[hvkumar]

Yes, I suggest that you check out at Betul on the feasibility of that route. My information is that the road to Indore is terrible. IN any case, please adequate buffer in case you have to go via Bhopal.

My other suggestion is that you can also go from Nagpur via Amaravti, Akola, Khamgaon, Malkapur, Burhanpur, Khandwa to Indore, which is better road.

[mercedised]

@lehj:

If you go through the below route then Omkareshwar will be the stoppage. .......Khandwa - Omkareshwar (stay) - Indore - Ujjain (Next day). This is also a good route while the road condition after Khandwa is excellent 2 Lane, and further preassuming Maharashtra roads are always good in shape.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Yes, I suggest that you check out at Betul on the feasibility of that route. My information is that the road to Indore is terrible. IN any case, please adequate buffer in case you have to go via Bhopal.

My other suggestion is that you can also go from Nagpur via Amaravti, Akola, Khamgaon, Malkapur, Burhanpur, Khandwa to Indore, which is better road.

The 200kms Bhopal to Indore is now 4-lane road. So, it is too easy job to do 200kms Bhopal to Indore in 2.5Hrs. That's the reason I suggested that.

[rkg]

Originally Posted by naren_gs1

Facilities between Nizamabad and Balapur may not be many. However, Nanded & Washim are district places. So you should be able to find good places.
All the Akola-Hyderabad govt and private buses go via Patur-Washim-Nanded-Nizamabad. None goes via Bhokar or Nirmal.
Total distance for HYD-Indore would be around 825 kms. Onkareshwar would be around 775 kms. Definitely NOT doable in 11 hours

The distance between Basara and Omkareswar will be around 560-580 KM. ( Bhainsa-bhokar-washim-burhanpur) can this be doable in 11 hours?

[naren_gs1]

Originally Posted by rkg

The distance between Basara and Omkareswar will be around 560-580 KM. ( Bhainsa-bhokar-washim-burhanpur) can this be doable in 11 hours?

This distance would be ~ 600 kms. I had done Nanded-Ardhapur-Bhokar-Bhainsa-Basar around 2 years back. I had done Indore-Nanded same time last year (OCT 2009). Roads were fine all the way except some 20-30 kms stretch between Washim-Hingoli. I have done Indore-Akola (via Khamgaon) a few times and driving time is min 6 hours. Add another 5-6 hours. So yes, subject to current condition Basar-Onkareshwar is doable in 11-12 if long breaks could be avoided.

BTW, to recap, route would be BASAR-BHAINSA-BHOKAR-ARDHAPUR PHATA-VASMAT PHATA-AUNDHA-HINGOLI-WASHIM-PATUR-BALAPUR-KHAMGAON-MALKAPUR-ICHAPUR-BURHANPUR-KHANDWA BYPASS.

You may also do BASAR-ARDHAPUR PHATA via BODHAN-NANDED (But I have never done this)

[rkg]

Originally Posted by naren_gs1

This distance would be ~ 600 kms. I had done Nanded-Ardhapur-Bhokar-Bhainsa-Basar around 2 years back. I had done Indore-Nanded same time last year (OCT 2009). Roads were fine all the way except some 20-30 kms stretch between Washim-Hingoli. I have done Indore-Akola (via Khamgaon) a few times and driving time is min 6 hours. Add another 5-6 hours. So yes, subject to current condition Basar-Onkareshwar is doable in 11-12 if long breaks could be avoided.

BTW, to recap, route would be BASAR-BHAINSA-BHOKAR-ARDHAPUR PHATA-VASMAT PHATA-AUNDHA-HINGOLI-WASHIM-PATUR-BALAPUR-KHAMGAON-MALKAPUR-ICHAPUR-BURHANPUR-KHANDWA BYPASS.

You may also do BASAR-ARDHAPUR PHATA via BODHAN-NANDED (But I have never done this)

Thanks Naren.
Iam planning to take this route only. the trip is planed for the 3rd-4th week of Dec if i get the leave. Only worry was to get decent food(strict veg only) joints and rest rooms for ladies on the way.

[NetfreakBombay]

Even train route is not that bad.

You can book a Tx ifrom Bhopal to Indore. This is a nice 4 lane road that bypasses most of the towns (E.g. Dewas).

[lejhoom]

Thank you naren_gs1, mercedised, and hvkumar


Just completed the trip. I am sorry I cannot give the exact km or the accurate description of places as I had to drive all by myself and wife was absolutely uninterested in any statistics. Total km covered was 2070 km in three days. Started on Sunday morning and came home at around midnight Tuesday. Stayed one night at Bhopal and the next one at Omkareshwar.


