[Sudipto-S-Team]

From Rambha I would drive to Calcutta (not enter the city but take a hotel near Dankuni). Next day to Siliguri via Panagarh/Suri/Dumka (not via Asansol). But since I am a Calcuttan I might be biased. I would never in my wildest imagination want to spend a night in Dumka, particularly with family.

The turn to Chittaranjan (if at all you go via that route) is from a crossing called Chowringhee Morh. The old checkpost is a little beyond this. That has been abandoned now and has been moved further away. Chowringhee is a little further down the road from Jubilee petrol pump. Its official name is not Jubilee Petrol Pump any more but everyone calls it that.

PS: I just checked the map. It is insane to go via Chittaranjan/Madhupur etc to Dumka when you have the option of going via Pangarh/Siuri/Massanjore. I have driven to Deoghar several times but never via Asansol Chittaranjan. It's a huge detour. Many years ago that used to be the only route because this route did not exist.

[anurag_p80]

Originally Posted by Sudipto-S-Team

From Rambha I would drive to Calcutta (not enter the city but take a hotel near Dankuni). Next day to Siliguri via Panagarh/Suri/Dumka (not via Asansol). But since I am a Calcuttan I might be biased. I would never in my wildest imagination want to spend a night in Dumka, particularly with family.

The turn to Chittaranjan (if at all you go via that route) is from a crossing called Chowringhee Morh. The old checkpost is a little beyond this. That has been abandoned now and has been moved further away. Chowringhee is a little further down the road from Jubilee petrol pump. Its official name is not Jubilee Petrol Pump any more but everyone calls it that.

PS: I just checked the map. It is insane to go via Chittaranjan/Madhupur etc to Dumka when you have the option of going via Pangarh/Siuri/Massanjore. I have driven to Deoghar several times but never via Asansol Chittaranjan. It's a huge detour. Many years ago that used to be the only route because this route did not exist.

Thanks Sudipto! Have ruled out Dumka as a night halt for Day 2. It will be either Asansol or Bhagalpur. Asansol have any decent hotels, specially near the Jubilee Petrol pump? I am using the Asansol-Gourandi-Masalia route as per advice from Babuda and HVK and also looking at the beautiful pictures of the roads there posted by rahul on the other thread . Besides it does have an advantage of extra distance on the excellent GT Road.

I want to do as much distance as I can on Day 2, and end Day 3 in Phuntsholing so that I can process permits early morning. Stopping the night in Siliguri or thereabouts would mean additional travel in the morning to get to Phuntsholing. Since there is no decent place to stay (looks like) between Rambha and Bhagalpur beyond Kolkata/ Asansol, I might end up stopping either at Kokata near Dankuni or at Asansol ( I am not a quick driver) if I think it will be too late to drive to Bhagalpur/ too dark.

[Sudipto-S-Team]

We have a resident of Asansol here. I forget his exact handle. Lovescars or something. He has just started a thread on his travel to Rajasthan recently. Please send him a PM on Asansol hotels.
One of HVK's friends from Pune went via Dumka-Bhagalpur the other day (don't know his handle either). He says it took him four hours (and his sanity) to do that stretch :-) So any other alternative would be better perhaps. But personally I am not aware of this route you talk about. Must find out in better detail.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by anurag_p80

I am using the Asansol-Gourandi-Masalia route as per advice from Babuda and HVK

Presently, the Darjeeling More-Siuri-Masinjore-Dumka route is decent, compared with the Jamtara-Dumka route which has lots of pot holes. However, roads beyond Dumka towards Bhagalpur are the worst, so the alternative won't spare you the tumbles I had at least 5 cars go on this road last 7 days.

I want to do as much distance as I can on Day 2, and end Day 3 in Phuntsholing so that I can process permits early morning. Stopping the night in Siliguri or thereabouts would mean additional travel in the morning to get to Phuntsholing. Since there is no decent place to stay (looks like) between Rambha and Bhagalpur beyond Kolkata/ Asansol, I might end up stopping either at Kokata near Dankuni or at Asansol ( I am not a quick driver) if I think it will be too late to drive to Bhagalpur/ too dark.

Road from Siliguri to Phuntsoling is excellent whether you go via Sevoke-Mal Bazar or Dhupuguri. You should take just 3-4 hours. If you leave by 530 am, you should be at the border before 830 am (IST 830 am, BST 900 am) when IMmigration opens.

