[NaXal]

Hello,

This information may be relevant to anyone who is traveling to Sikkim, so sharing.

Govt. of Sikkim has just released an order to implement Odd-Even rule within Gangtok city. The traffic ban rule shall be enforced from June 06, 2022 and may continue indefinitely till further order.

As per the state govt, this is to deal with the huge rush of tourist and crowd paralyzing the Gangtok city streets.





However, out of state tourists with their personal vehicles are exempted from this traffic ban, unless that vehicle is stationed within the state.

Not sure how that last exemption rule for out of state vehicles will be handled by the traffic enforcement agencies as how will they determine and differentiate between a tourist and "stationed" vehicle.

Thanks.

[dgoyle]

Hello, I plan to use the Siliguri-Kolkata route towards the end of November 2022. Please keep posting on this thread. It would be very useful.
Thanks

[Sukanta73]

Could you please update the road conditions from Panagarh to Morgram section?

[Wanderer]

Did the Kol-Dooars-Kol last weekend. Few pointers to be considered:
1) Kishanganj to Ghoshpukur Bypass is a deathtrap. The road seems butter smooth from distance but the pot-holes are deceptive unless you approach them and are on an average 15 inches in diameter. The impact was bone-jarring for Polo which also got a bent steel rim.
2) Dalkhola bypass is fully functional. I for a change took the old route via rail-gate. It was rather sad to see such a bustling place look deserted.
3) Kolkata to Siliguri is now doable under 10 hours with sedate driving (night). While returning in day-time, the traffic costed us 3 hours extra.
4) Dankuni-Kalna-Krishnanagar is still the preferred route.

[chinkara]

Originally Posted by Wanderer

4) Dankuni-Kalna-Krishnanagar is still the preferred route.

Why would you go to Krishnanagar via Dankuni Kalna? Wouldn't Jessore Road-NH12 be better?

[Wanderer]

Originally Posted by chinkara

Why would you go to Krishnanagar via Dankuni Kalna? Wouldn't Jessore Road-NH12 be better?

Reason 1) Traffic of heavy vehicles is much high on Jessore Road. 2) Jessore Road passes through big towns like Chakdah , Ranaghat, Barasat, Madhyamgram etc thus increasing local traffic. 3) Road condition is a gamble along that route.

[mayukh42]

Originally Posted by Wanderer

4) Dankuni-Kalna-Krishnanagar is still the preferred route.

I don't see a bridge at Kalna. Do you cross Hooghly on the Nabadwip Gourango Setu?

[Wanderer]

Originally Posted by mayukh42

I don't see a bridge at Kalna. Do you cross Hooghly on the Nabadwip Gourango Setu?

Yes, that is the one.

[gmhossain]

Originally Posted by ABHI_1512

Also, Karandighi bypass has a part of bridge which is yet to be connected. As for the ROB for the Raigunj bypass, it’s a long shot.

It seems, Karandighi bypass has now been made operational [1]. With the falling of another bottleneck, north bengal part of Kolkata - Siliguri route is just ~2 km short of becoming fully 4-laned. Of course, this 2 km stretch is a part of the Raiganj bypass where the work for a new Railway-Over-Bridge and its approaches is almost stalled at present (one can guess the reason!).

[1] https://www.uttarbangasambad.com/kar...ough-the-city/

Here is a Youtube video which shows a part of operational Karandighi bypass.

Newly opened Karandighi Bypass along NH-12 (in Raiganj - Dalkhola section)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSOxjioYnXk

[arjab]

Originally Posted by gmhossain

It seems, Karandighi bypass has now been made operational

Things seem to be heading in the right direction. Looks like North Bengal Hill Lovers can celebrate "Azaadi Ka Highway Mahotsav", a few years down the line when the balance stretches on this route are finally opened.
Fingers & Toes crossed!

[black_panther]

Originally Posted by gmhossain

It seems, Karandighi bypass has now been made operational [1]. With the falling of another bottleneck, north bengal part of Kolkata - Siliguri route is just ~2 km short of becoming fully 4-laned. Of course, this 2 km stretch is a part of the Raiganj bypass where the work for a new Railway-Over-Bridge and its approaches is almost stalled at present (one can guess the reason!).

[1] https://www.uttarbangasambad.com/kar...ough-the-city/

Here is a Youtube video which shows a part of operational Karandighi bypass.

Newly opened Karandighi Bypass along NH-12 (in Raiganj - Dalkhola section)
www.Youtube.com/watch?v=jSOxjioYnXk

It's a very good news for those who are planning to drive to the hills during the upcoming festive season. The raiganj bypass should have been the icing on the cake, however this one was the much needed one.

[sandx]

Originally Posted by gmhossain

It seems, Karandighi bypass has now been made operational [1]. With the falling of another bottleneck, north bengal part of Kolkata - Siliguri route is just ~2 km short of becoming fully 4-laned. Of course, this 2 km stretch is a part of the Raiganj bypass where the work for a new Railway-Over-Bridge and its approaches is almost stalled at present (one can guess the reason!).

May I know which exact area is this as I don’t see any bypass markings while following the NH in google maps. Planning to cross Kolkata while driving down from the North East end of September. Appreciate the updates in this thread

[gmhossain]

Originally Posted by sandx

May I know which exact area is this as I don’t see any bypass markings while following the NH in google maps. Planning to cross Kolkata while driving down from the North East end of September. Appreciate the updates in this thread

Karandighi bypass is yet to be updated in Google Maps! However, you won't miss it. Basically, you stick to the 4-lane highway. However, you may face some diversions in the Dalkhola - Raiganj section of NH-12 as the work is still ongoing. In case it helps, the following is the currently recommended route:

Originally Posted by gmhossain

my firm recommendation to anyone travelling along Kolkata - Siliguri route is the following:

Kolkata - Dankuni - SH13 - Mogra - SH6 - Nabadwip - SH8 - Krishnanagar - NH12 (use Sargachi bypass at Berhampore town) - Dalkhola - NH27 - Siliguri

Wish you all the best for your trip.

[black_panther]

Originally Posted by sandx

May I know which exact area is this as I don’t see any bypass markings while following the NH in google maps. Planning to cross Kolkata while driving down from the North East end of September. Appreciate the updates in this thread

Upon opening Google Maps in the satellite mode, one should be able to see the alignment of the bypass. Hope it gets updated on the Map mode in the next few days.

[ABHI_1512]

Originally Posted by gmhossain

It seems, Karandighi bypass has now been made operational [1]. With the falling of another bottleneck, north bengal part of Kolkata - Siliguri route is just ~2 km short of becoming fully 4-laned. Of course, this 2 km stretch is a part of the Raiganj bypass where the work for a new Railway-Over-Bridge and its approaches is almost stalled at present (one can guess the reason!).

Now that you mentioned this, I suppose we took the Karandighi bypass while returning back from Yuru last month itself. That was probably the first day of unofficial opening since we could still see the concrete blocks on the highway, just at the diversion point. I forgot to update this in the thread since that whirlwind trip took some days for me to return to normalcy.

With this opening, now only the Raigunj Bypass work remains to be completed, at least after Farakka. If only the Railways side of work is little proactive, the work on the bypass would have been over by now. But then, strange reasons have delayed the whole NH 34 project ever since it started. Let’s hope for the best in the coming days.