[RedTerrano]

Originally Posted by DeepeshKarnik

What I could figure out via Google Maps and other vlog/blogs/travelogues is to stick to NH48: WHITEFIELD - NELAMANGALA TOWN - TUMAKURU - SIRA - HIRIYUR - CHITRADURGA - DAVANAGERE BYPASS - RANEBENNUR BYPASS - HAVERI BYPASS - BANKAPUR TOLL GATE - HUBLI BYPASS - DHARWAD BYPASS - BELGAUM BYPASS - SANKESHWAR BYPASS - NIPANI BYPASS - KOLHAPUR BYPASS - KARAD BYPASS - SATARA - KHANDALA - PUNE - MUMBAI. Is this the best route ?

Route sounds good enough. It is very similar to the one I have taken to drive PUN-BLR. However, from what I can remember, Belgaum bypass also involves driving through Belgaum for some distance. That always was a time waster. You might want to check up about current conditions .

Satara - Pune patch was a mess as late as Dec 19. Again check for latest updates.

Coming from BLR, you will avoid Pune city and join the Mumbai Pune Expressway. You should do good time till Panvel. After that, a lot depends on what time you enter Mumbai and where in Mumbai you need to go. Note, by this time you would have driven quite a lot of hours and would be exhausted. I would suggest you factor this in, else you can take a night halt in Pune if possible and continue the next day.

[DeepeshKarnik]

Originally Posted by RedTerrano

Route sounds good enough. It is very similar to the one I have taken to drive PUN-BLR. However, from what I can remember, Belgaum bypass also involves driving through Belgaum for some distance. That always was a time waster. You might want to check up about current conditions .

Satara - Pune patch was a mess as late as Dec 19. Again check for latest updates.

Coming from BLR, you will avoid Pune city and join the Mumbai Pune Expressway. You should do good time till Panvel. After that, a lot depends on what time you enter Mumbai and where in Mumbai you need to go. Note, by this time you would have driven quite a lot of hours and would be exhausted. I would suggest you factor this in, else you can take a night halt in Pune if possible and continue the next day.

Thank you RedTerrano I don't mind staying a night in Pune. In Mumbai, I'm staying in Goregaon.

I am still deciding on what time to leave from Bangalore and where to take breaks and what time to enter Mumbai. Any suggestions ?

[RedTerrano]

Originally Posted by DeepeshKarnik

I am still deciding on what time to leave from Bangalore and where to take breaks and what time to enter Mumbai. Any suggestions ?

Breaks are difficult to say in these virus infected times. Your best bet would be to carry some home made food/sandwiches, with a thermos of hot beverage.
In normal times, I used to prefer any of the Kamat restaurants enroute. Also the McDonald just before Kolhapur (on the left as you come from BLR) was my standard halt.

Google says 18 hours for BLR-MUM.
If you target to enter Mumbai at 11PM, that would mean a departure from BLR at 5AM
I think with these timings you should be able to avoid traffic both in BLR as well as MUM.

You might find this very recent Pune to Delhi drive thread useful.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...olo-drive.html (Covid Diaries - Pune to Delhi solo drive)

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by RedTerrano

However, from what I can remember, Belgaum bypass also involves driving through Belgaum for some distance.

How, when and where?

All the cities have functional bypass including Belgaum. However, Belgaum bypass last year was undergoing quite a lot of re-asphalting work that each time I had crossed, one side of the carriageway was always shut for road work.

[DeepeshKarnik]

Thank you RedTerrano ! I'll plan something and put up the itinerary here for the more experienced like yourself and Parag to have a look and gimme some tips.

Also, my stay in Mumbai will be for a week but I also want to spend some time catching up with friends in Pune.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

How, when and where?

All the cities have functional bypass including Belgaum. However, Belgaum bypass last year was undergoing quite a lot of re-asphalting work that each time I had crossed, one side of the carriageway was always shut for road work.

Originally Posted by DeepeshKarnik

I am still deciding on what time to leave from Bangalore and where to take breaks and what time to enter Mumbai. Any suggestions ?

Ideal time to leave Bangalore is 0400. Given the present state of roads, and the fact that you are driving Solo, you will take anything from 12-14 hours to reach Pune which will be between 1600-1800.

Due to current times, traffic on Pune bypass will be lesser than usual at this otherwise peak time when you cross it. Bypass should take 30 minutes to cross till you reach the expressway, from where another 90 minutes for Panvel.

You can consider taking a break in between and enter Mumbai post evening peak hours so you reach your destination peacefully with sparse traffic.

As an alternate, starting from Bangalore at 1PM is also a good time which will make you reach Mumbai next morning at 4 or 5AM, provided you are driving in one shot (and if you are comfortable or have done that before).

From my various experiences of doing this stretch, these are the most recommended departure times personally.

[DeepeshKarnik]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Ideal time to leave Bangalore is 0400. Given the present state of roads, and the fact that you are driving Solo, you will take anything from 12-14 hours to reach Pune which will be between 1600-1800.

Due to current times, traffic on Pune bypass will be lesser than usual at this otherwise peak time when you cross it. Bypass should take 30 minutes to cross till you reach the expressway, from where another 90 minutes for Panvel.

You can consider taking a break in between and enter Mumbai post evening peak hours so you reach your destination peacefully with sparse traffic.

As an alternate, starting from Bangalore at 1PM is also a good time which will make you reach Mumbai next morning at 4 or 5AM, provided you are driving in one shot (and if you are comfortable or have done that before).

From my various experiences of doing this stretch, these are the most recommended departure times personally.

