[andyonwheels]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

While going from Bangalore to Pune on 3 Sep 2013, my Linea had tankful at BP COCOO at Kottur 2 known as OSTS - One Stop Trucker's Shop - located on LHS of NH 4. While returning yesterday, she was fueled by the opposite BP COCOO at Kottur 1. While the former accepted my debit card for payment, the latter did not and I paid by cash. Thanks a lot for your suggestion regarding these 2 BP COCOO.

• Can you please share the route you took and the time taken to reach Pune from Bangalore?
• Was it day-driving?
• Is it advisable to do this in a stretch, if we left Bangalore by 5am from Vijayanagar area?
• We plan on halting overnight in Pune and continue our journey next day or day-after to Ahmedabad.

Originally Posted by andyonwheels

Can you please share the route you took and the time taken to reach Pune from Bangalore?

We left our Basaveswara Nagar home by 2:20 pm and passed through Pune at 2:30 am the next day. The route is NH 4 all the way to Pune.

Was it day-driving?

It was day-cum-night driving.

Is it advisable to do this in a stretch, if we left Bangalore by 5am from Vijayanagar area?

If possible, leave by 4 am so that you will reach Pune by 4 pm so as to avoid peak hour traffic.

We plan on halting overnight in Pune and continue our journey next day or day-after to Ahmedabad.

If you want to stay in a hotel, Ginger Wakad is located right on the Pune NH 4 bypass.

[Drivethru]

Just back from Mumbai - Bangalore - Anantapur - Mumbai trip. Roads were good except Pune satara section with multiple diversions and roads which can at times damage tyres if you are not careful. I did Anantapur Mumbai journey via chitradurga. The mc donalds at kolhapur is good place to stop for quick bite. There is a CCD next to the McDonald on nh4 in kolhapur. My trip required a night stop before bangalore as I had to reach Bangalore airport at around 6 am. Stayed at naveen regency tumkur which is on nh4. Took a non ac room as the weather was quite pleasant and I had to stay only for 6 hours in the hotel. Airport is around 80 kms from the hotel.

[ankan.m.blr]

Is there any road-diversion still remaining between Tukmur and Chitradurga? Or the 6-laning is complete? I am looking for an early breakfast stop, say 6:00 ~ 6:30 AM. Can I expect any joint open at this time between Tumkur and Chitradurga? I'll be travelling with ladies, so family env. and clean restrooms are necessary.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

Is there any road-diversion still remaining between Tukmur and Chitradurga? Or the 6-laning is complete? I am looking for an early breakfast stop, say 6:00 ~ 6:30 AM. Can I expect any joint open at this time between Tumkur and Chitradurga? I'll be travelling with ladies, so family env. and clean restrooms are necessary.

No more diversions except 2 which you can ignore to be honest. Rest all sections are 6 laned and you can call it almost complete.
Between Tumkur and Chitradurga the only options will be Thatte idlies at Pavitra Hotel in Tumkur or Naveen Regency right on Chitradurga bypass.
If you can wait 45 mins more you have Davanagere for Butter dosas inside town.
Another 30 mins from here you have Kamat at Ranebennur.

EDIT: If cleaner rest rooms are important stick to Naveen and Kamat and ignore the rest of the suggestions.

Also I am not sure if these places will be open at 0630 hours considering that even Pavitra Idly hotel opens around 0700 hours.

Ideally, you can push to Kamat IMHO

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

Is there any road-diversion still remaining between Tukmur and Chitradurga? Or the 6-laning is complete? I am looking for an early breakfast stop, say 6:00 ~ 6:30 AM. Can I expect any joint open at this time between Tumkur and Chitradurga? I'll be travelling with ladies, so family env. and clean restrooms are necessary.

If you are driving long, then I would say dont break for BF at 6/6:30 but drive till Ranebennur to break at Kamat. Thats about 330km which you can cover in 4 hours at sedate drives with people sleeping the car. That also requires you start by 4AM. Getting into Davanagere would lose time (but of course you get treated to good Dosas).

