. Khedshivapur, I think I was # 7 or 8 in the queue. I was offered toffees right from Bangalore and when I declined they came up with the necessary change. At some places I also provided change to break the monotony and relieve my wallet of the weight.

If I drive on the route to Bangalore again I will make it a point to stop at the Sai after Kolhapur coming from Bangalore on the rhs instead of McDonald's off Kolhapur. I have always found the latter crowded and noisy (loud music guaranteeing deafness I suppose) and not scrupulously clean. This Sai is about 38 kms before Konduskar's coming from Bombay.

On my return trip I drove more carefully and cautiously but was able to maintain reasonable speeds by not trying anything risky and by going with the flow of traffic and road conditions. I saw an Audi A4 2.0 TDI try to race me and then it took the shoulder and beyond since it wanted to impatiently pass three (yes three) large lorries abreast somewhere between Chitradurga and Haveri.

Hope this helps.
Regards

[ampere]

Originally Posted by issigonis

Hope this helps.
Regards

@issigonis,

By what time time did you reach Hubli? The reason I ask is to know,
if one starts by about 6AM and sedate speeds and heavy truck traffic till Chitradurga, how fast can one make it to Hubli?


I assume you started at 6AM (5:47AM) from Whitefiled.
If yes, you would have reached NICE road exit on NH4 by about 6:30 to 6:45..

[issigonis]

Originally Posted by ampere

@issigonis,

By what time time did you reach Hubli? The reason I ask is to know,
if one starts by about 6AM and sedate speeds and heavy truck traffic till Chitradurga, how fast can one make it to Hubli?


I assume you started at 6AM (5:47AM) from Whitefiled.
If yes, you would have reached NICE road exit on NH4 by about 6:30 to 6:45..

>>>

ampere,

I don't remember exactly as to when I passed Hubli; I do remember that I passed the huge building being constructed on a hillock on the rhs just before Belgaum coming from Bangalore somewhere around 1.15 pm, by which time Hubli had been consumed and digested. The toll plaza somewhere between Belgaum and Dharwad ( it only mentions for KM 433 to 515 on NH-4 and does not mention the name of the plaza) for Rs 65/- was clocked at 13.05:31. Going by my memory I must have passed Hubli by then.

Sorry can't be more specific although I wish I could.

Regards

[INNOWAGON_CL]

Originally Posted by issigonis

>>>

goandude,


I am not particularly worried about chaos in the tolls because I can do very little about it except to grin and bear it. After all we are living in India and we all know how disciplined we are. So if there is chaos so be it. I guess I spent about 5-7 minutes on average at each toll plaza. Some were crowded ( I frankly do not remember) with assorted vehicles seven to ten deep. The worst was at the Thane creek- when I lined up I must have been # 30 in the queue.

Re. Khedshivapur, I think I was # 7 or 8 in the queue. I was offered toffees right from Bangalore and when I declined they came up with the necessary change. At some places I also provided change to break the monotony and relieve my wallet of the weight.

Regards

Coming to tolls the secret is take the extreme left lane. The traffic is usually less.

As regards toffees, I carry with me at least 20 FIVE STAR chocolate bars and at least 50 Cadbury Eclairs chocolates with me and keep with me in the box. (adjacent to driver's seat in the Innova)

When the toll guy offers toffees as change, I ask him to round off to the nearest rupee.

For example, if the toll guy has to give back Rs. 5/- as change, I ask him to give me Rs. 10/- and I give him a Fivestar bar. Or if I have to give him Rs. 3/- as change, I give him three eclairs chocolate.

The rule is that when they offer toffees instead of change. I offer them toffees instead.

Nevertheless, I also keep coins and change before such long trips as a standby.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by ampere

@issigonis,

By what time time did you reach Hubli? The reason I ask is to know,
if one starts by about 6AM and sedate speeds and heavy truck traffic till Chitradurga, how fast can one make it to Hubli?


I assume you started at 6AM (5:47AM) from Whitefiled.
If yes, you would have reached NICE road exit on NH4 by about 6:30 to 6:45..

Ampere, the best time to leave as I always say should be such that you hit the Nelemangala Expressway toll at 4-30pm.

It would usually take about 5 Hours to Hubli with speeds not exceeding 110-120kmph and be able to maintain good average and with breaks.

For instance, below are the logs captured from my GPS during my drive to Gujarat in October 2011 and more or less the timings would remain the same for most of us who have been driving .

4:25 Jalahalli Cross
4:39 Nelemangala Toll
5:01 Tumkur
5:38 Sira
6:05 Hiriyur
6:36 Chitradurga
7:10 Davanagere
7:37 Ranebennur
7:58 Haveri
8:10 Bankapura
8:20 Shiggaon
1 Hour Breakfast Break
9:51 Hubli Circle
10 Minutes Refuel near Dharwad High Court
11:09 Belgaum
11:57 Nippani
12:33 Kolhapur
15 Minutes Bio Break at Mc Donalds Kolhapur
1:59 Satara
3:35 Pune Home
1 Hour Lunch Break
4:43 Expressway Start
10 Minutes Refuel
5:50 Expressway End

[INNOWAGON_CL]

Originally Posted by ampere

@issigonis,

By what time time did you reach Hubli? The reason I ask is to know,
if one starts by about 6AM and sedate speeds and heavy truck traffic till Chitradurga, how fast can one make it to Hubli?


