[somersault]

Hi friends, Need advice from people traveling on Samruddhi,

I am planning to go to Nagpur from Mumbai Western suburb tomorrow. I am thinking of starting 6 AM from Andheri. Could you please recommend me following based on your experience.
1. Is 6 AM good time to start or should start early
2. What breakfast/ toilet place you would recommend around Padgha - Igatpuri stretch before joining onto Samruddhi Mahamarg.
3. What are the ideal petrol pumps to fill in the XP95 for my Kodiaq during the complete journey. I believe there is one petrol pump right at the start of the expressway?
4. Any possible lunch places/ toilet places along the way, where should I fill good quality XP95 again mid way.

For the return Journey where I am starting from Buti Bori,
1. What will be the recommended breakfast point/ tank full point.

[ambivalent_98]

Just drove on Samruddhi Mahamarg last week -

Pros-
1) Engineering marvel and can get you to Nagpur and from Nagpur in little time.
2) Amazing sights along the way.
3) Effective stray cattle protection and holding well so far. Didn't see a single dead dog or other roadkill.

Cons -
1) Surface at places does pose a challenge to tyres. At higher speeds it takes quite a toll on the tyres.
2) Lots of tyre fragments lying all along the highway as re-tread truck tyres peel off.
3) Zero Safety Patrol vehicles of any type.
4) LArge patches of road without mobile connectivity.
5) Emptiness of road and generally just sitting idle controlling the steering wheel makes the mind wander and makes one feels drowsy / sleepy.
6) Very few fuel stops on the way and very very poor cafeteria / eateries en route. No branded chain restaurants at all. They will see a decent traffic considering the number of users on the E-way.
7) New drivers with newer cars tend to drive fast causing tyres bursts or punctures. Saw lots of those en route.
8) Poor driving etiquette causes lots of incidents and the higher the speed the more severe it gets.

For first time travellers -
1) Drive slowly and less than or equal to 100 kph if your car goes that far, but this is a safe speed and it is not a race track.
2) Carry plenty of food and water as the food facilities are pathetic.
3) Make it a point to pause for a few minutes after an hour of driving. This has to be done as there is nothing else to keep your mind distracted. Not a single advertisement board of any sort.
4) Keep spare tyre prepped and ready in case you encounter a puncture.
5) Finally, tank up before you get on the E-way as you will end up on a sticky situation since petrol stations are places approx. 100 kms apart.

Good luck and have a safe drive.

[somersault]

Drove on the Samruddhi Highway on 7th from Mumbai to Nagpur and on 10th from Nagpur to Mumbai. My observations of the highway.

Good things -
1. Reduces the time considerably. Straight line drive. So lesser fatigue to the mind to check for other vehicles.
2. Can drive with Cruise control for the complete journey. I used cruise with 118 KMPH setting.
3. Road surface is generally good. Tires need to be big and with high ratings to drive safely.

Things to watch -
1. Road kills at night and the dead animals on the road
2. Highway Hypnosis. Specially with cruise control. Take a compulsory break every 2 hours to reduce fatigue.
3. Risky for single person journey from the point of highway fatigue.
4. Saw many vehicles with punctures and people replacing tires on the shoulder. This is definitely a tire maintenance issue.

Things to consider for planning -
1. Plan the petrol pumps visits. Make the tank full at Padgha or Igatpuri when driving from Mumbai to Nagpur. Make another tank full at around Jalna and then another one around Buti Bori. For return, full tank at Sindi next to Nagpur then around Aurangabad area and then in Kasara / Shahapur.
2. No proper food malls but now small BP or IOC branded snacks/chai shops are coming up at the petrol pumps. You can get Misal Pav, Pav bhaji, lassi, chaas etc at those places.
3. At 3 petrol pumps air compressors were not working. Please carry your own portable air compressor. Since the network on the highway is limited, carry your own air inflator for tubeless tires.
4. Google maps behaves erratically due to network issues. It is best to download map before the start of the journey.

Notes -
Saw just one accident on the way. Otherwise safe and peaceful journey. Saw couple of police vans at the medians with speed guns measuring speeds.

Summary - Overall a great way to travel if your car and tires can support.

[gauravdgr8]

Recently drove from Hyderabad to Aurangabad. The Washim to Aurangabad stretch was on the HHSSM (Hindu Hriday Samrat Samruddhi Mahamarg). Excellent road conditions. Petrol pumps now have started South Indian, Tea, Coffee, Vada Pav etc on both sides of the expressway.

