[Sn1p3r]

I think my query is similar to the original and thus I post it here.

Later this month I have to do the following run,
1. Gurgaon - Navsari
2. Navsari - Amravati
3. Amravati - Nagpur - Gurgaon

Convenience of own comfortable car to cover more than 5 local visit points and lure of raking in some miles on the car is what is making me vote against a Delhi-Ahmedabad flight and then local taxi travel.

Kindly suggest the best route, we will be two drivers in ANHC or Accord. Both have never driven in West India.

TBHP suggestions are more practical than the Google suggestions.

Thank you!

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by vipul_bscity

- Now NH.76, who said to take this road? Its non existant. I wondered I have taken wrong. But the road was that only.no roads. They making it digging, layering. It seems its all washed out before. Miserable drive. Hit a pappaya size stone at 2 30 midnight, got the sidewall of my front left raptured. Changed to spare tyre. Anyone any light on this NH 76.
- NH 79, super all the way till kishanghar where again touch GQ.
- Jaipur Manesar, pathatic. Six laning in progress. Seems to remain pathatic fr another 2 yr min.

Dear Kumar, any idea why cant I take GQ all along while going back. I am trying to find alternative to escape NH 76 by any means.

Mods: typing from phone so sorry if I miss some punctuation etc.

I think you made a mistake on Udaipur bypass. There is an old 2-lane road from Udaipur to Chittorgarh, looks like you took it. NH76 starts at end of the old Udaipur bypass on NH8 (when coming from Ahmedabad) and you turn right towards Udaipur Airport to take NH76 (and straight to continue on NH8 via Ajmer). NH76 has an interchange before Chittorgarh town, where it continues to Kota, whereas, you take the left onto Chittorgarh bypass to continue to Bhilwara.

Please follow my log books for that route instead of asking around, some of my friends have made mistakes on this route too.

[roy_libran]

I just did "Gurgaon - Abu Road - Gurgaon" on my Logan, between 2nd March and 6th March 2011. Most of the route is similar, though after Ajmer, one can choose to go to Surat via Udaipur, if the final destination is Pune.
Here is a quick summary of the road and traffic situation, as of yesterday:

- NH8 (Gurgaon to Kotputli) - Road surface is good, Heavy Traffic, sporadic road works, Traffic in wrong lanes, overall 60 kmph. Massive bottlenecks at Kotputli and Behror. Sustainable Top Speed 100 KMPH.

- NH8 (Kotputli to Shahpura) - Road surface is okay, Heavy Traffic, lot of road works, overall 50 kmph. Massive bottlenecks at Shahpura. Sustainable Top Speed 90 KMPH.

- NH8 (Shahpura to Dudu via Jaipur Bypass) - Road surface is good, Medium Traffic, some road works, overall 80 kmph. Remember to retain your Rs. 70 Toll Slip on this stretch, because it will be needed once more. Sustainable Top Speed 120 KMPH.

- NH8 (Dudu to Ajmer) - Road surface is okay but bumpy, Medium to heavy Traffic and some major choke points near Kishangarh, a lot of road works, overall 60 kmph. Sustainable Top Speed 100 KMPH.

- NH8 (Ajmer to Byawar) - Road surface is bumpy, Heavy Truck Traffic, a lot of road works, overall 50 kmph. Sustainable Top Speed 80 KMPH.

- NH14 (Byawar to Pali) - Road surface is good, but mostly 2 lane, Light Traffic, minimal road works, overall 80 kmph. Sustainable Top Speed 100 KMPH.

- NH14 (Pali to Sirohi) - Road surface is a bit bumpy, and mostly 2 lane, Light Traffic, minimal road works, overall 70 kmph. Sustainable Top Speed 80 KMPH.

- NH14 (Sirohi to Abu Road) - Road surface is a superb, and mostly 4 lane, Minimal Traffic,no road works, overall 100 kmph. Sustainable Top Speed 140 KMPH.

