[Vipin Kumar]

I am contemplating on taking a road trip to Jamshedpur from Lucknow, in my Fiesta 1.4 TDCI. The car is at present at 5125 kms only, less than four months old. I am planning only day-time driving.

My own thought has been to take the first day drive up to Varanasi/Mughal Sarai and stay there, and next day to take NH2 till Dhanbad and take the Purulia route to TATA.

Yet I would like to request to experienced members to suggest possible routes.

Which will be the ideal and easiest-to-drive road? Will Lucknow-Kanpur-Allahabad road be better, or is Lucknow-Benaras itself good-enough?

Now, how safe will be this second day stretch, with family and a friend to travel? Any Mao problem right now, during day-time?

The condition of roads, particularly after Dhanbad?

Any place to stay at Varanasi/Mughal Sarai, close to NH2?

Good places to take food and rest for a while enroute after Varanasi?



Should I enter Dhanbad, and if yes, within what time in the afternoon? .

[hvkumar]

I would go from Lucknow to Allahabad, which is a better route compared with Lucknow-Varanasi.

I would not go till Dhanbad. Instead, I would turn off NH2 at Barhi and go via Hazarbag & Ranchi to Jamshedpur.

Unfortunately, there are no convenient places to stay in Varanasi bypass. If you leave early morning (subject to fog), you could even target Hazaribag or Ranchi.

No Maoist problems en route. Facilities are very poor, no places worth recommending for food halts.

If you prefer to go via Dhanbad, then I would suggest you halt at Dhanbad for the night.

[Vipin Kumar]

Thanks so much for the suggestions. Still I have a few more doubts.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

I would go from Lucknow to Allahabad, which is a better route compared with Lucknow-Varanasi.

Let me list my doubts below, in response to each of these suggestions.

I would not go till Dhanbad. Instead, I would turn off NH2 at Barhi and go via Hazarbag & Ranchi to Jamshedpur.

Unfortunately, there are no convenient places to stay in Varanasi bypass. If you leave early morning (subject to fog), you could even target Hazaribag or Ranchi.

No Maoist problems en route. Facilities are very poor, no places worth recommending for food halts.

If you prefer to go via Dhanbad, then I would suggest you halt at Dhanbad for the night.

In this case, should I actually enter Allahabad, or take the NH 2 before I reach Allahabad, as I think it crosses the Lucknow-Allahabad road before the Ganges bridge.

Does it make a substantial difference in distance and road condition together, via Barhi and Ranchi? Or does the Dhanbad-Purulia route to Jamshedpur have any safety problem in an afternoon/evening drive?

And, I may not be a very fast driver, though on very good, broad highways I can drive at 100-120 kmph. For safety reasons, I never tried beyond this limit.

I saw some members mentioning Gobindpur as a point to divert to Jamshedpur from NH 2. I thought Dhanbad will have at least some facilities, if I can reach there by 2 pm starting from Varanasi/Mughal Sarai in the morning.

So going via Dhanbad is also an option?

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

Thanks so much for the suggestions. Still I have a few more doubts.

In this case, should I actually enter Allahabad, or take the NH 2 before I reach Allahabad, as I think it crosses the Lucknow-Allahabad road before the Ganges bridge.

Apparently, it is easy to bypass Allahabad to get to NH2. PM F A U J I, he did this route recently when he drove from Varanasi to Ayodhya and he took this route. He told me he had no difficulty in bypassing Allahabad.

Does it make a substantial difference in distance and road condition together, via Barhi and Ranchi? Or does the Dhanbad-Purulia route to Jamshedpur have any safety problem in an afternoon/evening drive?

No, I think when you are coming from north side, it is more logical to take the Barhi-Hazaribag route to Jamshedpur. Roads are good. Nothing wrong with the Dhanbad-Purulia route either except that you may face traffic jams inside Dhanbad city (no bypass). Yes, Gobindpur is the place on NH2 where you turn off to get to Dhanbad 10 kms inside.

So going via Dhanbad is also an option?

Definitely

[rahul4640]

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

Does it make a substantial difference in distance and road condition together, via Barhi and Ranchi? Or does the Dhanbad-Purulia route to Jamshedpur have any safety problem in an afternoon/evening drive?

