[vinit.merchant]

Did Pune - Goa today. Took Pune - Karad - Anuskura - Oni - Goa route.

Roads are butter smooth, of you ignore the MH section of the NH which has a diversion every 10 kms. But this is a normal in MH since a decade now atleast.

No bad patches of road in this section + the ghat section via Anuskura during monsoons is a sight to behold. Here's a glimpse of what I encountered enroute. Attaching a pic for reference.

With breaks it took me 9.5 hours. Very good in my opinion

[Vandit]

Originally Posted by lionell

I did Goa to Navi Mumbai and return one month apart. The above route holds true both ways.

I'll be leaving Mapusa tomorrow. Looking at the various options coming up on the navigation apps, I've decided to go with the old highway and avoid the Ghats-Karad section.

In essence from what you recommended I guess it goes: Mapusa-Banda-Watul-Kankadi-Devrukh-Kosumb-Sangameshwar-Chiplun-Mahad-Lonere (Hotel Kiran is a great stop for food)-Mangaon bypass-Khed-Nagothane.. which is where I need to make a decision; Go right via Durshet to join Khalapur or left via Pen; ultimately I need to take Atul Setu to Dadar.

What would you recommend after Nagothane?

Also, is there any better way to avoid Mangaon? I couldn't really plot the exact option to bypass the infamous Mangaon stretch.


Appreciate your updates in advance! Thanks.

[lionell]

Originally Posted by Vandit

What would you recommend after Nagothane?

Also, is there any better way to avoid Mangaon? I couldn't really plot the exact option to bypass the infamous Mangaon stretch.

Appreciate your updates in advance! Thanks.

After Nagothane. I followed the route to Khopoli and the expressway as I got feedback that the Pen route is riddled with potholes.

Depending on the traffic in Mangaon you may choose to ask the locals for an alternate parallel route.

[shadkhan]

This Monday I came back through Sawantwadi->Amboli->Garghoti->Mumbai route. The route is scenic up until you reach NH48, and has almost no major issues except for some diversions in Kolhapur/Satara.

[vinit.merchant]

Anuskura ghat is closed since yesterday evening due to landslide. I learnt the hard way on my way back from Goa. Wasted couple of hours. Had to travel back to Oni and then take right from Vatal and take the Amba Ghat.

Road via Amba ghat are in pathetic condition till one reaches Malkapur.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by vinit.merchant

Anuskura ghat is closed since yesterday evening due to landslide. I learnt the hard way on my way back from Goa. Wasted couple of hours. Had to travel back to Oni and then take right from Vatal and take the Amba Ghat.

Road via Amba ghat are in pathetic condition till one reaches Malkapur.

Any idea where one can track updates on the Anuskura route? Is there some site / newsfeed where I cold track this? If you have any info / update on road condition post landslide that would also be helpful.

I am scheduled to return to Mumbai via this route over the weekend.

Thanks.

EDIT: For now, planning to take the NH 66 to Mumbai perhaps. Given the uncertainty re Anuskura.

[vinit.merchant]

Originally Posted by Axe77

I am scheduled to return to Mumbai via this route over the weekend.

Thanks.

EDIT: For now, planning to take the NH 66 to Mumbai perhaps. Given the uncertainty re Anuskura.

Unfortunately no way to track, but I suggest you can still take the Amba Ghat route. Some 25-30 kms of bad patches and diversions and thereafter once you reach Malkapur, roads are good.

I felt double bad coz I wasted 3 hrs from Oni to Anuskura and back to Oni. And to add to it, the ghat roads were being repaired so lot of bad patches.

You can once check while taking right for Oni immediately to the local guys if they are aware of the Ghat. If it's still closed, go ahead on NH66 and take a right 4 kms later from Vatal.

[awarty]

Originally Posted by Axe77

Any idea where one can track updates on the Anuskura route? Is there some site / newsfeed where I cold track this? If you have any info / update on road condition post landslide that would also be helpful.

It looks like the road is open for cars, will be trying it tomorrow morning

https://pudhari.news/maharashtra/kok...t-is-smooth/ar

[awarty]

Originally Posted by awarty

It looks like the road is open for cars, will be trying it tomorrow morning

https://pudhari.news/maharashtra/kok...t-is-smooth/ar

Drove from Pune to Panaji yesterday morning, the landslide had been cleared, though the rocks were still stacked on the side of the road, reducing the width and the road surface for a 5-10m stretch was rough/damaged.

I allowed an oncoming car to cross before driving through that section, but two vehicles could pass each other.

[revsperminute]

Planning a drive down to Goa (Candolim) in the following week, it will be very helpful if someone can suggest the best route for a low GC car.

Thanks in advance.

[Axe77]

I drove to South Mumbai from North Goa on Sunday 16th June and because of the uncertainty around the Anuskura section opted to try out the old NH 66 for the first time. The whole road is now certainly doable but my route of choice would remain Anuskura Karad Pune Mumbai TBH. There are just too many sections with broken roads and diversions still on the NH 66. Glad to know Anuskura landslide has been promptly cleared.

The biggest irritant is the numerous unmarked / poorly marked barely visible sharp speedbreakers that are dotted along this route. They are actually horrid for your car. There was one downslope curved ghat section where they put around 7 - 8 of these 10 mtrs apart. Our notion of highway safety is totally ridiculous.

My drive yesterday took me just over 8 hours (8 hrs 10 mins) - left a hint after 3 am from Morjim and reached home at 11:15 am. I took one fuel halt, one breakfast halt and a few stops for pictures.

Here’s the series of breakers I was referring to - at least 7-8 of them if not more back to back to cut speed. These are at least marked. There are numerous dotted on the route that are not even painted.