For me, Sustainable = At least able to maintain at constant level for 10 minutes.

[sgiitk]

Even the old NH3 is quite Ok. Dual carriageway almost all the way. However, NH2 (from Agra) can be bad - heavy traffic.

[jealousdiamond]

Originally Posted by jealousdiamond

Also as you cross Udaipur , do remember to take the bypass from Nathdwara then again the Bhilwara bypass to head staright to Jaipur ( you would avoid some single lane highways that ways )

Just a humble advice , do take rests at regular intervals and don't stretch yourself .

Originally Posted by vipul_bscity

Reached Delhi.
- Now NH.76, who said to take this road? Its non existant. I wondered I have taken wrong.

You just manage to miss the above post .

Originally Posted by hvkumar

I think you made a mistake on Udaipur bypass. There is an old 2-lane road from Udaipur to Chittorgarh, looks like you took it. NH76 starts at end of the old Udaipur bypass on NH8 (when coming from Ahmedabad) and you turn right towards Udaipur Airport to take NH76 (and straight to continue on NH8 via Ajmer). NH76 has an interchange before Chittorgarh town, where it continues to Kota, whereas, you take the left onto Chittorgarh bypass to continue to Bhilwara.

Thats bolt on !!

[vipul_bscity]

Kumar is just right. I did that mistake and surprizing this bloody MMI (helps in 95 % cases but keep on giving vague directions in the rest), was still showing the way all through the broken old road.
I think I did the mistake since it was pasr midnight dark.

Anyway, and the toll paid from Pune to Gr NOIDA is 1126 rs.

[akaush]

This was great thread to read through. I am planning to do Delhi - Pune in 2nd week of April (4th - 5th I guess) and return journey in 3rd week of April (18th - 19th). Its a leisure trip, plus I am going with my wife and 9 months old son. I dont think i can drive for long hours with a toddler onboard.

I would like inputs on the best time to start from Delhi to avoid Delhi - Jaipur traffic, best night halt and best time again to start on day 2 to avoid Valsad - Panvel traffic. I think we can drive for 12 hours a day. (16 hrs in total minus 4 hrs break)

HVK what do you think about the Nashik route? I might think about 2nd night halt at shirdi. Have to visit Shirdi anyway :-) I can drive good at ghats, but heavy slow traffic on narrow roads can get frustrating.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by akaush

This was great thread to read through. I am planning to do Delhi - Pune in 2nd week of April (4th - 5th I guess) and return journey in 3rd week of April (18th - 19th). Its a leisure trip, plus I am going with my wife and 9 months old son. I dont think i can drive for long hours with a toddler onboard.

I would like inputs on the best time to start from Delhi to avoid Delhi - Jaipur traffic, best night halt and best time again to start on day 2 to avoid Valsad - Panvel traffic. I think we can drive for 12 hours a day. (16 hrs in total minus 4 hrs break)

HVK what do you think about the Nashik route? I might think about 2nd night halt at shirdi. Have to visit Shirdi anyway :-) I can drive good at ghats, but heavy slow traffic on narrow roads can get frustrating.

Ideally, you can reach Ahmedabad on Day 1 - stay at Hotel Anjali on NH8 itself just before the Chiloda Round.

Surat-Ghodbunder sector is least trafficked in the afternoon, but even if you leave A'bad early morning, you should have an easy drive. You will also arrive in Thane-Bombay-New Bombay area in the late afternoon before the peak hour traffic starts.

To go direct to Pune, you can turn off at Surat and go via Bardoli, Vyara, Saputara, Vani & Nashik. However, these roads are narrow, have ghat sections, road condition is not smooth. Besides, you will face heavy traffic on the Nashik-Pune NH50 which is 2-laned.

Going to Shirdi is a great idea. You can turn off at Surat onto NH6 and go via Bardoli & Vyara to Dhulia, where you take NH3 till Malegaon, and then go to Shirdi on good roads. From Shirdi, you can drive to Pune on 4 -laned roads of the Shirdi-Ahmednagar-Pune sector.