[nileshch]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

EDIT: If cleaner rest rooms are important stick to Naveen and Kamat and ignore the rest of the suggestions.

I've stopped at Kamat Ranebennur only because it is a known devil. The food is relatively hygienic and I don't want a stomach upset by the time I reach midway to Mumbai. But cant say that about its toilets - always stinking and unclean.

How is Naveen Regency?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by nileshch

I've stopped at Kamat Ranebennur only because it is a known devil. The food is relatively hygienic and I don't want a stomach upset by the time I reach midway to Mumbai. But cant say that about its toilets - always stinking and unclean.

How is Naveen Regency?

Kamat Ranebennur as you said has pretty ordinary rest rooms. Naveen is also similar. May be a tad better at best. But given the two, I would prefer Kamat, more because of the food reasons.
How I wish there was a CCD on this stretch.

Originally Posted by paragsachania

EDIT: A CCD is planned at Shiggaon soon

Thats very positive to hear Parag! You guys are real news hounds!

[paragsachania]

^^Hence I suggested better among the worst options.
EDIT: A CCD is planned at Shiggaon soon

[JMaruru]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

^^Hence I suggested better among the worst options. EDIT: A CCD is planned at Shiggaon soon

What happened to the 'Vittal Kamat' restaurant at shiggaon, attached to the HP petrol bunk? Earlier, there were Reliance A1 restaurants like one near chitradurga and another around ranebennur. Are they operating now?

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by JMaruru

What happened to the 'Vittal Kamat' restaurant at shiggaon, attached to the HP petrol bunk? Earlier, there were Reliance A1 restaurants like one near chitradurga and another around ranebennur. Are they operating now?

The Vittal Kamat is now Rajasthani Dhaba since more than a year. Bad food bad ambience super bad rest rooms.
A shady place if driving with family. The same HPCL here was the one where netarchie had a bad experience during refuelling too.

[DrVjy]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Yesterday, I drove from Mumbai to Bangalore on my way back from Mount Abu. I crossed Pune bypass by 4:30 am and reached Sai Food Court near Kolhapur by 8:30 am. Pune to Satara section has gone from bad to worse; it has become the driver's nightmare. Potholes have become craters, craters have upgraded to ditches and the ditches into huge pits. The rain and darkness have contributed to the mess. And the pity is, we have to pay for getting our cars thrashed and beaten up.

How long would it typically take to cover this bad stretch? I find the distance is some 110 km from GM and other sources. Is the entire 110 km bad, or only in places? Can I make it in a Hyundai i10? Plan to drive to Pune next week if favorable.


Thanks
DrVjy

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by DrVjy

How long would it typically take to cover this bad stretch? I find the distance is some 110 km from GM and other sources. Is the entire 110 km bad, or only in places? Can I make it in a Hyundai i10? Plan to drive to Pune next week if favorable.


Thanks
DrVjy

Its bad in patches and more bad at the diversions which are around 5 or 6 between Pune and Satara.
If you can manage this section between 5 and 7am you can wrap this in less than 2 hours.
I regulary do this on my WagonR and last was in July. A hatch can easily do it as you only need to avoid a few potholes carefully.
If you are lucky they may have done some patch work in the last few days too.

Parag Sachania, the frequent traveller on this stretch, has already clarified. Here are my experience:

Originally Posted by DrVjy

How long would it typically take to cover this bad stretch?

Anywhere between 3 and 4 hours depending upon the weather, time and traffic.

Is the entire 110 km bad, or only in places?

No. The diversions are the villains, especially from Pune towards Satara side.

Can I make it in a Hyundai i10?

Your i10 will definitely make it. Please drive carefully especially during rainy conditions.

[mooza]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Its bad in patches and more bad at the diversions which are around 5 or 6 between Pune and Satara.
If you can manage this section between 5 and 7am you can wrap this in less than 2 hours.

Will be doing this section 3 pm onwards on Friday in my Xylo, on my Bangalore Mumbai annual Navratri drive. Hope I clear this in 2 to 3 hours. Else I might have to take a night's halt at Pune