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-   -   Kolkata - Siliguri route via Dumka, Bhagalpur or NH-12 (old NH-34) (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/121480-kolkata-siliguri-route-via-dumka-bhagalpur-nh-12-old-nh-34-a-8.html)

Did you take the Bardhaman-Bolpur-Siuri route or went via Panagarh? The Bolpur route was quite good!

Had gone via bolepur only, but was at night

In April 2012, when we returned from Thimphu, I drove from Moregram to Barddhaman via SH 7 avoiding NH 34 via Siliguri bypass>Dalkhola>Malda> Moregram>Barddhaman>Uluberia as guided by my MMI navgiator. Barring a few bad stretches, the road was far better than NH 34, which I took during my up journey from Kolkata to Guwahati. Here are some photographs showing the road condition from Moregram to Uluberia:

With fresh inputs from Ravi above-in regards SH 7 and its condition throws a whole new perspective on the route from Kolkata to Siliguri. It means after getting of SH 7 are we back on NH 34?? and then onto to Siliguri??

The charm of travelling through two more States (Jharkhand & Bihar) if we follow the Dumka-Bhagalpur-Purnia route-will add flavor to a drive!!

Any suggestions on this please?

Yes. SH 7 joins NH 34 at Moregram. I didn't see any good road-side eatery on SH 7 from Moregram to Barddhaman.

Yes, it is possible to join NH-34 at Moregram. But with NH-34 comes the chaos of NH-34, like endless convoy of trucks, traffic held ups, slow moving traffics (like rickshaws, auto rickshaws, motor cycles), unruly pedestrians, etc.
You will skip Jharkhand if you go by NH-34 but can not avoid Bihar. Please remember that Dalkhola and Kishanganj lies in the state of Bihar.

Dear BHPians,

Please suggest places to stay after Cuttack (Hometown-no issues)-Bardhaman and around, Siliguri (Seen one in this thread), Gangtok, Thimphu, Paro & Darjeeling!!
After Cuttack intend staying the night in and around Bardhaman as totally avoid night driving. Next day either Siliguri or Darjeeling depending on the traffic and time. Then as it comes Gangtok and then to Bhutan. Praying that my health holds out as been under the weather for the past 5 days-as the heart & Head is willing and so is the wife but the rest of the body is giving a few negative signals!!

Jude

You need to stretch a bit till Bolpur to shop for hotels. There are several of them with ample parking.

Bardhaman BYpass - Charnock's Inn
Siliguri - Hotel Central Plaza, Siliguri
Gangtok - Blue Ginger Guest House
Thimphu - Hotel TT
Paro - Hotel Peljorling

My father and his five friends had decided to drive down (in hired vehicles) from Kolkata to Dhanbad to attend the Golden Jubilee alumni meet of his Alma-mater, in the early part of Feb.
On the way, they decided to meet another classmate at Bolpur (Prantik), who was not able to attend the meet due to health reasons.

Kolkata to Bolpur, they travelled via NH2B. Road is very good between Talit and Guskara. Even after that, it seems the road has been repaired in patches, but is still a pretty good surface to drive on.

Bolpur to Dhanbad, they travelled via Ilambajar-Panagarh, a stretch which is also reportedly having a very good road surface.

On the return way, they crossed the 6kms of Panagarh Bajar area, along NH2, (Darjeeling More to Rail-over-bridge) in 8 mins flat.

Just an update.

Regards,
Saurav

HVK Sahab, here is an update from my side. I have just visited Midnapore-Bankura-Durgapur route. It is in nice shape now, except for some short stretch while passing through Bankura town limits and may be for one and half KM while approaching Durgapur.

Hello friends,
Just over the weekend we were planning a drive to the Dooars/Siliguri in early April. I laid low during the entire conversation being skeptical about the 600km one way drive, and what better place to let loose my skepticism about a roadtrip than T-BHP!

For a start, I stay near Barasat, so the unruly NH34 is a well known neighbor and seems to be the shortest way out. However, the alternate route suggested here entices the driver in me. Now, for the worries:

1. The biggest question is whether it is reasonably doable in a small hatchack(Chevy Beat)? 4 persons including 2 ladies.

2. The longest drive I've made in a single day is going to Bolpur and back. That is 400 kilometers approx, although I've done it numerous times. However, the drives left me totally exhausted. Even a recent drive to Digha was starting to get onto my nerves while being stuck at an hour long jam near Kathi. Therefore, I'm not very confident of covering 600kms in one go. Any hotel facilities en-route, say at 300kms mark from Kolkata, where we could rest for the night? I want to avoid traveling at night with the ladies on board. Is Bolpur an option, or that would be too early a break?

3. "Tailgating" the volvo/rocket buses for a night-long drive on NH34 is safer? Again, I might get fatigued and need hotels mid-way through. Moreover, night driving would take most of the fun away.

4. Can i drive into the jungles of Dooars(for sight seeing) in a hatchback? Or do I need a Jeep for that?

Malda is a good place to stop over in case you do not want to do it in one go. It has several hotels, but maybe Golden Park Hotel north of Malda is a good place.

There is a nice looking hotel called Hotel Golden Inn near the Dankuni toll booth on NH2 (Durgapur Expressway).

Please also note that the flyover over the railway line on SH9 near Durgapur from Muchipara at NH2 while going towards Bankura has been inaugurated this weekend making all travelers on SH9 pretty happy.

Any one with detailed description of the road from Suri to Dumka onto Bhagalpur as the Google Maps show quite a few ways to travel between these Towns??
Any thing interesting that needs to take a small detour-any suggestions, please.