Assuming you are unable to reach Ahmedabad on Day 1, you have the choice of stopping over at Udaipur or the RTDC motels at Rishabdeo or Ratanpur. Even then, you can make it to Shirdi before nightfall.

[akaush]

Thanks a Ton HVK,

I think the Shirdi option suggested by you looks very doable for us. I'll discuss with Wiifey and hopefully this will help us cover Shirdi and avoid the Mumbai traffic. I hope, there aren't too many trucks on NH-6 and NH-3 from Dhule to Malegaon.

[vipul_bscity]

Reached back Pune early Morning yesterday. Some details;

Started Greater NOIDA at 3 30 AM and reached Godbhunder Road at 2 15 AM and Pune at 5 AM next day, almost non stop.

Total Trip time - 25.5 hrs
Break time - 3 hrs ( 1 hr near Jaipur@ 7 45 AM, breakfast and puncture, 1 hr at Udaipur for lunch and Fuel@ 2 30 PM, 45 min Godbunder - Fountain Hotel for Food, 15 min Pune expressway for Fuel)
Time at wheel - 22.5 hrs
Fuel consumption - 4.9 lt / 100KM OR 20.4 KM/ Lt ( Diesel)
Average speed - 75 km/hr (Shown by car computer)
KM covered 1690 KM.

Some Highlights;
- It was drizzling at outer Gurgaon
- Did not face any traffic issue in Gurgaon - Jaipur stretch since it was quite early morning.
- Gurgaon - Kishanghar great. Even more great is NH79 followed by NH 76 ( Yes I got NH 76 this time
- NH79 and NH 76 is a breeze to drive. You will know that Indian Govt spends billions on these good roads and more you know what ? you are the only one Driving on it. NH 76, absolutely no traffic.
- Ahmedabad- Baroda - Surat all good, despite someones accident on Narmanda bridge, have to take the old bridge guided by the Toll person and can pass easily, Otherwise there was few kilometers jam.
- Surat - Godbunder - can never happen good, its a long never ending stretch and heavy truck traffic and with diversion and road digging every few kms. Very tiring indeed, that too on the last leg of the trip.
- Thane - Pune great and dangerous with almost impossible to get away from Sleep.

Thanks to @SS Traveller for helping me buying one wheel and tyre in Delhi. However the wheel didn't fit so could not get it. Kishanlal @ Chawala tyre in Gurgaon helped and tried all means. Sorry Shom, could not meet you because of time constrain and thanks for the call yesterday.

Learning: Next this long trip, I will carry two spare tyres. Tyres has given me problems and costed me time and agony. This is the first time in my Laura 70K KM when the tyres have given problems. (And its still on stock Dunlop Sport with may be 10K KM still on them, can't believe but true. Although tyres are getting hard and noisy) One time my mistake as I hit a stone. Other two time its the tyre and an old puncture which gave away.

Request: Anyone in Mumbai / Pune can please advise me in buying a Laura 15" steel rim ( after market, used anything)

Once again thanks everyone for inputs and guidance.

[vipul_bscity]

The bad road between Udaipur and Chittorghar which I had taken while going to Delhi was via Kapsan. Its a state road which is getting two lanes and repair. It is ahead of the Udaipur Airport turn. I wonder how I missed the Airport turn to NH 76 in Udaipur and it has costed me more time, a tyre loss, agony of changing tyre in pitch dark midnight 2 30 AM in deserted stretch (thanks to the high power flood light that I was carrying in which helped a lot)

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by vipul_bscity

The bad road between Udaipur and Chittorghar which I had taken while going to Delhi was via Kapsan. Its a state road which is getting two lanes and repair. It is ahead of the Udaipur Airport turn.

