[Vipin Kumar]

If one drives from Allahabad to Jabalpur, it is obvious one has to take the 97 kms long NH27 first in order to reach Mangwan and catch the NH-7. As I plan a trip of this kind from Lucknow itself, via Allahabad, can anyone furnish information regarding how good is NH 27? I mean how safe during day-time, four/two lanes, quality, and way-side eating/resting places....

From Mangwan to Jabalpur, how will be the drive? Is it a four laner and smooth road with roadside dhabas?

If one is there in Allahabad civil lines, say at the coffee house, how can one reach the NH27? Is it via the MG road?

Vipin Kumar
Lucknow.

[hvkumar]

NH27 from Allahabad to Rewa is mostly good except for a stretch of around 15-20 kms where you have to be very careful if you are driving a low GC car.

The last 100 kms or so from Katni on NH7 is in very bad, hence use alternative roads to go from Rewa to Jabalpur. One alternative suggested is Rewa-Maihar-go off NH7-Umariya-Dindori-Jabalpur. There are some bad roads around Bandhavgarh, but rest of the roads are fine.

Facilities are very poor most of the way, barring a few trucker dhabas. Refuel well in advance since fuel pumps on the SHs are few and far between.

[mayankjha1806]

Some of our relatives do a regular NH7 from Allahabad to Jabalpur, and as per them the roads are quiet ok, but they drive high GC vehicles.

They do NH27-NH7 route, which you have mentioned, going through Rewa->Satna->Maihar->Katni->Sihora->Janalpur.

[Vipin Kumar]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

The last 100 kms or so from Katni on NH7 is in very bad, hence use alternative roads to go from Rewa to Jabalpur.

Thanks a lot for the information. It helps me think of dividing the journey into two days--first day Lucknow to Allahabad, and second day from there on. My impression was that the NH 7 has been least problematic and a four-laner! Is the condition bad for a long time like this?

And do you find enough traffic enroute or do you find yourself lonely most of the time?

About dhabas: I think one can even enter Katni or so, for a restaurant. Will it waste a lot of time if one does not take the byepass?

Regards,
Vipin.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

Thanks a lot for the information. It helps me think of dividing the journey into two days--first day Lucknow to Allahabad, and second day from there on. My impression was that the NH 7 has been least problematic and a four-laner! Is the condition bad for a long time like this?

And do you find enough traffic enroute or do you find yourself lonely most of the time?

About dhabas: I think one can even enter Katni or so, for a restaurant. Will it waste a lot of time if one does not take the byepass?

Regards,
Vipin.

Yes, NH7 has been quite bad last 2 years, no signs of improvement, some fight between MP Govt & Central Govt on affairs of NHAI & NHs.

There is heavy truck traffic, but you will hardly find any car traffic, barring a few SUVs.

You will find dhabas on the highway itself, do not go into Katni town.

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

It helps me think of dividing the journey into two days--first day Lucknow to Allahabad, and second day from there on.

Lucknow - Allahabad will be barely five hours. So try and partition differently.

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

If one drives from Allahabad to Jabalpur, it is obvious one has to take the 97 kms long NH27 first in order to reach Mangwan and catch the NH-7. As I plan a trip of this kind from Lucknow itself, via Allahabad, can anyone furnish information regarding how good is NH 27? I mean how safe during day-time, four/two lanes, quality, and way-side eating/resting places....

From Mangwan to Jabalpur, how will be the drive? Is it a four laner and smooth road with roadside dhabas?

If one is there in Allahabad civil lines, say at the coffee house, how can one reach the NH27? Is it via the MG road?

Vipin Kumar
Lucknow.

From Civil Lines, you need to come to Johnstonganj and take the road that goes towards Sangam. Once you come to Rambagh, which is the junction of the road going towards Lucknow and Rewa/Sangam, you will begin to see the newly laid road on the new Naini Bridge across the Yamuna. Take the new Naini bridge and continue to Rewa.

When you reach Rewa, do not enter the city but continue to Maihar. There is a railway crossing, the only one, on the highway inside Maihar. Take a left before the railway crossing and you are on the state highway going towards Barhi. This is a toll road which is in good condition with some mining trucks plying on it.

Cross Bandhavgarh National Park and once you come to a T junction at Tala, ask anyone the road to Kundam.. Jabalpur is approximately a couple of hours from Tala.

By taking this road, you end up driving 100kms extra but the road is excellent, winding and picturesque with less traffic. You will find a lot of small eateries at towns en route selling snacks and food.

You can reach Jabalpur the same day from Lucknow. There is no need to stop anywhere en route if you do not wish to.

[samarjitdhar]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

From Civil Lines, you need to come to Johnstonganj and take the road that goes towards Sangam. Once you come to Rambagh, which is the junction of the road going towards Lucknow and Rewa/Sangam, you will begin to see the newly laid road on the new Naini Bridge across the Yamuna. Take the new Naini bridge and continue to Rewa.

When you reach Rewa, do not enter the city but continue to Maihar. There is a railway crossing, the only one, on the highway inside Maihar. Take a left before the railway crossing and you are on the state highway going towards Barhi. This is a toll road which is in good condition with some mining trucks plying on it.

Cross Bandhavgarh National Park and once you come to a T junction at Tala, ask anyone the road to Kundam.. Jabalpur is approximately a couple of hours from Tala.

By taking this road, you end up driving 100kms extra but the road is excellent, winding and picturesque with less traffic. You will find a lot of small eateries at towns en route selling snacks and food.

You can reach Jabalpur the same day from Lucknow. There is no need to stop anywhere en route if you do not wish to.