[Smashd]

Originally Posted by Vandit

I'll be leaving Mapusa tomorrow. Looking at the various options coming up on the navigation apps, I've decided to go with the old highway and avoid the Ghats-Karad section.

In essence from what you recommended I guess it goes: Mapusa-Banda-Watul-Kankadi-Devrukh-Kosumb-Sangameshwar-Chiplun-Mahad-Lonere (Hotel Kiran is a great stop for food)-

Any inputs on the road status upto Sangameshwar. We plan to travel from Goa to Ganpatipule.

Would be particularly interested in the route Mapusa-Banda-Rajapur-Lanja-Hathkhambha-Sangameshwar (plan to stay near Sangameshwar).

Thereafter, our onwards journey from Sangameshwar would be for Aurangabad. Google maps says the route via Sangameshwar-Chiplun-Shirgaon-Patan-Umbraj. And then from Satara it appears to be a 2-lane highway without divider upto Ahmednagar. How is the route?

the other route is through NH66 upto Mangaon, which i have read not so good reviews about. Please advise on options. We would prefer a four lane highway with minimal diversions and good road conditions even if it means couple of extra hours travel and extra distance.

[Vandit]

Originally Posted by Smashd

Any inputs on the road status upto Sangameshwar. We plan to travel from Goa to Ganpatipule.

Would be particularly interested in the route Mapusa-Banda-Rajapur-Lanja-Hathkhambha-Sangameshwar (plan to stay near Sangameshwar).

Thereafter, our onwards journey from Sangameshwar would be for Aurangabad. Google maps says the route via Sangameshwar-Chiplun-Shirgaon-Patan-Umbraj. And then from Satara it appears to be a 2-lane highway without divider upto Ahmednagar. How is the route?

the other route is through NH66 upto Mangaon, which i have read not so good reviews about. Please advise on options. We would prefer a four lane highway with minimal diversions and good road conditions even if it means couple of extra hours travel and extra distance.

We drove back midweek, so overall traffic was very manageable. Left Mapusa around 0650 and arrived at Dadar around 1705, totally around 9h40 driving time, with approx 1hr halt at Hotel Kiran in Lonere. I highly recommend this nice cosy hotel for great Malvan food that is fresh and with excellent taste. Do try it. It has become my go to halt for a lunch break which times perfectly with a 630/7 departure from Mapusa as you should reach here by 1340-1430 depending on traffic.

In general, the route from Goa up till Watul is good, however there is a twisty downhill concrete stretch just before reaching Watul which has unmarked and proper sized speed breakers instead of rumblers to get cars to slow. I advise caution here else at high speeds they can easily take out your front suspension.
In fact, on the return journey throughout at several places unmarked speed breakers are a major annoyance apart from the road conditions.

My recommendation is completely avoid the Lanja-Sangameshear route on NH66 and rather bypass it though Devrukh.

Post Sangameshwar the road condition is the same as reported by others, diversions and broken patches in between. There is heavy rain in patches along the entire route, so preparation and a good set of wipers is advised.

Minor traffic can be expected at Chiplun (watch out for idiotic users and 2 wheelers who cut across the highway) and Ratnagiri. The Ratnagiri market stretch can get a bit crowded but doesn't set you back too much.

Mangaon crossing surprisingly isn't very crowded early evening (probably because midweek there isn't much traffic?) and luckily crossed it without issue. Decided against taking the diversion around Mangaon as it was raining significantly and I was in no mood to experiment with unknown roads/GPS issues.

Btw, the cops and road workers have placed entry barriers in zig Zag manner at the entrance and exit of the new Kashedi Ghat tunnel. Cars can take it, final works are ongoing, but there were cops who were standing at the northern exit who just stared but didn't prevent or stop vehicles.

Post Mangaon, the run down to Nagothane was annoyingly slow due to road conditions, but nothing out of the ordinary if you're used to NH66 road conditions.

It is easy to maintain a high Avg speed of 55-60Kmph up till Lanja, after that your average speeds will only come down. The run to Bombay was Nagothane-Pen-Atal Setu. Lots of container traffic on JNPT approach to Atal Setu so do factor the same.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by Smashd

Any inputs on the road status upto Sangameshwar. We plan to travel from Goa to Ganpatipule.

Would be particularly interested in the route Mapusa-Banda-Rajapur-Lanja-Hathkhambha-Sangameshwar (plan to stay near Sangameshwar).

Why would you not take NH 66 all the way to Sangameshwar? In any case Hathkamba involves a reroute to NH 166 - I too had a detour via NH 166 but towards Sakharpa and Devrukh and the roads there were pretty decent except one really bad intermediate cut off NH 166 that I got on to by mistake. I’m sure Hathkamba should also be fine since it seems to be via NH 66.

Please be very careful of unmarked speedbreakers. Specially the section approaching Rajapur where on a fast downslope of a descend on a right curve there are a couple of unmarked speedbreakers that completely take you off guard. I was warned of this by fellow Mod Libran and the first one still caught me off guard, it’s so sudden.

[BrakeDancer]

Hello all! A friend and his family are driving down to Goa from Mumbai right now. The friend isn't from Mumbai so I was trying to help him regarding the best possible route to Goa.

However, this morning when I checked Google Maps, it showed that the Mahad- Chiplun- Devrukh route was almost 2.5 hrs less than the Satara-Karad- Anuskura Ghat road which seems to what most of the teambhp members are recommending here. What's going on here? Is the reported landslide on the Anuskura Ghat road causing this delay? I had no choice but to ask them to take the shorter Chiplun route considering the difference in travel time.

Any quick insights on this will be hugely appreciated! Thank you!