Thank you for the inputs Parag. I also read the thread and have concluded that it is best to leave BLR at around 4 AM in the morning on the 30th of October and reach Pune by 7 PM same day.

Since I'm doing this long a trip, solo for the first time, I wanted a picture of the route in my mind. Ofcourse a very "rookie-ish" approach but it is helping and I hope it helps others travelling on the same route.

Itinerary.xlsx



While the plan is to keep any external contact at minimum, I'm still shortlisting at least one decent place to eat and a dependable petrol bunk between each toll plaza (will give me more flexibility with breaks). i know not all legs of this journey would have something, but planning to keep handy, whatever info I can.

My car bears a DL registration so still not sure what documents to keep apart from the RC, Insurance and a PUC Certificate issued from Banagalore. And also if I should expect additional questions at the borders or random check-points due to the DL reg number ?

Deepesh

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by DeepeshKarnik

My car bears a DL registration so still not sure what documents to keep apart from the RC, Insurance and a PUC Certificate issued from Bangalore. And also if I should expect additional questions at the borders or random check-points due to the DL reg number ?

Nothing really. Keep the documents handy, especially the Pollution Test certificate as MH Traffic cops on highways are fondly known as PUC cops for all they need to see is a valid pollution test certificate.

[rakesh_r]

Originally Posted by DeepeshKarnik

My car bears a DL registration so still not sure what documents to keep apart from the RC, Insurance and a PUC Certificate issued from Banagalore. And also if I should expect additional questions at the borders or random check-points due to the DL reg number ?

Deepesh

PUC, Insurance, RC and your License is more than enough. MH cops mite stop you randomly for "checking". Show them all of your documents politely and you are good to go.

[jkrishnakj]

PUC cops! True that. Right after the toll near the MH border is where you’ll encounter these PUC cops jumping out to the roads if they spot a non-MH vehicle. The last time I was stopped, I pulled out the PUC print and showed him and asked him in clear Marathi if he wants to see something else. His one and only question he was wondering with a smile was, how I drive a KA car but speak fluent Marathi. I just smiled and walked away.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by DeepeshKarnik

RC, Insurance and a PUC Certificate issued from Banagalore.

License. Needless to say, all originals ofcourse

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

MH cops mite stop you randomly

Not random at all. Specifically targets out of state vehicles. This happens on every major highway that enters MH. Such is the infamy

No such annoyance if you drive MH section at night.

[shivshanker]

Originally Posted by RedTerrano

Route sounds good enough. It is very similar to the one I have taken to drive PUN-BLR. However, from what I can remember, Belgaum bypass also involves driving through Belgaum for some distance. That always was a time waster. You might want to check up about current conditions .

@RedTerrano, not if you take the Dharward, Kittur and then M.K Hubli on to Belgaum, one need not go inside the City, in fact the Cross Road from JNMC Medical College Merges with the Bypass maybe 15 -20 Kms from the point the Bypass starts.

Maybe you are getting confused with the Road from Amboli that one has to cross the Belgaum City.

Rather the bigger hurdle is crossing Pune City, as from the Katraj Bypass till the time you hit the YC Expressway, it can take anywhere from an hour to two depending on the time of the day.

Hope this helps

[RedTerrano]

Originally Posted by shivshanker

Maybe you are getting confused with the Road from Amboli that one has to cross the Belgaum City.

You know what, you could be actually right. Now that you mentioned Amboli, I am not 100% sure about passing through Belgaum on the way to BLR. Could have very well been some other destination.

[Pam81]

I am planning Pune - Hosur - Rajapalayam on Oct 2.

I am thinking to start by 2am from Pune so as to reach Hosur by 5pm or earlier. I am planning to take few hours of break in Hosur and then drive on from there for 7 hours to reach Rajapalayam. I am travelling with family and hence this break might extend to overnight stay based on their comfort.

Last I drove in this stretch was Oct'19 but I went through Pune - Belgaum - Goa - Mysore - Coimbatore.

I would like to know, approx how many diversions between Hubli - Chitradurga and how many hours it would add to due disruptions in otherwise normal driving hours considering legal max speeds?

[shivshanker]

Originally Posted by Pam81

I am planning Pune - Hosur - Rajapalayam on Oct 2.

I am thinking to start by 2am from Pune so as to reach Hosur by 5pm or earlier. I am planning to take few hours of break in Hosur and then drive on from there for 7 hours to reach Rajapalayam.

I would like to know, approx how many diversions between Hubli - Chitradurga and how many hours it would add to due disruptions in otherwise normal driving hours considering legal max speeds?

@Pam81, I did this Hubli -BLR, last in Mar 2020, before the Rains and the lock down, the 225 odd kms will take you at least 4 hours. Yes, there are several diversions and road construction, that will hinder smooth movement of traffic. I have not bothered to count them, but some of them are just there.

I need not tell you this, but if you can really start from Pune at 2.00 am them that means you can cross Belgaum at around ~ 6:30 -7:00 in the morning which means you cross Hubli bypass at around 8:15.

Considering it is 2nd Oct, a public holiday and that offices in that part of the world only start at 11:00 am, with a breakfast hole before Haveri should get you to Tumkuru by around 1:30.

I normally use the Kamat Upchar for Jollad Rotti Oota (meals) Near Dobaspet, National Highway 4, Nelamangala Taluk, Tumkur Road, Nelamangala, Bengaluru 562111, KA.

Try not to miss this, as in my case I have not found a decent place to eat after this before I hit Bangalore City.

I hope you are taking the NICE Road upon entering Bangalore to exit at Electronic City.