Started from Hyderabad on 10 October around 5.45 (actually planned for 4 am; late Saturday night!). Drove up to Nagpur. Hyderabad-Nagpur highway is great up to 120 km. Then there is a long stretch where road widening is going on. Lot of diversion, but doable. Again the four-lane appears sometime before Nirmal. I had to go through the city. A couple of bottlenecks will delay you on the city stretch. Soon after Nirmal, it is MH border. The drive is tiring. A lot of work for 4-lane is going on. Diversions galore.


From Nagpur took the road via Betul. Remembered the words of hvkumar (My information is that the road to Indore is terrible.) Spot on. Enquired at Betul junction with a truck driver. Sardarji was very categorical. Saab, vahan pe rasta nahin hai. Vahan pe koi truckwallah ko be nahin milega. Decided to follow the advice of mercedised. In fact, I am awfully thankful to him for guiding me in MP. He was patient and approachable. Drove the Betul-Bhopal stretch. In fact, it is an understatement to say drove. After Hoshangabad it was the worst drive I ever had in my life. Nightmare to inch behind lines of trucks avoiding one crater after another. For miles I had to only drive in first and second gear. After some climbing of some ghat section (don't remember the place as it was dark all around and couldn't see any signage) for the first time I noticed the temperature in the car touching half-mark line! Here I must mention one thing: I decided against taking the Scorpio and drove the Palio MJD. A friend advised me that with a small car I can always negotiate around the craters rather than through them! Plus, the ride in my one-year-old Safari Vlx is not very top notch. The way it rocks and pitches is very irritating and tiring. My better half simply detest the Scorpio. The small car on the other hand doesn't sway and we came home without much fatigue. It also did crawling speed to 145 kmph.



As noted by mercedised, Bhopal-Ujjain via Dewas is great. Again, Ujjain-Indore is a great road, even though some stretches are just getting ready for the 4-lane. Still due to the absence of heavy traffic, one can drive quite fast.


Indore-Omakareswhar is excellent. I missed the Khandwa road from Indore and was happily driving on the Mumbai road (a 100 % concrete road, a dream). Mercedised brought me back on track and guided me through Mhow.


Omkareshwar-Hyderabad was breeze. I just followded naren-gs 1. Excellent roads all the way through. The only catch: one has to keep looking out for turns, for the route goes alternately from NH to SH to by-pass. Only on the Hingoli sector I encountered some broken road. I believe even that sector will be fine within a few days because I spotted construction material dumped on the wayside indicating repair work.


I took the Nanded-Bodhan-Nizamabad route. One good thing that I noticed is the a lot of stretches of road have been handed over to private parties for upkeep and it shows. You can drive confidently on well maintained roads. The only downside is doling out toll every so frequently. It varies from Rs 17 (most times) to Rs 85 (on the Hyderabd-Nagpur section).


I spotted a brand new hotel in Washim, right on the road. It advertised A/c rooms. I do not remember the name though. Next to it is a well-constructed hospital, quite unusual for such a place.


20 Km before Nanded while coming from Aundha the road sign tells turn right to Hyderabad on NH 222. Do not take that. It goes to Nirmal. To get to Nanded-Nizamabad road, go straight and there is a bypass at Nanded. Again, be warned: there is a strategic left from the crossroad on the bypass soon after Nanded. The thumb-rule: when in doubt, ask.


I didn't find any good hotels or even decent dhabas en route. What I did was to buy bread and ready-to-eat dishes sold by MTR and ASHIRWAD before commencing the journey. Also carried some fruits like apple and juices.


I would agree with naren_gs1 for the route to be taken for Hyderabad-Indore.

[rkg]

Originally Posted by lejhoom

Thank you naren_gs1, mercedised, and hvkumar

Again, Ujjain-Indore is a great road, even though some stretches are just getting ready for the 4-lane.

Omkareshwar-Hyderabad was breeze. I just followded naren-gs 1. Excellent roads all the way through. The only catch: one has to keep looking out for turns, for the route goes alternately from NH to SH to by-pass. Only on the Hingoli sector I encountered some broken road. I believe even that sector will be fine within a few days because I spotted construction material dumped on the wayside indicating repair work.