What beats me is the road etiquette of some citizens. Imagine an Alto driving on the right most lane at 70 and not budging.

[satyamkolhe]

Originally Posted by gauravdgr8

What beats me is the road etiquette of some citizens. Imagine an Alto driving on the right most lane at 70 and not budging.

The problem in India on expressways is that not everyone knows which lane is used for what. It took time for me to understand too. How people normally drive is that they take a lane, and change it only if they have to overtake and then drive in the same lane at speeds convenient to them.

If someone is going slow in the fast lane and the Centre lane is empty, no matter how much you try they won't budge. In that car, the driver will probably be cursing you for pestering him when you can just overtake from the other lane

Government is planning to put fines for driving in the wrong lanes but I doubt that alone will work.
Driving license exams and test should be made stricter so that people actually know the rules before they go on to the roads and indulge in such behavior.

[parsh]

Just drove back from Nagpur to Mumai via Pune on Sat 30 November 2024.

Started 6:30 AM from Nagpur home.
Reached Pune home around 4:30 PM.
Reached Mumbai home around 8:30 PM.

Total of 870 kms travel in 14 hours with about 2 hours for breaks in between.

Pune Expressway was like all of Pune was driving to Mumbai. But traffic was consistent and very less of speeding except for a few Beemers, Mercs and some other cars. Good to see the effect of the Speed Cam framework placed across the width of the road along the whole length.

Decent Fuel Pumps have started by now on either side but check locations and plan filling as per your travel. I generally plan IOC pumps and they are now enough on both sides.

There are small food joints at Fuel Pumps, like Maha Chai and some others serving Samosas, wada paav, maggies, Idli/Dosa, Pizza etc. We had Fuel fill and tummy fill with Samosas at Waifal IOC immediately after Waifal Samruddhi Entry Toll from Nagpur.

Lunched late at Aakash Misal House at RajguruNagar around 3 PM. Didn't appreciate much the taste this time. I would vouch for Sadhana Misal at Nashik much better than this both for ambience and taste. However, if on this stretch, this is one of best places for food stop not just for misal, but you get all other food.

The Samruddhi road quality is deteriorating from the early days when first section to Shirdi was started. There are various uneven patches, bridge patches uneven, bridge joiners being re-reparied and a few big concrete patches being repaired and having small diversions.

The Places and Directions board frames across width of the road have been put up at numerous places. These frames are build to host Speed Cameras. Some frames have been installed with Speed Cameras from Nagpur side. Rest of the Speed Cam installation work is in progress. There are also a few Speed Cam Flashers on the central dividers on singular poles.

Instead of speeding on this otherwise beautiful road, enjoy the road and scenary around and make an enjoyable drive without getting fatigue and getting sleepy. Even at 120 kph max limit, you can easily do decent distances in decent timelines and keep safe as well.


Just some additional info if not known about Shirdi Darshan on way.
The facility I am telling is operating since long but quite a few people do not know as I found out.
While going from Mumbai-Pune-Nagpur we took stop at Shirdi.
If you are accompanied by senior citizen or differently abled person or even normally abled person with temporary disablement, you can directly head to Gate No 3.
Drive though the small lane going towards Gate No 3 Parking marked on GMaps and park there with nominal charges of Rs 50. Don't get caught by the shop agents there who will fool you to get prasad from them and parking will be free.

Get to Gate No. 3 security at about 100 meters and ask for a Wheelchair.
Deposit 1 Aadhar/ID card there. Take wheelchair and wheel your person to Gate No 3 and get direct entry at the foot of Sai Baba in middle lane through ramps.
1 Person is allowed free as an accompaniment to the person being wheeled. You do have to wheel your own person. Even without a Wheelchair, a senior citizen with 1 accompaniment will be directly allowed this VVVIP route.

We parked at 10:45 AM and were out by 11:15 AM after Darshan.

[shogun_man]

I am planning to drive from Thane to Nagzira wildlife sanctuary & Tadoba wildlife sanctuary via the Samruddhi Mahamarg with a stopover in Mehkar (Hotel KV pride) towards Nagpur & Ellora on the way back. Can anyone recommend food & fuel stops on this route?

