Bangalore-Kolkata (Bolpur)- Bangalore Road trip

[biswajit]

Hi All,
Onset of Diwali coming 31st October night we (family) will be leaving for our ancestral place to celebrate Diwali/Kali puja in a Safari. If somebody can share following info, it'll be a great help for me.

1. In Bangalore: Whether WhiteField Railway over bridge is done? That road is open for traffic?
2. How is the present road condition between Bangalore and Tirupat?
3. Is it safe at night?

Thanks in advance,
Biswajit

[akroy]

Originally Posted by biswajit

Hi All,
In Bangalore: Whether WhiteField Railway over bridge is done? That road is open for traffic?

Dont know, Where do you stay? I thought you stay in Banerghatta road, you will take the cable stayed bridge

Originally Posted by biswajit

How is the present road condition between Bangalore and Tirupat?

It is good as always except for Chittoor BP, but nothing for a safari (it is just uneven but not potholed)

Originally Posted by biswajit

Is it safe at night?

Absolutely, infact I would suggest you start from Bangalore at 3PM, so that you can reach Nayudupeta by 8PM and onto GQ...do a whole night drive (I hope you have 2 drivers like your Uttaranchal trip), you should be in Vizag by morning (6-7AM), if you want keep driving and make a halt in Gopalpur which you will reach by noon...

Next day make it from Gopalpur to Bolpur-Shantiniketan...Continue on the same NH6 bypassing howrah and hit NH2 near Dankuni...After crossing Barddhaman, Panagarh, right turn for Darjeeling More, there is a road from Ilambazar to Bolpur (I dont know about the road status, will talk to my FIL tomorrow and let you know)

Biswajit da, I am also getting tempted to drive with you but unfortunately cannot , if time and leaves permit I will drive down again next year...

Abhi

[biswajit]

Thanks Abhi.

Originally Posted by akroy

Dont know, Where do you stay? I thought you stay in Banerghatta road, you will take the cable stayed bridge
Abhi

Yes, I'm staying in Bannerghatta Road. My plan is to take outer ring road-Marathalli-White Field-Kadugodi- Join Old Madras road aprox 10KM before Hoskote, in that way we'll bypass most of the city traffic.
We'll start at the earliest possible however at this point of time it looks grim to start @3PM , mostly it'll between 6-9PM.
We are having 2 confirm drivers and 1 optional. Have couple of open ended options: we may break our journey at Araku valley-bora caves (from Vizag), Vizag, Gopalpur, Cuttack (my maternal place), Bishnupur(Mukutmonipur). If we are reaching Kharagpur in the morning then we'll take NH-60 and will continue through Medinipur-Bishnupur-Durgapur RS-Panagarh. If its dark in Kharagpur we'll continue with GQ as you've suggested.

It'll be great help if you can extract some info from your contacts .

[akroy]

Biswajit da, Just had a talk to my FIL, he provided with the following updates:
1) He encouraged to take the NH60 route from Kharagpur. Kharagpur to Bankura, the road is good. It is shorter and takes very less time.
2) As per the map there is a right turn from Ramsagar to Kaksa (near Darjeeling More) via Sonamukhi, the road conditions of which he was not aware (it is better you ask locals there). If at all it is bad, then you take the Bankura - Durgapur route, which was bad sometime back but motorable (some reapir work is also been done)
3) Ilambazar - Bolpur is about 13km and the road is good...
4) You can do all the route even in night time, nothing to worry about security...I would suggest you to take the Kolkata route instead of NH60 if you cannot cross NH60 latest by 7PM...

I would suggest you to go to Boracaves, Vizag & Rambha-Puri ferry ride in your return journey because you will be more relaxed in return journey...While going forward you cover most of the route faster (because your mind will be more excited to reach home), I suggest Gopalpur for the first stopover, Gopalpur - Bolpur for the next day (if you get late to reach Kgp, then drive via Kolkata and reach Bolpur in late night)...
Sunakhala - Ganjam, Balasore - Bhadrak sections can slow you down otherwise it should be fast...Once you cross Balasore, the drive will be faster as the Laxmannath - Jaleswar section is complete (means 2 hour saved)...

