[gmhossain]

Originally Posted by sayakc

... Do you also have any updates on the Dalkhola Bypass? I could see construction in full swing?

No, I don't have any recent first-hand update on Dalkhola bypass. However, it was supposed to be operational by now. I guess, it's delayed again!

Originally Posted by sayakc

Also, I suppose there is a Darjeeling travelogue thats pending from your end ...?

Looks like, I have become a lazy of late May be in a few days!

[codelust]

Relevant update. Got back from Bhutan yesterday (Aug 25) to Kolkata. The Malda bypass is now closed as they are fixing the bridges on the road. Please be careful if you are going on this road after dark, they have cut open the slopes (or steps as they used to be) to raise and level them properly.

We were caught in a massive jam at the north end for a while and since the entrance to the bypass was not closed, we wound up getting on it. Had to get off it a bit of a way in and come in through the city and merge with the bypass towards the end of it. Saved us from joining the highway traffic that was backed up, but it is a horror show driving through narrow lanes.

It was open a week ago when we had driven up. It is not blocked off well from the south side, so you maybe accidentally get in and get on one of the bridges, which will be very dangerous.

Have driven across the country quite a bit and the Kolkata - Siliguri corridor is easily the worst of almost any of them. Can't figure out how is it that such an important route is allowed to be this much of a disaster. We took nearly 18-hours to cover Damdim - Kolkata, a distance of 620 KMs, and with the broken bridges on SH7, there is no single clean approach to the city from the north.

[gajadonga]

2012 to 2019. It's the same.
Being from south of India all National highways are excellent.
Its an unusual case in West Bengal. Thought when Government changes things will become better which has never happened.
The timing to traverse the distance is the same. Thanks for the update.
I had traveled from Kolkata to Silguri towards Darjelling in 2012

[Sheel]

Appears I forgot to give an update.

Bhagalpur bypass is functional now.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by wishnipon

Thank you for your reply. Can you tell me the exact point where I have to enter the Bhagalpur bypass, both on the way to north and on the way back?

Also, how is the current road condition from Dumka to Bhagalpur?

Finally, it will be really helpful if you can suggest a hotel in or around Purnea where we can stay on our return journey.

Regards,

Nipon

For your as well as for the benefit of others, I am replying your PM over here.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post4598328

This reply has most of your details. While coming from Purnia and going to Dumka, you will descend from Vikramshila setu and you will see the bypass bridge, you can't mistake it for anything else.

In Purnia, I can suggest a hotel if you need to stay on the NH and not venture inside, if you plan to come inside, there are plenty of hotels.

Just before Purnia 0 mile [and besides Tata Motors passenger showroom] you have Hotel Highway King. Manager Manish - 7488908199.

Dumka to Hansdiha - roads are good.

Hansdiha to Bhagalpur via Dhaka mor - not very good, but you can maintain 60/80 kmph on the speedo.

[goswami.j]

Originally Posted by Sheel

Appears I forgot to give an update.

Bhagalpur bypass is functional now.

That is excellent news Sheel. Based on my last driving experience, I had discussed with my kids & concluded that if we visit Darjeeling or Gangtok next time, will take the train or the flight instead of driving.
This Bhagalpur bypass being fully functional, surely changes the equation
Will now need to rethink for the next Hills trip.

[hothatchaway]

How is the Bengal to Bengal stretch to Siliguri if one leaves early morning on dussehra or nabomi night? Can the trucks be expected to stay off the roads leading to smooth passage through bottlenecks like sujapur/kaliachak etc?

[chitta_moran]

Originally Posted by DrRC83

An important note :

The SH7 route is now currently close from 3 km North of Nagar to Nakpur. Siliguri bound vehicles have to take right either from Kuli or Sherpur ( 3 km North of Nagar ). The road from Sherpur to Khagraghat more via Jibanti is in horrible condition.

Hi,

I am following this thread for some time and planning to drive to Darjeeling from Kolkata this puja. Can anybody give some update on the SH7 route. Is it still closed from Nagar to Nakpur. What are the other alternative if I don't want to take the Ranaghat-Krishnanagar route?

How is the road from Kuli to Berhampur?

Or how is the road from Bardhaman to Moregram via Bolpur Sainthia-Rampurhat ?

Any updates will be highly appreciated.

Regards,
Cmoran

[gmhossain]

Originally Posted by codelust

Got back from Bhutan yesterday (Aug 25) to Kolkata. The Malda bypass is now closed as they are fixing the bridges on the road.

After keeping it closed for more than a month, one flank of the Malda bypass has now been reopened! It should ease-up the traffic situation around Malda town.

Best,

[hothatchaway]

Just reached Siliguri, a brand new ROB is open over burdwan rail station easing the gridlock to badsahi road. Malda bypass is also open as Golamda has already reported. NH34 is in tatters especially from 20kms before raigunj to all the way to Siliguri. Truck traffic was minimal today easing the pain. Was able to take dalkhola without getting stuck at the level crossing.

[Sheel]

Drove to Kolkata via Dumka and came back via Maldah yesterday morning.

Bhagalpur bypass had a jam, so we took the Banka road [Sunday evening in Bhagalpur and it was still a bit messy] and joined the Dumka road a bit before the Dhaka Mor [roundabout]. Amarpur had a bit of jam [delay for ~15 mins] because of sand trucks.

Took a left from English More via Punsiya road and joined the Dumka - Bhagalpur road.

Roads till Bihar-JH border is in a mess and trucks stop for no apparent reason and block one lane resulting in jam/congestion. Once JH starts, you can make progress.

Took a right from Dumka and took a left approx 8kms later [Chitranjan road] and joined the much loved Nala - Masalia road. You will love this if you are in a good handling car/bike.