I saw some members mentioning Gobindpur as a point to divert to Jamshedpur from NH 2. I thought Dhanbad will have at least some facilities, if I can reach there by 2 pm starting from Varanasi/Mughal Sarai in the morning.
So going via Dhanbad is also an option?

AFAIK, The distance is lesser by about 60 KM, if you travel via Barhi, Hazaribag and Ranchi.

And yes, it will not be difficult at all to reach Dhanbad by 2 PM. But roads in Jharkhand are not very reputed for their good road surfaces and unless you know the roads very well, it may be difficult for you to drive after darkness sets in. I think law and order problem is always there. I guess in such a case you may have to look for your options of an overnight halt. And although I am not sure, I think decent accommodation is only available at Dhanbad, Bokaro and Chas, in the adjoining areas.
Difference of opinion is very much solicited.

[Sutripta]

@Vipin Kumar: Any particular reason for for preferring DhanJamshedpur? Otherwise my choice would be Barhi - H'Bagh - Ranchi - Jamshedpur.
NH33 is Jharkhands main highway. There used to be two OK hotels in H'Bagh, one on the highway, essentially opposite the lake/ park. Forgetting the names.

Regards
Sutripta

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

...take NH2 till Dhanbad and take the Purulia route to TATA.

Barhi > Hazaribagh > Ranchi > Jamshedpur, as others have recommended. Good roads, better than the Dhanbad > Purulia > Jamshedpur section.

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

Which will be the ideal and easiest-to-drive road? Will Lucknow-Kanpur-Allahabad road be better, or is Lucknow-Benaras itself good-enough?

Lucknow > Kanpur > Benaras without question, as HVK has recommended too.

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

Now, how safe will be this second day stretch, with family and a friend to travel? Any Mao problem right now, during day-time?

Absolutely safe - no Maoist activity on the section recommended. Via Dhanbad > Purulia, you are in the colliery / coal mafia / close to Jangal Mahal territory.

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

Any place to stay at Varanasi/Mughal Sarai, close to NH2?
Good places to take food and rest for a while enroute after Varanasi?

Check here: this will give you suggestions about places to eat & stay in Benaras, as well as how to get to Benaras from the NH2.

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

Should I enter Dhanbad, and if yes, within what time in the afternoon? .

I'd say, forget going up to Dhanbad unless you have personal reasons to do so.

[Vipin Kumar]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Any particular reason for for preferring DhanJamshedpur? Otherwise my choice would be Barhi - H'Bagh - Ranchi - Jamshedpur.
NH33 is Jharkhands main highway. There used to be two OK hotels in H'Bagh, one on the highway, essentially opposite the lake/ park. Forgetting the names.
Sutripta

Thanks Sutripta for this. I have no particular reason for sticking to Dhanbad route, except for thinking that remaining on NH2 would be always better, as long as possible! If NH 33 is very good (four lane or two lane?), that resolves the matter.

What will be the distance from Varanasi to Barhi roughly, or how far is Barhi from Gobindpur?

Is the road from Barhi to Hazaribagh/ Hazaribagh to Ranchi winding?

Vipin.

[Vipin Kumar]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Barhi > Hazaribagh > Ranchi > Jamshedpur, as others have recommended. Good roads, better than the Dhanbad > Purulia > Jamshedpur section.

Lucknow > Kanpur > Benaras without question, as HVK has recommended

I think Mr. HVK has suggested to me Lucknow-Allahabad outer-Varanasi road, via Raibareilly, Unchahar and Kunda, and not via Kanpur.

Thanks a lot for the Barhi mention. What will be the distance between Barhi and Ranchi-Jamshedpur?

Vipin.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

What will be the distance from Varanasi to Barhi roughly, or how far is Barhi from Gobindpur?

Is the road from Barhi to Hazaribagh/ Hazaribagh to Ranchi winding?

Vipin.

Benares - Barhi should be ~ 300KM. (HVK for absolutely accurate figures!)

NH33 is old style 2 lane. I've seen it both in shambles, and carpet smooth. Normally OK (except Bohoragora - Chichira, a section which you will not use) but don't know current conditions.