I assume you started at 6AM (5:47AM) from Whitefiled.
If yes, you would have reached NICE road exit on NH4 by about 6:30 to 6:45..

The last time I left Bangalore, the timings were as under:

5.58am: Left Shantinagar, Benguluru. (Took Mysore Road /NICE ROAD EXIT, instead of Neelmangala toll route)

7.15am: HP Fuel/ Kamat Upchar- Yedenhalli Village, Neelmangala- (67km in 1 hr 17mins)
(40min halt)- Left at 7.55am

11.16am: Hotel Garuda- For Bio break-Cold drink (312km travelled in 4hrs-non-stop driving)
After 15mins left at 11.31am

(HUBLI around this time)- Between 11.15 to 11.45 can be estimated.

12.45pm: Halt for diesel at BP COCO Kottur- 6 mins break (75km travelled 1hr 15mins)

1.44pm: Halt at Sankam Regency Belgaum for lunch- (60km travelled in 53mins)- 45 mins break.

3.45pm- Crossed Kolhapur

6.42pm- Halt at Kamat Upchar/HP at IKvi, Tal. Bhor, near Narayangaon (286 km travelled in 4hrs 12 mins-non-stop driving).- 25Mins break

7.34pm- Khedshivapur toll (took only 1 min as I took a detour onto the kutcha road parallel to the highway for 200Metres to rejoin the highway near the extreme left lane to beat the waiting traffic on the highway)

8.36pm- HP COCO - Diesel fuel filled - on Pune to Mumbai Expressway- (After Talegoan Toll booth)- Coffee at Cafe Coffee day- 20 mins halt.- Left at 8.56pm

10.02- Exit Expressway- at Panvel.

10.10- Halt at Kharghar - to attend to personal work- After 30 mins halt- Left at 10.40pm.

Reached Goregoan at 11.30pm (via Airoli/JVLR).

Point to point distance was 952km upto Panvel - Covered in 16 hrs. (with breaks of 2hrs 30mins as stated above) Please note that this is a week day timing (Monday) and on weekends/ holiday time, the timings could be more.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, one should expect heavier traffic enroute pilgrim towns as it is auspicious for Hindu Lord Ganpati/ Guru Sai Baba/Goddess Mahalakshmi (at Kolhapur in particular).

[issigonis]

Originally Posted by goandude

Could you add approx timings too. Where did you refuel after Sira?

>>>

Sorry, missed your question.

I didn't refuel in BPCL/Kamat Upchar Sira, just took a longish U turn to get there for breakfast, then took another longish ( ~ 2 kms) U turn to get back on the right side of the road to Bombay.

My fills on that day ( after the tank full at BPCL opp. Manipal Hospital the day before) were :

1. BPCL - HBBR Layout, Kalyan nagar (lhs)- 3 litres plain diesel
2. BPCL Konduskar's - tank full - plain diesel

When I reached home my range showed 500 kms.

Average consumption for the entire trip including stop and go traffic within Bangalore was 14.8 kmpl.

Am fine with it. As long as the car can do good sustained speeds on 6th gear, on the highways!

Regards

[INNOWAGON_CL]

The government has announced that it has decided to introduce Electronic Toll collection pan India. It remains to be seen when the government implements the same as promised - to cover the entire NHAI network starting April 2012.

If this is implemented on NH-4 from Mumbai to Bangalore, it would avoid traffic jams at some of the toll gates in Maharashtra and also reduce the travel time.

Please find the two links below:

Govt to implement electronic toll collection system

Detail List of the News

[indianrunner]

Hi,

Other than the GQ route for Bangalore to Pune, is there any other route off the beaten track and possibly less traveled that can be recommended?

TIA

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by indianrunner

Hi,

Other than the GQ route for Bangalore to Pune, is there any other route off the beaten track and possibly less traveled that can be recommended?

TIA

The GQ route is the most preferred, fastest and relaxed, and shortest as well if you drive from Bangalore.

The only other route that can be tried for a change (definitely not to be considered as an alternative) is drive all the way on NH206 from Bangalore to Honnavar and then Karwar, Goa, Konkan coast and touch
NH4 after crossing the western Ghats near Bhor Phata of NH4.
This route will mostly remain 2 laned without a median, more scenic and less preferred. You would also end up spending less on those tolls.

However, this rather remain a 2 day affair for a relaxed drive.

[binand]

Originally Posted by indianrunner

Other than the GQ route for Bangalore to Pune, is there any other route off the beaten track and possibly less traveled that can be recommended?

Not a recommendation, but a statement of fact - there's the NH 13 > NH 9 route from Chitradurga to Pune. In the late nineties when I was working for an IT company with client sites near Hospet etc., this route was preferred to drive down from Pune (because NH 4 would always be choc-a-bloc with truck traffic).

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by binand

Not a recommendation, but a statement of fact - there's the NH 13 > NH 9 route from Chitradurga to Pune. In the late nineties when I was working for an IT company with client sites near Hospet etc., this route was preferred to drive down from Pune (because NH 4 would always be choc-a-bloc with truck traffic).

Indeed an alternative as many opted for this route earlier owing to beeline of trucks on NH4 which was a road with single lane for both directions.
With the above route, even if one is able to drive without much complaints till Sholapur, the nightmare begins after here till Pune as even the latest reports of the road and traffic condition here call it worse. There is no sign of the road works to get completed at all. This section might extract all the energy of a driver for sure.