But, avoid this road at really late into the night, it is deserted and naxal presence can't be denied.

Joined the nice highway at Asansol and it was all okay till Kolkata [huge congestion at tolls].

On our way back, Bhagalpur bridge was in a jam, so took the Farrakah route via Bardhaman - Khargram and joined the NH-34 at Morgram. I was on this route after ~10 years. Was glad to be on a 2 lane road, but the happiness didn't last long.

Post Kaliachak, it was a huge jam, was lucky to take Maldah bypass and avoid it altogether, though was stuck at Dalkola for 1+ hour and road between Maldah & Raiganj is a very slow moving single lane road. There was an alternate for me at Kaliachak to come via Katihar [not relevant to guys going towards Siliguri] but avoided it as I wasn't sure about it.

Reflecting back, I will take the Bhagalpur route any day over NH-34. Yes, Botolbari has eased a lot of things, but Khargram route has traffic and roads are okayish type.

If Bhagalpur doesn't have congestion, the bad roads [40kms] of Bihar side won't be that a big hindrance.

[Samba]

In last two months, I did Kolkata -Siliguri twice.

In October, Sh7 and Nh34 from Moregram to Raiganj & even Nh31 had lots of broken stretches with some small to large potholes and few can be termed as craters too! Malda bypass was opening and closing due to ongoing work. In October Kolkata to Siliguri was a 12 hours drive.

But

in November things have changed! Patch work has been done. So mostly its a smooth ride to Siliguri. Kolkata - Siliguri can be covered in 10-11 hours with sedate driving. Nh31 is also repaired mostly.
Malda bypass is now functional in one flank and its now connected to Nh34 on the Malda side. So while coming towards Kolkata, one do not have to take any diversion.
The end stretch of Botolbari road at the Dhantola end is still heavily broken, but it can be avoided by going through the small side road, just before the bad stretch.

[hothatchaway]

Originally Posted by Samba

In last two months, I did Kolkata -Siliguri twice.

In October, Sh7 and Nh34 from Moregram to Raiganj & even Nh31 had lots of broken stretches with some small to large potholes and few can be termed as craters too! Malda bypass was opening and closing due to ongoing work. In October Kolkata to Siliguri was a 12 hours drive.

But

in November things have changed! Patch work has been done. So mostly its a smooth ride to Siliguri. Kolkata - Siliguri can be covered in 10-11 hours with sedate driving. Nh31 is also repaired mostly.

We faced a massive thunderstorm at morgram while driving up to Siliguri on dashami day. Battling poor visibility, I had to nurse my tiny hatch around and through the nasty potholes especially in the farrakka raigunj tolled stretch, the one right after the toll plaza at gazole. I wondered how could toll be collected on this stretch. When the ordeal was repeated on the way back, I decided to complain and logged one when back in Kolkata on 21 Oct on the https://pgportal.gov.in/ site which is the official grievances portal. The complaint was directed at NHAI and I included details of the stretch and the toll ticket. A bhpian had done the same when he had the misfortune of contributing for a farce of a toll road in Karnataka. I am afraid I don't recall his handle or the thread I got the idea from. He had a senior NHAI official calling him and promising resolution.

While the ticket I logged is still open, glad to see Scarface has been put away at least until the next monsoon. My complaint may or may not have much to do with it, but NHAI will be on its toes with Samba and his beast doing weekly cannonball runs on this stretch

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by Samba

Kolkata - Siliguri can be covered in 10-11 hours with sedate driving. Nh31 is also repaired mostly.
Malda bypass is now functional in one flank and its now connected to Nh34 on the Malda side. So while coming towards Kolkata, one do not have to take any diversion. .

This is true if your drive starts from Kolkata at night. During daytime, I can safely add 30-60 mins in lieu of traffic in the Khargram stretch, ~30 mins for Kaliachak, 15-30 mins at Burdawan and another ~30 mins at Islampur.

Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

[gmhossain]

Originally Posted by Sheel

... was stuck at Dalkola for 1+ hour and road between Maldah & Raiganj is a very slow moving single lane road.

Sheel, did you notice any progress in construction work for Dalkhola bypass, specially the railway-over-bridge part? Also, how is the 4-laning work between Raiganj and Dalkhola progressing?

Originally Posted by Sheel

This is true if your drive starts from Kolkata at night. During daytime, I can safely add 30-60 mins in lieu of traffic in the Khargram stretch, ~30 mins for Kaliachak, 15-30 mins at Burdawan and another ~30 mins at Islampur.

Yeah, I would agree. A day-drive would add additional 1.5 to 2 hours to Kolkata - Siliguri drive time. Unfortunately, I do not see this drive time is going to improve any time soon. However, as per social media chatter, the surfacing work has started for Islampur bypass.

Originally Posted by hothatchaway

We faced a massive thunderstorm at morgram while driving up to Siliguri on dashami day. Battling poor visibility, I had to nurse my tiny hatch around and through the nasty potholes especially in the farrakka raigunj tolled stretch, ...The complaint was directed at NHAI and I included details of the stretch and the toll ticket.

Thanks for lodging an official complaint, it was needed. Incidentally, I was driving through the Baharampur - Farakka stretch just around the same time as you. It was the most intense rain that I have ever driven through for a stretch of more than 90 km!

Originally Posted by chitta_moran

How is the road from Kuli to Berhampur?

I drove through this stretch of SH-11 in the last month. The work between Kuli and Gokarna is half-complete and the remaining work was ongoing. Between Gokarna and Baharampur the work is fully complete. Here is a video of SH-11 stretch between Gokarna and Baharampur.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUoP7xOV2oU