[Roshith]

I am travelling on December from Trivandrum to Durgapur in West Bengal for my school reunion. Have a 15 day leave from office.

Need answers to the following queries from my friends here.

• Can any one help with me the route to be taken?
• How many days of travelling does it include?
• Sorry if this sounds stupid, but am travelling with my wife and 8 year old kid? Hope its safe.
• Any places on the way i can visit?
• I am driving in my Bolero. Should i be adding extra driving lights/fog lamps or any other long distance travel accessories?

Look forward to any advise from you guys.

[jkdas]

A friend just did Tvm- Shillong a week ago. It was a safe drive. He didnt do any night drives though. Had some road blocks as usual @ some place in AP etc . Will try to get more info.

[jkdas]

The info was gathered by my friend! (iPlay) from HVK!

Hope this helps.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by Roshith

I am travelling on December from Trivandrum to Durgapur in West Bengal for my school reunion.

Hi,
Only additional advice: The map shows NH60 from Kharagpur to Bankura, and then a road from Bankura to Durgapur via Beliator. It looks very tempting, esp considering that Balasore to Kharagpur is also NH60, and a fast run (except Jaleswar checkgate). Don't think of it. Stick to the GQ:- Kharagpur - Calcutta - Durgapur. (You actually do not enter Calcutta). Even with its two choke points of Kolaghat and Panagarh, it is a better option.

Regards
Sutripta

[hvkumar]

Thanks, JK, for uploading the route plan!

Roshith, please note the following:

1. Stick to the route plan detailed in the above file attached by JK
2. Our friends who did the drive had a smooth drive throughout, and they halted at Ongole (D1), Vizag (D2 - this was because they delayed their departure from Ongole to midday), Dubrajpur (D3) & Siliguri (D4)
3. You can easily do the drive to Durgapur in 3 days too, although you may want to space out your halts to Tirupati/Nellore (D1), Srikakulam/Bhalugaon (D2).
4. Road conditions are great all through, except for the small detours thanks to road widening between Ganjam & Bhalugaon
5. No safety issues anywhere en route
6. As Sutripta mentions, do not be misled to take the Kharagpur-Midnapur NH60 shorter route to Durgapur, stick to the route suggested by me.
7. Calcutta city is comfortably bypassed, as are all other cities
8. You will face traffic congestion in Guntur-Vijaywada (road widening), Vijaywada "bypass" (city has outgrown into old bypass), Vizag (since NH5 runs through the city) and Bhubaneswar-Cuttack sector (very busy)
9. In case cops accost you on the OR-WB border (Jaleswar/Sonkania) and demand that you must pay "permit" charges, refuse to pay - as a private car transiting through OR, there is no need to pay any permit charges, it is a big con game
10. If you want to take breaks/ detours, I would suggest you turn off NH5 at Khurda (before BHubaneswar) and visit Puri & Konarak, rejoining NH5 at Bhubaneswar
11. Darjeeling More marked in my route plan above is suburbs of Durgapur
12. You have lots of hotels to stay in en route. I have marked the hotel info also in the route plan. Expect budget of 1,500-2,000 for the basic AC room is good hotels
13. Food & toilet facilities en route are not good.
14. No need for any extra lighting accessories
15. Rains should start any time now in OR and WB

[Sommos]

Originally Posted by Roshith

I am travelling on December from Trivandrum to Durgapur in West Bengal for my school reunion. Have a 15 day leave from office.

Hi Roshit, which school in Durgapur is it? I am from St. Xaviers, Durgapur but incidentally have no connection with the school at present.

[Roshith]

Jk Das - Thanks . HVK has helped me with the details. I will be contacting him again right before my trip. Thans Sutripa - will keep that in mind. HVK - Sorry by mistake that i didnt check whether my posts have been replied to or not. Thanks for all the help mate. will be in touch soon. Sommos - i was at St.Michaels