Abhi

[biswajit]

Originally Posted by akroy

1) He encouraged to take the NH60 route from Kharagpur. Kharagpur to Bankura, the road is good. It is shorter and takes very less time.
2) As per the map there is a right turn from Ramsagar to Kaksa (near Darjeeling More) via Sonamukhi, the road conditions of which he was not aware (it is better you ask locals there). If at all it is bad, then you take the Bankura - Durgapur route, which was bad sometime back but motorable (some reapir work is also been done)
3) Ilambazar - Bolpur is about 13km and the road is good...
4) You can do all the route even in night time, nothing to worry about security...I would suggest you to take the Kolkata route instead of NH60 if you cannot cross NH60 latest by 7PM...
Abhi

Thanks Abhi and your FIL for sharing this crucial info about NH-60. This was the weak link in our journey.
Thanks for your suggestions for checking out some places in our journey. As I mentioned earlier, while going we may visit our maternal place (Cuttack)- night stay, that too if we reach within 9-10 PM. We don't have any other confirm place to visit, but we'll plan as journey progresses.

If you can get some info on Ramsagar-Sonamukhi-Kaksa route from your contacts/FIL, it'll be a great help. Between I'll also try to get info for that part from my contacts.

[akroy]

Biswajit da, Some more updates,

FIL had a chat with a driver who did the Kharagpur - Bankura - Durgapur stretch...he told that the stretch is good and you can do it fast...
Near Durgapur RS ask for Muchipara which will lead you to GQ, another 20km (towards Kolkata) will take you to Darjeeling More, take left from there for Bolpur...

Safety wise also it is fine...

Good Luck
Abhi

[BunnyPunia]

Im runnin a topic for mum-siliguri here - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...oute-help.html (Mumbai to Siliguri : Route Help)

I understand , that taking the NH60 from kharagpur ill Durgapur makes sense, and then to Bolpur, but after that? How to get to the Siliguri route from here? or shall i do Durgapur-Shantiniketan-siuri-rampur hut-murarai-NH34-Farakka-siliguri

edit
Thanks to Akroy's post at http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/602423-post16.html , i got his lovely info : "Follow the Siuri route
Darjeeling More - Ilambazar - Siuri - Rampurhat - Takipur - Moregram (150km) is a nice road and you can go in good speed and you will hit NH34 at Moregram, take left for Farakka - Malda - Siliguri..."

This way i can bypass Kolkata.. lovely!!

[xotiq]

Planning the same route (Bangalore-Kolkatta) sometime this year sept/oct.

I have a choice between 2 vehicles, swift ddis and indigo dicor (both about a year old). Can someone guide me which might be the better option to take for this long trip?

whats the total time it takes to reach Kolkatta?(approx)

we have decided to drive only during days, drivers include me and wifey. Since i have not been for a long drive like this, i would like to know if its too strenous a task?

[jazzy_2cool]

Hi ALL,
Have a look at this link ll help you guys .

Travelogue:Bangalore – Kolkata- Bangalore
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/40757-finally-got-black-beast-home-palio1-3-mjd-12.html (Finally Got The Black Beast Home (Palio1.3 MJD))

[biswajit]

Originally Posted by xotiq

Planning the same route (Bangalore-Kolkatta) sometime this year sept/oct.

I have a choice between 2 vehicles, swift ddis and indigo dicor (both about a year old). Can someone guide me which might be the better option to take for this long trip?

whats the total time it takes to reach Kolkatta?(approx)

we have decided to drive only during days, drivers include me and wifey. Since i have not been for a long drive like this, i would like to know if its too strenous a task?

I think indigo will be better car for the long journey, since inside space is more.
Total time depends upon many things, normally it takes about 30 driving hours. I heard at present road condition is not good in Orissa, before venturing out try to get info about it.
Driving at day is a good idea, since you both will drive it won't that strenous.

[asdon]

Hi Guys,

I am planning to drive down to Kolkata from Bangalore during this September, Route planned like - Electronic City-NH207-Hoskote-Kolar-Chittoor-Tirupati-Gudur-Vijaz-Bhubaneshwar-Kharagpur-Kolkata. Want to know the road condition on NH 5, specially in Orissa, those who have travelled recently in these route please suggest. Plan to drive 14 hr a day(about 950km).

Thanks,

Avijit