Route update: Driving from Pune to Bangalore via NH48

The sheer driving pleasure and the rest for your right leg with cruise control is unmatched by any other route but there are a few hiccups.

BHPian ghodlur recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

I completed the Pune-Bangalore drive yesterday via the NH48 and let me pen down my experience. Total distance covered was 850 kms and the time taken was 12 hrs for me. Started at 4.30 am in the morning and reached Bangalore at 4.30 pm including 3 halts totalling 50 mins.

Pune-Kognoli BPCL Coco pump:

The roads till Satara are ok with a couple of diversions now. The diversion before the Khed Shivpur toll is pathetic and needs to be traversed carefully. The number of diversions between Karad and Kolhapur isn't many but the road condition is improved making it easy to move on.

The 3-lane concrete sections are opened in patches but what makes it difficult to drive is the ramp given at the start and end of these concrete patches. If one is not careful the vehicle may kind of fly and land in a thud at either end. Reached the Kognoli BP COCO pump in 3 hrs 15 mins for a tea break of 15 mins. A delay of 15 mins from the usual time.

BPCL COCO pump to Shell Pale Hubli:

The pain starts after Kognoli and continues to torment for 50 odd kms till Hattargi. The diversions are too many, in fact, the travel in this stretch is on the service road only. The service road condition is good to ok to bad to worse in patches. Watch out for the unmarked speed breakers, they come unannounced.

Tavandi ghat which was a bottleneck now gets 2 lane concrete road. After 50 odd kms the real road of KA starts from Hattargi onwards. Speeds can be made up here for the lost time in the diversions and cruise control can be used for fuel average. Unfortunately, the 27 kms single-lane road between Dharwad and Hubli still exists although one can see the second 2-lane road being built but at a snail's pace. Covered the stretch to Shell Pale Hubli in 3 hrs which was 40 mins more than the usual time taken. Had breakfast at Kamath's Chabbi, Hubli.

Shell Pale Hubli to Kamath's Sira:

This is the stretch when one can free arms even more, could see vehicles zipping at 150 speeds as well while I maintained a sober triple-figure speed. Few diversions have sprung up in the stretch but nothing that can slow down. Reached in 3 hrs 30 mins.

Kamath's Sira to Devanahalli:

Nothing to write about except the traffic at Tumkur and the potholes before Tumkur could be something one didn't wish. The STRR from Dabaspete is a boon in disguise for the North Bangalore residents. Covered the stretch in 2 hrs.

I was told that the few tolls in KA where the diversions are there are charging half the toll, need to confirm the toll transactions. There is nothing of this half charge in MH.

Conclusion:

If one can peacefully cover the diversion section in KA and be careful of the concrete sections in MH, NH48 is still the route to be taken. The sheer driving pleasure and the rest for the right leg with cruise control is unmatched by any other route.

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