Slightly undulating in places. Used to have nice light forest cover for a large part. Now denuded.

Regards
Sutripta

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Benares - Barhi should be ~ 300KM. (HVK for absolutely accurate figures!)

NH33 is old style 2 lane. I've seen it both in shambles, and carpet smooth. Normally OK (except Bohoragora - Chichira, a section which you will not use) but don't know current conditions.

Slightly undulating in places. Used to have nice light forest cover for a large part. Now denuded.

Regards
Sutripta

Yes, NH33 is normally a good highway, especially between Barhi & Ranchi. I hope it is good now also.

[Vipin Kumar]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Yes, NH33 is normally a good highway, especially between Barhi & Ranchi. I hope it is good now also.

Yes, I undertook this trip last week. From Lucknow to Jamshedpur and back.

Barhi - Hazaribag stretch is under construction for four-laning. So occasionally, I had to traverse on rough patch, but altogether not for more than a kilometer.

Hazaribag - Ranchi: super fine stretch, despite four-laning is on (most of it is done already, except in the Ramnagar area). I enjoyed this section most, scenic as well as road condition.

Then, Ranchi-Jamshedpur: excellent though two-laner. Four-laning has reached only the stage of cutting trees on sides. However, around one and half kilometer distance near Kali Mandir before Mango (after Chandil) remains bad. I enjoyed my fourth gear torqui Fiesta ride at night (6.00 pm ex-Ranchi/Katattoli and 8.45 pm at Mango).

Good eateries enroute in most of the places.

This is only an update about the condition of NH33. I think the details must come as a travelogue.

Thanks for the info you had given me earlier in this and another by-now-removed thread.

Vipin Kumar.

[Sutripta]

^^^
Hi, Thanks for the update.
There was another thread which mentioned horrible road conditions just outside Jamshedpur. Very recent repairs?

Regards
Sutripta

[Vipin Kumar]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

There was another thread which mentioned horrible road conditions just outside Jamshedpur. Very recent repairs? Sutripta

I think that thread is removed from the forum.

The road from Ranchi/Kantatoli to Jamshedpur is now pretty good, though two-laner. It is in fact very smooth, and I enjoyed the drive. It is bad only for a kilometer or so much after Chandil. It is also bad within Ranchi till you reach Namkom flyover/railway crossing--again around half a kilometer.

I was going from Varanasi that day, as I had reached Varanasi the previous day from Lucknow via Unchahar and Allahabad bypass. I left Varanasi (Sigra) at 6.40 am and came directly to the NH 2 bypass at the Allahabad side and then took the Ganga bridge. I stopped at Motel Midway in Mohania in Bihar at 8.50 am for BF (they offer some accommodation too, including AC ones but my wife and friend said it is quite an isolated place on the highway and may not be safe always, I am not sure); left there only at 9.40 am. These dhabas, you know, take a long time to serve you the food. I got a traffic block right on the bridge in Dehri-on-Son; lost around 40 minutes. I could cross Barhi at 1.40 pm, and crossed Hazaribag at 2.35-2.40 pm. The road from Barhi to Hazaribag is under construction work for the four-laning.

I stopped for lunch just before Ramgarh at 3.30 pm, and left there at 4.15 pm. Reached the vicinity of Ranchi at 5.30 pm. When I took the left turn from Kantatoli in Ranchi towards Jamshedpur, it was exactly 6.00 pm. I stopped for tea after Bundu for 15 minutes. I could comfortably reach Manko in Jamshedpur at 8.50 pm, though I took around one hour from there to reach the place I had to stay in Adityapur!

From Ranchi you may not require to go to Kantatoli. They are constructing a flyover near the railway crossing. Once this is functional, you will be able to take the road that goes via Shekhar Bhikhari administrative complex and take the flyover and reach Namkom directly.

(While returning, I left Hazaribag at 6.40 am and crossed Varanasi exactly at 12.45 pm. I drove all the way to Lucknow that day and reached here by 9.10 pm, covering a distance of 650 kilometers).

Vipin Kumar.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

I think that thread is removed from the forum.
....
Vipin Kumar.

Hi,
No, it is still there
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post2658808.

Regards
Sutripta