[julupani]

Planning a trip to Darjeeling sometime in this month, or may be early June.

As per maps, NHAI etc, there are two kinds of routes that can be taken.

1. NH5-NH60-NH34-NH31

2. NH5-NH60-NH6-NH34-NH31

In both options, the section between Bhubaneswar and Kharagpur and the section between Morigram and Siliguri are ones that have to be taken.

The question is what is the condition of NH60 beyond the GQ section after Kharagpur and the condition of NH34. The 2nd option also has the advantage of missing Kolkata.As both routes have pretty much same length and we are not looking to do any sightseeing on the way, my criteria are only comfort and speed.

One side of the journey will be using the 2nd option due to a stopover at Kolkata for a day or two. So I need info on the condition and how much time is it likely to take to cover different sections of both routes.

BHPians from Bengal, help.

[hvkumar]

Please take the following route:
NH5, Bhubaneswar-Baleshwar
NH60, Baleshwar-Kharagpur
NH6 (Kon Expressway), Kharagpur-Calcutta-Dankuni
NH2 (Durgapur Expressway), Calcutta-Dankuni-Darjeeling MOre
NH60, Darjeeling MOre-Siuri-Rampurhat-Nalhatti-Morgram
NH34, Morgram-Farakka-Malda-Raiganj-Dalkola
NH31, Dalkola-Kishanganj-Siliguri

Please DO NOT take NH50 from Kharagpur to Darjeeling MOre via Medinipur & Bishnupur, that is an awful road. Instead, go on teh superfast 4-laned GQ Kon EXpressway/Durgapur Expressway route. You do not have to enter Calcutta city.
NH60 from Darjeeling MOre is not in good condition in some places till MOrgram.
Your alternative would have been to go on NH34 from Calcutta via Krishnanagar & Behrampur, but that road is very congested and avoidable.
Roads are bad approaching Siliguri and also from there to Darjeeling.

In case you wish to stay in Calcutta, then you could take NH34 throughout one way, coming or going. It is easy to get through Calcutta by taking the Belgaria Expressway from NH34 near Dum Dum to NH2/NH6 near Dankuni.

[julupani]

Can Bhubaneswar to Siliguri be done in a single day, or would it be better to take a overnight stop at Malda??

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by julupani

Can Bhubaneswar to Siliguri be done in a single day, or would it be better to take a overnight stop at Malda??

Impossible.
Driving through Bengal by day is a torturous affair, so many people and miscellaneous traffic.
Assuming 6 hours from Bhubaneswar to Calcutta, it will take you minimum 6 hours to Malda, and another 4-5 hours to Siliguri.
Malda is a good - and has the only decent hotels on NH34 - place to halt.

[BlackPearl]

About 3 years back, Kolkata to Siliguri took about 10-12 Hours and Kolkata to Bhubaneshwar took about 5-6 Hours. So Bhubaneshwar to Siliguri would have taken about 16 Hours of continuous driving. I am not sure about the road conditions nowadays, but it would be advisable to take a break at Malda.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Roads are bad approaching Siliguri and also from there to Darjeeling.

The roads are okay now

They were bad 2-3 months ago, I came from Siliguri - Dalkola on friday and going back again tomorrow.

Darjeeling road too seemed okay a couple of months back. Can't say about the same as of today.

Post Moregram (when the two lane-d road ends) it will be a nightmare to drive between Moregram to Dalkola.

Post Dalkola, upto Siliguri is a bliss.

Dalkola is a mess near the railway crossing. Please keep your cool over there

@HVK - How is the route between Darjeeling more & Morgram? I might be driving to Calcutta some times soon.
(Where is Basu?)

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Sheel

@HVK - How is the route between Darjeeling more & Morgram? I might be driving to Calcutta some times soon.
(Where is Basu?)

Quite bad, my friend drove that way to Siliguri last fortnight. Several bad sections, and slow speeds. I am told that NH34 is far batter, although it is far more difficult to drive by day. If travelling by night, prefer NH34 (via Behrampur) instead of NH60 (via Siuri).

[Sheel]

From what I know, most trucks & buses take the NH-34. (The ones which ply during night).

[julupani]

Thanks guys for your inputs.

As of now it seems, Bhubaneswar to Darjeeling via Siuri(NH60) with an overnight stop at Malda, and the return via Berhampore with an one day stopover at Kolkata.

By the way, according to the latest info available on the NHAI website, which I have found pretty reliable, Dalkola to Siliguri of the EW Corridor is almost complete except for a section immediately after Dalkola. So I assume this last section will be an easy one.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by julupani

By the way, according to the latest info available on the NHAI website, which I have found pretty reliable, Dalkola to Siliguri of the EW Corridor is almost complete except for a section immediately after Dalkola. So I assume this last section will be an easy one.

Its a nightmare at Dalkola, in & around the railway crossing.

The section between Dalkola and Siliguri is very good save for 3 spots.

1) Kishangunj - In case you are in a Car, you will hit speed-breakers umpteen times.
There is a way out though. Once you cross bus-stand and railway station (just after the flyover) and go towards a diversion side by side a over-bridge, go to your extreme right (to the other side of the flyover). Its a narrow road running side by side the NH 34 w/o those giant speed breakers.

2) Islampur - A small kasba sort of. No flyovers. Go slow.

3) Some 50 kms before Siliguri,there is a diversion. 15 days ago, there was no road on the diversion, but its recently constructed.

Kishangunj's mighty, giant speed breakers are your only concern if you are travelling in a low GC Car. Hence, I have already stated an alternate.

Have seen City's and Civic's going khat khatak over those.

[julupani]

@Sheel
We will most likely be taking our Punto petrol which has more than decent GC of 173mm, thus I dont think Kishaganj will be that much of trouble. But still thanks for the tip.

[Judemayne]

Dear HVK & Sheel-though I have thanked you both for the inputs which will be very useful for my Bangalore to NE scheduled for Nov 11 therefore the post. My first break from Bangalore will be Bhub to catch up with family and friends after a night halt at Rajahmundry from Bangy. Therefore I should plan a night halt at Malda from Bhub-I do not want to enter Kolkata as seen the place umpteen No.of times.

[hvkumar]

If you want to stay at Malda, either take the bypass or go through the city to the north end where you have Hotel Golden Park - a little expensive, but a good place to stay in. Better than many of the seedy lodges that dot Malda city.

You do not have to enter Calcutta city if you propose to take the NH2-NH60-NH34 route, via Bardhaman, Darjeeling MOre and Siuri.

[Sheel]

Yes Jude. You may stay over at Maldah. Its almost bang between Calcutta and Siliguri.

It always helps to bypass Calcutta altogether.

@Julu - Glad, I could be of help

@HVK - Of all the times, I have traveled to Maldah, I have completely missed the bye-pass. Is it the one running under an over-bridge with just one signal? Where does it connect the main road? Near the IOC COCO outlet or before it?

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by julupani

Planning a trip to Darjeeling sometime in this month, or may be early June.
....
BHPians from Bengal, help.

Hi,
Don't even think of Kharagpur - Ranigunj/ Durgapur via NH60. Ranigunj to Dubrajpur is even worse!

Till Behrampur/ Moregram via Panagarh or NH34 depends on when you are going to drive, day or night.

Regards
Sutripta