Team-BHP - The Best Roads In India

The all-time best roads I've driven on:

1. Kolhapur- Belgaum Stretch NH4

USP: Excellent horizon - straight line visibility, the best I've seen. I think people can touch 300+ here if they have the right car.

2. Mumbai - Pune Expressway

USP: Wasn't as smooth as it was when it started, nevertheless, the most stress-free drive I've seen. Just the right amount of traffic - would ensure you won't doze off. In the monsoons, the Lonavla-Khandala ghat sections are verdant and cloud-kissed.

3. Mumbai - Goa NH 17

USP: Nice surface (even in the monsoons), lovely twisties, picturesque, great food along the way, perfect for a trip with the better half. Can end up with a stiff neck though if you have a car that can handle well.

4. Hubli - Karwar - Goa

USP: Super smooth asphalt, thick canopy, gentle hills, the first sighting of Operation SeaBird driving down from Hubli (Asia's biggest Naval Base) is a goose-pimple inducing
affair.

5. ECR - Chennai - Pondycherry

USP: To me, the best night-driving road in India, by far...

6. Vijayawada - Rajahmundry - Visakhapatnam Stretch NH5

USP: Again, some stretches are 200kmph+. Endless paddy fields on both sides, gentle hills, fantastic roads, great horizon visibility, great 'Andhra Meals'. The perfect way to experience the rich coastal AP belt.

7. Tirupati - Tirumala

USP: The best asphalt surfacing ever I've seen on a Ghat Road, 60+ hairpins, the ultimate road to test your car's handling prowess. I've been in an Ikon 1.6 on this road, devouring the NHCs/Balenos/SX4s/Aveos/Optras/Civics like they were standing still. The young locals place bets on doing the road in 18 min from Alipiri to Tirumala (Up) in bikes.

Quote:

Vijayawada - Rajahmundry - Visakhapatnam Stretch NH5

USP: Again, some stretches are 200kmph+. Endless paddy fields on both sides, gentle hills, fantastic roads, great horizon visibility, great 'Andhra Meals'. The perfect way to experience the rich coastal AP belt.

Hands down,this is one of the most lovely roads with exceptional scenery,the only minuses could be the villagers and animals on roads at certain streches

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyrus43 (Post 1072768)

The Road from lonavala to Amby Valley used to be amazing, now its a damn two lane highway.

They did that? Hmm... Maybe it's just me, but I felt the banking at the corners was quite steep. Although, the road was beautiful.

Quote:

Originally Posted by d_himan (Post 1072978)

3. Mumbai - Goa NH 17

USP: Nice surface (even in the monsoons), lovely twisties, picturesque, great food along the way, perfect for a trip with the better half. Can end up with a stiff neck though if you have a car that can handle well.

Spot on d_himan. And isn't that sweet! clap:

I would rate the following on Quality of drive and scenic

1. NH8 - Kishangarh - Nazirabad stretch - Very smooth
2. NH8 - Udaipur - Kesariaji - Scenic and Very Smooth
3. Ahmedabad Vadodara Expressway - Absolutely smooth.
4. NH21 - Ropar to Manali - Very Scenic and broad at stretches
5. NH58 -Rishikesh to Joshimath - Absolutely Scenic and Quite risky.
6. NH17 - Panvel to Goa - Beautiful during the monsoons.

4. Hubli - Karwar - Goa

USP: Super smooth asphalt, thick canopy, gentle hills, the first sighting of Operation SeaBird driving down from Hubli (Asia's biggest Naval Base) is a goose-pimple inducing
affair.

HI . PLEASE CLARIFY AS TO WHEN YOU HAVE DRIVEN ON THIS ROAD RECENTLY, MAN THE ROAD IS IN A VERY BAD SHAPE, 1-2" CHUNKS OF TOP ASPHALT/ HOTMIX, HAS JUST COME OFF, MAKING THE ROAD A SURE NIGHTMARE

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitemm550 (Post 1077023)

Oops, Oct 2007 was my last drive here. Was fabulous then....:Frustrati so, even this road is going the Hubli-Gulbarga way

A few good roads i hav travelled in the last one year and hope to hold good todate
NH17-mumbai to mangalore
NH60- Kharagur-balasore and then conjoins NH-5 and is good till cuttak may be further......
NH-6-Kharagpur to kolkata is a four lane pleasure
NH-31 Dalkola(WB) to Sivok (must be good before Dalkola)and them diverts to NH31A which again is a must drive road before you crash and burn.
NH5 again from vizag to chennai and joins another beauty NH45 to pondicherry.

saying all the good one the worst one must be NH-34 right frm kolkata to malda.hope you find this useful.

I dont know if you guys know this road but the stretch from Pali on NH17 (Just after diversion to Ratnagiri) to Kolhapur is just fabulous. I guess its NH204. Amba ghat along the way presents fair bit of curves all of which are perfectly banked. And then there are some straights which are just long enough to give you feel of fast driving but not too long to get boring. Oh, and the scenery is pure bliss in monsoon.

My personal best is 1hr 50 mins for 130 kms from Kolhapur to Ratnagiri in Ikon 1.6.

Personally I find the new GQ or expressway a bit dull. Agreed they are safe and reduce the travel time by a great margin, but it gets boring after some time. I like the road which is smooth as carpet but with some twists and turns.

OT, Has anyone on the forum actually driven on the TG Best road through San Bernandino pass and Davos to Stelvio in swiss alps?

Writing's on the wall - the Mumbai - Pune expressway is easliy the bestest road:

1) In terms of road width - 4 lanes - thank you God! Thank you
2) Enforcement of lane discipline - Notice how the trucks, busses are not crawling in the fast lane! :-)
3) Insulation against Cyclists, walkerby's, cows, dogs, all animals - thanks to the fencing.
4) Food plaza's, Fuel stations, Emergency phone booths and toilets at regular intervals make it reassuring.
5) Last but not the least - the grip offered (its not the best in the country for grip) but combined with the other factors - its the fastest motorable road in my opinion in India.