I had brought this mistake to the attention of MMI a few months ago and they confirmed having corrected it in their latest map version 6.0

[KedarJ]

Hi guys, I am planning a trip from Pune to Badrinath in my Safari 2.2. Self and wife will drive till haridwar & will then pick up my parents and 7 yr old son at Haridwar. I can leave Pune earliest by 11 am on 12th May and have to reach Haridwar by 14 th evening. Please advise me which route should I take? Previously I have travelled to Delhi using GQ in December 2010 but that time had taken haults at Vapi, Udaipur & Jaipur respectively. This time it is going to be a 2 streatch journey. Please advise where should I make my first overnight hault. Any suggestions on the motels on GQ for safe overnight hault?? Road conditions from Delhi to Haridwar and Haridwar to Badrinath?

[hvkumar]

I suggest you go on GQ via Delhi.
It is going to be a long 2-day drive, and not easy at all. Honestly, I would take 3 days because:

- Bombay-Delhi route is in a mess right now, because of road widening between Bombay & Surat, traffic congestion at River Narmada bridge between Ankleshwar and Bharuch and the mess in Jaipur-Gurgaon.

- Time taken is very long nowadays, Bombay-Ahmedabad drive itself can take a long uncertain time.

However, some suggestions:

- Adopt aggressive driving tactics and use left shoulder to skirt trucks lined up at all the umpteen flyovers under construction

- Do not take Narmada Bridge on NH8 - traffic jams are often 6 kms long - but go into Ankleshwar town, cross Narmada via the old Golden Bridge and via Bharuch town.

- Keep down halts to minimal.

Therefore, I suggest you peg a target of reaching Udaipur on Day 1, although you may end up reaching there quite late.

Day 2 will see you barely reach Delhi thanks to the chaos between Jaipur and Delhi.

Best time to drive Delhi-Hardwar is early morning, which means you can leave Delhi by., say, 4 am, and reach Hardwar by 9-10 am.

Places t halt overnight on Bombay-Delhi route:
- Hotel Anjali after Ahmedabad, on NH8 (worst case scenario)
- Hotel Landmark, Himmatnagar
- HOtel Mangalmurthi, Shamlaji
- RTDC, Ratanpur
- RTDC, Rishanbdeo
- RTDC, Udaipur
- RTDC, Chittorgarh
- Hotel Panagad, Kishangarh
- RTDC Behror

All places mentioned above are safe for families.

Road conditions between Delhi & Hardwar are OK, but for some bad sections near Roorkee.

FRom Hardwar to Badrinath, road conditions are mixed - some places good, many places rough. Expect heavy traffic since teh temples open in the second week of May. Taxis drive like maniacs on this stretch.

Please be aware that on this route after Deoprayag, no driving is permitted after 8 pm. From Joshimath onwards, traffic towards Badri is regulated in convoys.

[deky]

HVK has already mentioned numerous times about the mess that Jaipur-Delhi highway is this season.

For the benefit of those travelling on this route I think the best time NOT to travel on this sector is between 1400 hrs till 2200hrs. Following are the reasons

1. Delhi border opens for trucks at 2000hrs/ 2100hrs hence all truckers, inorder to reach the border by that time start from Jaipur or places around at 1400 hrs. Hence the truck traffic is highest between the above timings

2. Offices around Gurgaon/ manesar start shutting after 1730 hrs. So the best is to start before 1400 hrs from Jaipur so you cross that area before 1730 hrs.

3. In summers very few truckers drive between 1100hrs and 1600hrs, as its really hot in this area

4. Too many bottle necks at Shahpura/ Kotputli/ Behror/ Manesar, hence best is to travel when least number of vehicles are on road. The above timings will also help you avoid long ques at the 4 toll plazas en route

Now for the best time to start for Delhi from Jaipur is between 1000hrs-1200hrs. I know the window is very small, but I have come to conclusions on these timings after doing plenty of Jaipur- Delhi trips since last 12 months and I have had the least problems during above times.

The average driving times for me has been around 4.5 hrs if I start around 10 am and the average shoots up to 6.5 hrs if I start after 1400 hrs.

Hope this helps those who are crossing Jaipur for Delhi!!