Just what the doctor ordered . I will be doing this drive two weeks from now though from Varanasi via Allahabad but ending up at Bandhavgarh. I was also considering using SH9 after reaching Rewa and then going through Beohari passing via Bansagar lake and finally reaching Tala. A part of SH9 is on NH75 and looks like a lot of ghat roads. I was thinking the drive should be scenic plus one might be able to avoid the last 10 kms bad stretch before Bandhavgarh by directly reaching Tala this way.

Is this a good road to take? I will be driving a sedan an not an SUV. Of course the other option is going by NH7 till Maihar and then going to Tala as suggested earlier by HVK sir.

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by samarjitdhar

Is this a good road to take? I will be driving a sedan an not an SUV. Of course the other option is going by NH7 till Maihar and then going to Tala as suggested earlier by HVK sir.

This is the best road to take in terms of the road conditions and the scenic locales. Forget a sedan, even a low slung coupe can do this road, it is that good.

[samarjitdhar]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

This is the best road to take in terms of the road conditions and the scenic locales. Forget a sedan, even a low slung coupe can do this road, it is that good.

Sorry forgot to ask. How long would it realistically take to reach Bandhavgarh from Allahabad. Also is the other route SH9 going via Beohari a strict no-no. I ask this because the hotel guy was asking me to take this route. Appreciate any feedback on this route.

EDIT: Also wanted to know if using NH7 direct from Varanasi all the way is an option. As advised by HVK sir, I heard that NH7 is in broken pretty bad in many places and since I will be driving a sedan he advised using NH27 which is the route which has been finalized.

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by samarjitdhar

Sorry forgot to ask. How long would it realistically take to reach Bandhavgarh from Allahabad. Also is the other route SH9 going via Beohari a strict no-no. I ask this because the hotel guy was asking me to take this route. Appreciate any feedback on this route.

Ideally, around 5-6 hours with reasonable buffer and no long stops.

Rewa-Shahdol-Beohari via Baghwar and Devlond is also an excellent highway, however since Maihar Bandhavgarh Tala is also very good, you need not go by that route unless you want to.

The NH-7 is bearable till Maihar but Maihar Katni and Katni Jabalpur is in atrocious condition. In fact, my friends who do Jabalpur-Satna regularly in their SUVs too, use the road I suggested. No point using the NH-7 for this sector.

[Vipin Kumar]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

When you reach Rewa, do not enter the city but continue to Maihar. There is a railway crossing, the only one, on the highway inside Maihar. Take a left before the railway crossing and you are on the state highway going towards Barhi. This is a toll road which is in good condition with some mining trucks plying on it.

Cross Bandhavgarh National Park and once you come to a T junction at Tala, ask anyone the road to Kundam.. Jabalpur is approximately a couple of hours from Tala.

Thanks very much for the valuable information. I am surprised that you know it so well though your station is shown as Bangalore!

Do you actually mean to suggest that from Maihar, it is SH11 going via Barhi, Bandhavgarh National Park, Umaria, Shahpura, and then the SH22 via Kundam? I was able to locate the place called Tala in a totally different side only in the google map.

And I understand that given this new route, I will not be going anywhere near Katni(?).

Is the NH 7 that badly undrivable that it becomes worth taking a 100 ikms extra--just wondering and shocked to learn... Do people think of any alternative from Lucknow to jabalpur without touching Allahabad too...?

Vipin Kumar

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

Is the NH 7 that badly undrivable that it becomes worth taking a 100 ikms extra--just wondering and shocked to learn... Do people think of any alternative from Lucknow to jabalpur without touching Allahabad too...?

How about Kanpur/Chatarpur option? Check with LongDriveLover. He did the same
(while driving to South from Lucknow. But that was quite some time back).

Dont know what is the status of NH86 nowadays.

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

Do you actually mean to suggest that from Maihar, it is SH11 going via Barhi, Bandhavgarh National Park, Umaria, Shahpura, and then the SH22 via Kundam?
And I understand that given this new route, I will not be going anywhere near Katni(?).

You are correct, you will not go anywhere near Katni.

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

Is the NH 7 that badly undrivable that it becomes worth taking a 100 ikms extra--just wondering and shocked to learn... Do people think of any alternative from Lucknow to jabalpur without touching Allahabad too...?
Vipin Kumar

Yes, the road is worth it, unless you are ok with mental tension and frustration. To be frank, trucks and buses use it on a daily basis and you too can drive on the road but you would end up using up more time and effort in driving on the NH-7 compared to the route suggested.

This is the shortest driveable route from Allahabad to Jabalpur and I would recommend the same since it is pretty close to the NH and is well surfaced, well used and most of all, very safe.

[Vipin Kumar]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

the road is worth it, unless you are ok with mental tension and frustration. To be frank, trucks and buses use it on a daily basis and you too can drive on the road but you would end up using up more time and effort in driving on the NH-7 compared to the route suggested.

This is the shortest driveable route from Allahabad to Jabalpur and I would recommend the same since it is pretty close to the NH and is well surfaced, well used and most of all, very safe.

Thanks again for the reassurance. Maihar to Jabalpur seems to be around 240 kms, via Barhi-Kundam. Is it again a four-lane road or a two-laner?

In these cases, I may require around 5 hours from Allahabad to Maihar, and another 5 hrs from Maihar to Jabalpur, with stoppages for relaxing in between.

Considering this timing, I was also contemplating on taking the NH86 from Kanpur (as I start from Lucknow), and then travel via Damoh. But I have no clue about the road conditions beyond Kanpur.

Vipin Kumar