Originally Posted by Sudipto-S-Team

One of HVK's friends from Pune went via Dumka-Bhagalpur the other day (don't know his handle either). He says it took him four hours (and his sanity) to do that stretch :-) So any other alternative would be better perhaps. But personally I am not aware of this route you talk about. Must find out in better detail.

[Sudipto-S-Team]

I stand corrected on the Gourandi-Masalia route. I thought this was some route to avoid Dumka-Bhagalpur. But of course it is not. Although on the face of it you get to drive more on the 4-lane road, you end up driving even more on state highways via that route. Not advisable really, given that Panagarh-Siuri-Massanjore-Dumka is fairly decent now.
If you are taking this route that I am suggesting (and HVK too) then staying in Panagarh or Siuri makes better sense.

[anurag_p80]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Presently, the Darjeeling More-Siuri-Masinjore-Dumka route is decent, compared with the Jamtara-Dumka route which has lots of pot holes. However, roads beyond Dumka towards Bhagalpur are the worst, so the alternative won't spare you the tumbles I had at least 5 cars go on this road last 7 days.

So HVK, do you suggest taking the Bardhman-Bolpur-Siuri-Mesanjore to Dumka? And is the route beyond Dumka through the Deogarh route- through Banka and Amarpur to Bhagalpur bad as well?

Originally Posted by Sudipto-S-Team

I stand corrected on the Gourandi-Masalia route. I thought this was some route to avoid Dumka-Bhagalpur. But of course it is not. Although on the face of it you get to drive more on the 4-lane road, you end up driving even more on state highways via that route. Not advisable really, given that Panagarh-Siuri-Massanjore-Dumka is fairly decent now.
If you are taking this route that I am suggesting (and HVK too) then staying in Panagarh or Siuri makes better sense.

Thanks Sudipto. I am reconsidering the route based on suggestions from you guys. Bolpur/ Siuri have decent places for a night halt?

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by anurag_p80

So HVK, do you suggest taking the Bardhman-Bolpur-Siuri-Mesanjore to Dumka? And is the route beyond Dumka through the Deogarh route- through Banka and Amarpur to Bhagalpur bad as well?



Thanks Sudipto. I am reconsidering the route based on suggestions from you guys. Bolpur/ Siuri have decent places for a night halt?

From Dumka, avoid the Bounsi route to Bhagalpur. Instead, take the Deogarh-Banka-Sultanganj-Bhagalpur route, good roads.

[anurag_p80]

Please help with alternatives to stay during the return around the EW corridor. What will be the correct place for a night halt ex-Trashigang (exit from S Jhongkar). Please suggest alternatives to stay..

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by anurag_p80

Please help with alternatives to stay during the return around the EW corridor. What will be the correct place for a night halt ex-Trashigang (exit from S Jhongkar). Please suggest alternatives to stay..

Trashigang-Samdrup Jhonkar-Rangiya-Nalbari-Bongaigaon-Barobisha-Alipurduar

Alipurduar-Birapara-Siliguri-Dalkola-Purnea-Bhagalpur

Bhagalpur-Calcutta

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

From Dumka, avoid the Bounsi route to Bhagalpur. Instead, take the Deogarh-Banka-Sultanganj-Bhagalpur route, good roads.

Could you please clarify which roads to take. Typing these as destinations in Google Maps gives a route which looks very iffy.

Regards
Sutripta

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Could you please clarify which roads to take. Typing these as destinations in Google Maps gives a route which looks very iffy.

Regards
Sutripta

Asansol-Dumka-Deogarh-Sultanganj-Bhagalpur
https://goo.gl/maps/6Mw2W

[Sudipto-S-Team]

Don't take Bardhaman-Bolpur-Siuri. Take Bardhaman-Panagarh (turn right from Darjeeling Morh which is just after the town of Panagarh)-Ilambazar-Suri. Roads are better and very straightforward.

On the face of it via Bolpur is shorter. But it is through winding and narrow old state highway. Worst part is you will be stopped innumerable number of times by locals asking for chanda in the name of some forthcoming festival. They are very secular. It could be any Hindu-Muslim-Christian festival coming up next. It is a complete nuisance. Not monetarily. They are happy with Rs 5 also. But the time that is wasted and the irritation/BP raise it creates is not worth it.

From Dumka instead of going straight to Bhagalpur do a slight detour and go via Deoghar-Sultanganj, as HVK says. Apparently the road is in much better shape. Member RB2399 recently went up via Dumka-Bhagalpur and came back via Deoghar. He was very happy about the Deoghar route. Bhagalpur to Massanjore took him 4 hours by that route.