[Aryan.M]

Originally Posted by shogun_man

I am planning to drive from Thane to Nagzira wildlife sanctuary & Tadoba wildlife sanctuary via the Samruddhi Mahamarg with a stopover in Mehkar (Hotel KV pride) towards Nagpur & Ellora on the way back. Can anyone recommend food & fuel stops on this route?

It is best to carry your own food. Some fuel bunks have started small snacks counters but you have to be very lucky to get the food of choice and taste. Not very dependable, especially when you are with family and kids.

[shogun_man]

Thanks Aryan.M. Will carry my own food as suggested.

[vharihar]

https://x.com/abhirammodak/status/18...AsleE1wbA&s=08

The full Mumbai Nagpur Expwy (last leg, thru the ghats) expected to be completed next month. Early 2025 will see the opening of this ...

[RM Motorsports]

At Least 50 Vehicles Punctured on Mumbai-Nagpur Highway.

Tyres of at least 50 cars were punctured on Monday evening on the Mumbai-Nagpur Highway. The incident triggered confusion and chaos among the travellers who were passing through the particular stretch. However, the incident led to a pile-up of vehicles on the road. This left commuters stranded and in panic as there was no instant assistance. Other travellers caught in the traffic jam also had to wait long hours till the situation was resolved.

Upon investigation by locals, they found an iron board lying on the road. It is suspected that the same fell on the road accidentally, while many assumed that it was placed there desperately. An official probe has been launched to find out if the incident was planned or was an accident.

https://www.timesnownews.com/mumbai/...icle-116820587

[youknowitbetter]

Hey, planning to go to Tadoba in next few days. Instead of taking the flight, I am thinking of driving down. Just wanted to check if anyone has recently been there and what's the best route. Based on the conditions of the road, can I take a low sedan or should we take a SUV?

[paras211]

Originally Posted by youknowitbetter

Hey, planning to go to Tadoba in next few days. Instead of taking the flight, I am thinking of driving down. Just wanted to check if anyone has recently been there and what's the best route. Based on the conditions of the road, can I take a low sedan or should we take a SUV?

I went last summer, left Mumbai at 6am was in the hotel at 3pm.
Eat before or after the samraddhi highway. The highway as really bad loo,s and bad food. Highway hypnosis is a real problem on this highway,one starts feeling drowsy in 2 hours.
No speed cameras on most sections but average speed is calculated at exit so factor in the pitstops and you are good to go.
Better to take an SUV if you intend to travel from the hotel to the forest gate in your own car, some gates are 10km + away, in an open gypsy/ dmax in the early morning will we super cold especially with kids. Same on the way out will be sunny and dusty.
The roads were very nice from hotel to gate except sudden patches 10-20 meters where the road vanishes. Although I was in a superb, didn't scrape except once when I couldn't slowdown enough in time, but better if you have a safe fast SUV. I don't own an SUV other than an off road prep gypsy .
Happy sighting.
PS they don't allow phones to click pictures during the safari, so carry a camera even if you have to dig out your old one.

[anjan_c2007]

An unusual incident happened near Wanoja village in Washim dist on the lane leading towards Nagpur, when a metal sheet (purportedly the rear trailer gate) with sharp- edged portrusions fell off a truck with an articulated trailer at around 10.00 pm on Sunday night. Owing to the darkness, motorists could not sight it and as a result 50 to 60 cars suffered flat tyres. The police from Karanja and Malegaon removed this sheet within 30 minutes to clear the road. The truck was apprehended and detained. Police helped the stranded motorists with puncture repairs at Malegaon village.

The newsreport:-



Other media reports say that about 150 people were left stranded on the road for hours together post the incident that happened around 10 pm. No injuries were reported even as these 50-60 vehicles were being driven at 80-100 kmph speeds. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) states that the truck trailers heavy door was lying on the 100 kmph lane.

[vivek95]

Originally Posted by vharihar

https://x.com/abhirammodak/status/18...AsleE1wbA&s=08

The full Mumbai Nagpur Expwy (last leg, thru the ghats) expected to be completed next month. Early 2025 will see the opening of this ...

And now this has been postponed to March as per some news. I just looked up into today's videos on youtube by drone enthusiasts and felt that its easily 2 months away from being fully ready. I will not be surprised if it gets postponed till June given that this is Maharashtra - an absolute mess of a so called richest state, be it any sector !!