Unsafe roads

[hvkumar]

Safety on roads is the top-most priority. By and large, Indian roads are free of dacoity but from time to time, one hears of incidents of burglary.

In the last 2 years, in the Bombay region, there were sporadic episodes of looting on the Bombay-Pune Expressway which stopped after a gang was arrested.

We have a new unsafe zone in the Bombay Region - on the busy NH8 between Bombay-Ahmedabad-Delhi. 2 days ago, just 20 kms north of Bombay border (Dahisar), near Vasai, traffic was stopped late in the night en masse (lorries blocking the road) and cars and buses looted by a gang of around 30 members! This surely is one of the largest road dacoity episodes ever in this region. The gang is yet to be apprehended.

Please use this thread to report any unsafe routes in your respective regions so that we are all forewarned.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/I...ow/2609513.cms

[rippergeo]

as always, Mr Kumar is in the forefront of finding us the best routes. is this thread only for dacoity/robbery or can we also report traffic hazards on the highways? we dont get much dacoity here in the south.

[hvkumar]

In the South, let me quickly add the following sections (both Naxal problems), all in AP:

- Pulimentla-Puttaparthi (have been stopped by Naxals myself)
- Panyam-Kurnool (police escorts at night)
- Gooty-Tadapatri (en route Cudappah)

Ideally, this thread can be used to report any unsafe situations, including traffic hazards.

[iraghava]

And up North, especially during the winters (foggy conditions especially) do not take the Hapur-Moradabad route after 10pm. There are incidents galore during the winter season. Summers is no issue.

[speedzak]

Back in 99, I've been stopped once in Shiradi Ghats by a gang of 10-15. They were looking for something specific it seems. After a look into my boot and insides, they let me go. But I was scared like hell. I stopped at Hassan and spent the night in one hotel and continued to Bangalore the next day.

There had been a few dacoity reports in NH7 near Kanyakumari about a year ago.

[phamilyman]

NH59: Ahmedabad - Indore. DONT do the section from dahod-dhar Alone. Machaliya ghat post Jhabua is renowned for looting. Unfriendly people as well.

At night is supposedly safer, courtesy police convoys

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

NH59: Ahmedabad - Indore. DONT do the section from dahod-dhar Alone. Machaliya ghat post Jhabua is renowned for looting. Unfriendly people as well.

At night is supposedly safer, courtesy police convoys

Thanks for the warning, I did it once between 7 and 10 pm, lucky.

[Dhanasekaran]

I was told route between Cuddapah-Rayachoti-Pileru is also not advisable for night driving due to naxals.

[vicra]

Hi,

2years ago robbery was so common in a strech from "REDHILLS TO TVS LUCAS JUNCTION", the strech is about 5 kms and the robbers follow a simple plan


1.Information from near by toll gate about truck no's to go for....

2.One truck will be distracting in front of the particular truck which is fully loaded with costly things and another truck will pack the same truck on the left side

3.Robbers will jump from the truck on the left side and start the process

4.Before the junction arrives all the robbers jump back to the truck again and the truck will take the immediate lift

after 3 years the the whole gang was arrested including an RTO officer, two guys from the toll both....

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Thanks for the warning, I did it once between 7 and 10 pm, lucky.

[kunaldhami]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

NH59: Ahmedabad - Indore. DONT do the section from dahod-dhar Alone. Machaliya ghat post Jhabua is renowned for looting. Unfriendly people as well.

At night is supposedly safer, courtesy police convoys

Agreed..very unsafe zone.

[ravibhat]

In costal Karnataka so far very very less Dacoity as per my knowledge.

Few unsafe stretches I heard during night time in the past:

1. Few places between Bellary to Anantpur (NH63).
2. Bellary to Challakere especially Andra border where dacoits take advantage because in border areas police used to neglect too much.
3. Jog Falls to Honnavar (mainly ghat section).
4. Sirsi to Kumta (mainly ghat section).
5. Yellapur to Ankola (mainly ghat section of NH63).
6. Few stretches between Shimoga and Agumbe.

I heard only 2 or 3 cases so far in last 10 years. But dacoits have tried looting (Cars, Bus, Truck) in these stretches.

Regards,

Ravi.

[hvkumar]

Bahrampur to Krishnangar in West Bengal.

Recently, there was areport that the ghat road from Manor to Palghar had incidents of dacoity

[hell_raiser]

Originally Posted by iraghava

And up North, especially during the winters (foggy conditions especially) do not take the Hapur-Moradabad route after 10pm. There are incidents galore during the winter season. Summers is no issue.

Disagree with you here. My parents stay in Gajraula which is about midway between the two. It is one of the most high density highways I know which is still two lane. I have been stuck between the two, Hapur and Moradabad many times due to accidents and lorries overturning, usually during nigh time or early morning. No problems whatsoever. I regularly use this route and my parents use it on a day to day basis.
Also the Police presence is very heavy and they are posted after every 10-20kms or so. No, no, they have not started to do their jobs , its just to fleece poor truck drivers. Also the volume of traffic is such that you are never alone.

One warning though. Never use the interior bylanes and shortcuts,even in cases of endless jams, unless a Policeman verifies a route and then also travel in a convoy and obviously let someone else lead if you are not sure.

Yes it is a congested highway and hence driving should be very careful but dangerous it is not. Also the section from gajraula to Moradabad is now being 4 laned and work started on the hapur - gajraula stretch. Dont know when it will finish cause ... well this is UP. Though if the quality is same as Hapur bypass it will be worth the wait, though that was with Japanese help.

Also the section to be avoided is the Meerut to Gadh Mukteshwar at nights.
And during any big festival the bridge in gadh mukteshwar will be JAM PACKED. It will take you no less than 8-14 hrs to get through if you are lucky. This is the place where pilgrims take a dip to wash away their sins but leave their vehicles on the highway. Sorry for including traffic woes into this thread but it is a very serious problem on this highway.

[iraghava]

Originally Posted by hell_raiser

Disagree with you here. My parents stay in Gajraula which is about midway between the two.

I would disagree with you too, my hometown is Moradabad & I travel this route atleast twice every week! Majority of the incidents happen in the Gajraula-Moradabad stretch where fog cover is the heaviest and police presence which you claim as heavy is actually patchy. I personally have had close misses & know of quite a few incidents that have happened to people known to me including one where a friend's Son-in-Law to be was murdered after being robbed along with his father hours before his marriage was to take place in Moradabad. They were travelling from Ghaziabad to Moradabad for the wedding.

P.S. And Gajraula is not midway, that would be Simbhaoli about 80-odd kms from Moradabad & Delhi. Gajraula is 56kms from Moradabad & about 110kms from Delhi.

[moralfibre]

The scariest road I rode a bike through was the stretch between Mysore to Calicut via Waynad sanctuary. If the dacoits don't get you the elephants definitely will and if you still survive a pothole would be your grave.