So your route should be like this from Calcutta. Calcutta-Bardhaman-Panagarh. Right turn from Darjeeling Morh towards Ilambazar/Siuri. Left turn towards Massanjore (there is a house on your left hand side with a huge concrete football on the rooftop. Turn left here towards Massanjore). Next comes Dumka and then Deoghar .................

For night stay you could consider Bardhaman town or Durgapur outskirts which is not very far from Panagarh's Darjeeling Morh. I doubt if Panagarh has any decent hotels.

There are some nice resorts which are about 10 km out of way (very decent road) - to the right of Ilambazar towards Shantiniketan. You could consider them also.

Deoghar also has decent hotels as it is a major temple town.

But if I started from Rambha I would probably stay in Durgapur outskirts just ahead of Panagarh's Darjeeling Morh. There are quite a few decent hotels there right on the highway.

PS: On google maps Panagarh's Darjeeling Morh is shown as Kanksa, which is the official name but no one really uses it.

[anurag_p80]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

From Dumka, avoid the Bounsi route to Bhagalpur. Instead, take the Deogarh-Banka-Sultanganj-Bhagalpur route, good roads.

Yes. Planning to take the Dumka-Deogarh-Banka-Amarpur-Bhagalpur route

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Trashigang-Samdrup Jhonkar-Rangiya-Nalbari-Bongaigaon-Barobisha-Alipurduar

Alipurduar-Birapara-Siliguri-Dalkola-Purnea-Bhagalpur

Bhagalpur-Calcutta

Thanks HVK. Any suggested places to stay at Alipurduar? I will also research it out a bit.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Asansol-Dumka-Deogarh-Sultanganj-Bhagalpur
https://goo.gl/maps/6Mw2W

Would the Deogarh-Banka-Amarpur route not be better? Fantastic road conditions posted by bhpian rahul4640 in middle of March. Please see below post http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3666656

Originally Posted by Sudipto-S-Team

Don't take Bardhaman-Bolpur-Siuri. Take Bardhaman-Panagarh (turn right from Darjeeling Morh which is just after the town of Panagarh)-Ilambazar-Suri. Roads are better and very straightforward.

Thanks Sudipto. Still tempted by the excellent road conditions posted by bhpian rahul4640 in http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3666656 through babuda's suggested Asansol-Gorandi-Masalia-Dumka route and onward through Banka-Amarpur to Bhagalpur.

Originally Posted by Sudipto-S-Team

So your route should be like this from Calcutta. Calcutta-Bardhaman-Panagarh. Right turn from Darjeeling Morh towards Ilambazar/Siuri. Left turn towards Massanjore (there is a house on your left hand side with a huge concrete football on the rooftop. Turn left here towards Massanjore). Next comes Dumka and then Deoghar .................

For night stay you could consider Bardhaman town or Durgapur outskirts which is not very far from Panagarh's Darjeeling Morh. I doubt if Panagarh has any decent hotels.

There are some nice resorts which are about 10 km out of way (very decent road) - to the right of Ilambazar towards Shantiniketan. You could consider them also.

Deoghar also has decent hotels as it is a major temple town.

But if I started from Rambha I would probably stay in Durgapur outskirts just ahead of Panagarh's Darjeeling Morh. There are quite a few decent hotels there right on the highway.

PS: On google maps Panagarh's Darjeeling Morh is shown as Kanksa, which is the official name but no one really uses it.

OK. Bhpian Secretariat also passed through this route and stayed the night somewhere near Durgapur. Let me also invite him for comments on stay options.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

From Dumka, avoid the Bounsi route to Bhagalpur. Instead, take the Deogarh-Banka-Sultanganj-Bhagalpur route, good roads.

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Could you please clarify which roads to take. Typing these as destinations in Google Maps gives a route which looks very iffy.

Regards
Sutripta

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Asansol-Dumka-Deogarh-Sultanganj-Bhagalpur
https://goo.gl/maps/6Mw2W

Thanks. Problem is being caused by 'Banka', which apparently is actually not on the route.

Regards
Sutripta

[anurag_p80]

Originally Posted by Sheel

Dumka - Bhagalpur stretch at present isn't good. There is a detour mentioned on the last 2-3 pages of that thread. If you are in a car with generous GC, it should not be a problem.

@Sheel, please advise on the current state of the stretch between Dumka-Bhagalpur. Is the Deoghar-Banka-Amarpur route still preferable? And in case one takes the Banka-Amarpur route, do we follow Thumping Soul's recommended route through Bhagalpur (through DN Singh road)? Any impact around bhagalpur from the recent thunderstorms?