I took the Nanded-Bodhan-Nizamabad route. One good thing that I noticed is the a lot of stretches of road have been handed over to private parties for upkeep and it shows. You can drive confidently on well maintained roads. The only downside is doling out toll every so frequently. It varies from Rs 17 (most times) to Rs 85 (on the Hyderabd-Nagpur section).

I spotted a brand new hotel in Washim, right on the road. It advertised A/c rooms. I do not remember the name though. Next to it is a well-constructed hospital, quite unusual for such a place.

20 Km before Nanded while coming from Aundha the road sign tells turn right to Hyderabad on NH 222. Do not take that. It goes to Nirmal. To get to Nanded-Nizamabad road, go straight and there is a bypass at Nanded. Again, be warned: there is a strategic left from the crossroad on the bypass soon after Nanded. The thumb-rule: when in doubt, ask.

I didn't find any good hotels or even decent dhabas en route. What I did was to buy bread and ready-to-eat dishes sold by MTR and ASHIRWAD before commencing the journey. Also carried some fruits like apple and juices.

I would agree with naren_gs1 for the route to be taken for Hyderabad-Indore.

Thanks for the update

My experience with Maharashtra state roads is same. most of places they are toll roads with toll ranging from Rs 10-17 and the road condition was good. one can easily do around 70-80 kmph (during my trip to nashik-shirdi-pandharpur in march 2010)

which route you have taken for Ujjain to indore. Is it via dewas or via sawer. GM is showing only via Dewas.

[naren_gs1]

Originally Posted by lejhoom

Thank you naren_gs1, mercedised, and hvkumar
Just completed the trip.

Good to know that you completed your trip successfully, and that I could assist in planning.

Regards

[lejhoom]

Originally Posted by rkg

which route you have taken for Ujjain to indore. Is it via dewas or via sawer. GM is showing only via Dewas.

It is via Dewas. There is a well-marked right turn towards Ujjain. The road is in excellent condition.

It was great fun to do that stretch with a small little race among a Skoda Fabia, an Indica Vista Multijet and my Palio MJD. Skoda persevered for quite a while before calling quits. Vista gave up after about 25 km. In fact, the only car that went past me through the whole trip was a Toyota Prado.

[lejhoom]

Originally Posted by rkg

Thanks for the update

My experience with Maharashtra state roads is same.

However, there is another side to Maharashtra roads. The traffic cops. They lie in wait for vehicles from other states. GJ and AP registered vehicles are easy prey. I was flagged down by this bunch at Malkapur. They were trying to waive down trucks at random. Some enterprising drivers didn't care a hoot and drove off. Some had to pay for listening to the whistle.

I was asked to show all the documents. My smart card RC had fallen among the CDs and I couldn't immediately locate it. In the meanwhile, I showed them the photocopy. You should see the glee on the face of the man. He asked me to come out of the car. The first question is: Do you know someone in Maharashtra? I bluffed that I work with a national TV company. As this conversation was in progress, another young cop came up and announced that he tried to stop me some distance earlier and I didn't pay any heed to him! I just ignored him. Now the problem of RC. They won't accept the photocopy. The cop said I need to pay Rs. 3000 and then go to the court and blah..blah. I spoke to my friend in the TV company in the earshot of the cop and pretended that there was a good news to cover of the cops who are waylaying innocent travellers. Luckily for me, my wife could locate the RC. And all was well.

He then turned his attention to the tint of the windows. I said it was well within the stipulated 50% and asked him to prove otherwise. In the meanwhile, another Innova with GJ registration was pulled up and all these vultures turned their attention towards it. I was asked to go on.

Here is one photo of these sick bunch taken by wife from the car. Sometimes it feels sad to encounter cops like these who make you feel that you are not an Indian. And talk about national integration!

[hvkumar]

That was unfortunate how cops harassed you, this is a regular happening on our highways in most States for out-of-state vehicles. That is the only thing I am wary of on my drives.

[lejhoom]

The photo above shows how a driver with GJ registration is being harassed. As far I could see this yellow plate Innova had all the papers intact. Yet, the cops were trying to fleece him.

[hvkumar]

Generally, SUVs come in for more attention since many of them are taxis and also private cars running as taxis.

[indian21r]

Offtopic
lol this reminds me of the experience we had last month with AP car in Mumbai. The moment they saw AP cars cops actually came in front of it to stop.

Another Kilometer drive and they someother cop stops me again. I was so pissed of that I shouted at him and told him how the hell are we supposed to enjoy a holiday if you stop every kilometer. He was like oh apko abhi rokhe kya to chalo.

Man why do we still claim that India.