Nagpur-Pune-Mumbai via Samruddhi Highway: My experience

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.

BHPian parsh recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

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.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.