[Rajiv-Bang]

Adding to what goandude has mentioned. These trucks are supposed to ply between 8 PM to 8 AM as per DC/Traffic Dept orders. These timings are however not strictly followed. To be on the safer side night travel on Hubli Karwar road should be avoided.

[StarVegabond]

Originally Posted by sushrutha

Off topic
@ star,
Well check this link to read TOI ;-)
Welcome - Times Of India ePaper

Thanks sushrutha, now i could get a more clearer picture

[anuj1237]

Originally Posted by idofsuresh

@Anuj-935: I took the road for first time (post 933), I did okay, just asked for route at the major intersections. No major trouble at all. Importantly, its 40 kms lesser overall, which is a big deal in my car.

Looks like you lost the way completely after Londa and went back all the way to Karwar via Dandeli. You would have done fine if you had followed the route I posted.

If I am going to North Goa, I will take the same road as long as the conditions are same or take the Hubli-Ankola road and reach North Goa directly. If I am going to South Goa, I might take the route you took. Driving between Karwar and Panaji is no pleasure with traffic and small roads.

yeah we did lose the way after LOnda. was a huge mistake! and the roads between karwar and panaji was actually quite fun to drive.

[goandude]

Originally Posted by Rajiv-Bang

Adding to what goandude has mentioned. These trucks are supposed to ply between 8 PM to 8 AM as per DC/Traffic Dept orders. These timings are however not strictly followed. To be on the safer side night travel on Hubli Karwar road should be avoided.

In my experience over the last few years I have found the truck traffic least in the early morning and the most in the afternoon/evening.
Any one can update this forum on the state of NH4 from haveri to C'durga? or does it remain the same. Planning a quick Bangy trip in Feb.

[citizen]

NH4 is pretty decent all through from Hubli to Bangalore. Small stretches of bad roads here and there but overall doable in good time. Generally early morning is good time to drive with low traffic esp trucks.

[StarVegabond]

I needed some update on road conditions on the following sector
we would be leaving from Ponda by 3 PM and want to reach Bangalore by mid night.

Option 1:
Ponda - Molem - Anmod - Ramnagar -Kumbarwad - Dharwad
As per google maps, this 134 KM stretch can be covered in 2.5 hours.

Option 2:
Alternatively i can come via Amboli - Belgaum -Bangalore.
Ponda - Amboli - Belgaum-Dharwad sector is approx 260 KM (125KM extra)

i was thinking of taking the first option if the roads are good, then we can save approx 2.5 hours as well as 125 KMs worth of fuel.

Has any one travelled on the road of option 1 recently ?
if yes, please share the road conditions.

[Rajiv-Bang]

[quote=StarVegabond;1700343]I needed some update on road conditions on the following sector
we would be leaving from Ponda by 3 PM and want to reach Bangalore by mid night.

Option 1:
Ponda - Molem - Anmod - Ramnagar -Kumbarwad - Dharwad
As per google maps, this 134 KM stretch can be covered in 2.5 hours.

I wanted to take this route last May to reach Dharwad from Ponda, I was told by some locals at Ramnagar that this road (ramnagar -dharwad) is fit only for trucks, definitely not for cars. Considering the condition of roads in that part of the state, i have my doubts if anything has improved.

Maybe if somebody who has travelled recently could confirm, it will be a great help for lot of BHPians travelling to/from Goa to Bangalore.

[ajitkommini]

I had planned to do Bangalore-Goa via this route (Dharwad - Ramnagar) during the Christmas break.

The first half from Dharwad till the SH93 crossing (check this on google maps) is ok. When I say ok I mean that it's an unsurfaced gravel road, but mostly level and without too many bad potholes. It is by no means a "good" road. I had posted a picture a few pages back.

However, after this point you reach a Y junction where the left fork of the Y takes you to Ramnagar. This is NOT a motorable road. I actually went down this road for about a kilometer before turning back as it is totally impassable and I did not want to get bogged.

From the Y junction if you take the right fork instead, you find yourself on SH93 and can reach Ramnagar via Bidi, Khanapur This is an extra 30 KM or so along a fairly good (asphalt) road. Before you actually reach Khanapur you'll see the sign for NH4A / Ponda (it's a sharp left turn).

Have a good trip.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

IOption 1:
Ponda - Molem - Anmod - Ramnagar -Kumbarwad - Dharwad
As per google maps, this 134 KM stretch can be covered in 2.5 hours.

If you are driving an Arjun MBT you should be good in 2.5 hours. Trust me.

Bidi-Khanapur is the one to go for.

[ajitkommini]

Seriously though, has anyone attempted this route in a 4x4? seems like it would be a fun drive. On google maps it looks like dense forests for miles around in every direction. This was the reason I originally wanted to drive this route.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by ajitkommini

Seriously though, has anyone attempted this route in a 4x4?

Ok, i think i exaggerated a bit there. I did this route i guess 1.5 years back in my 2WD Bolero. Why? because i wanted to see whether i could and I was travelling alone. Bad decision as it got more tiring then adventurous.

Its a scenic route with small villages dotting the road. There is a very beautiful lake which is filled up only in the monsoons. A bird watchers delight this lake. Other then that its not really that great. The Amboli route is mch more scenic and then the Karwar route.

[techn0l0gist]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Ok, i think i exaggerated a bit there. I did this route i guess 1.5 years back in my 2WD Bolero. Why? because i wanted to see whether i could and I was travelling alone. Bad decision as it got more tiring then adventurous.
.

I did this route in my esteem almost two years ago or so and it was _torture_ - took this route purely because of ignorance and because some idiots told me this is the shortest way !

Not only will your car break on this stretch - but you will also be tired and frustrated driving through this - more so if it is your penultimate stretch before entering goa !

Unless you are driving a tank (and you dont own it ) please avoid this stretch - take a the kittur - bidi - khanapur stretch instead !

[StarVegabond]

Thanks guys, for your inputs. I will use Ponda - Mollem - Ramnagar - Khanapur - Bidi - Kittur - Hubli - Bangalore route while returning.

I understand that expect for some 5 KM stretch, rest all road is between "driveable to good" condition.

As we would be reaching Ponda some time 11 PM tomorrow, we would like to stay in a hotel room near Ponda / Mardol. Can anyone recommend a hotel ?, Good parking facility and good breakfast resturant are key apart from "Family hotel" feel.

thanks for your help

[techn0l0gist]

There's a hotel in Ponda called Casa Menino in the middle of the city, you can check that out - I hear it is decent - don't have any personal experience with it (their restaurant is nice btw) .

[srimath]

I went through kittur-bidi while going to Panaji during the first week of nov 09 and the road from Kittur to Goa Border is horrible. You get tired very easily driving on this route. Please try to avoid this route.