[Sheel]

Originally Posted by rrsteer

Day 3: Gorakhpur - Siliguri

1) How safe is Gorakhpur to Siliguri route? and is it doable in a day comfortably?

2) I will have an all female gang (apart from me; total 5 pax) - are the roads especially after Gorakhpur safe for such an endeavor? What is the state of goondaism in Bihar/UP? Is it common as is being told to me? (I am being discouraged by everybody not to do this trip given that I will be accompanies by females only)

3) How is the overall road condition from Lucknow to Siliguri?

Your responses to the above questions will be highly appreciated.

Bro, pre-conceived notions/hearsay aren't good I tell you

I am not here to defend Bihar/UP being a Bihari but road robbery/thuggery happens almost every where, why single out these two states, plus, I am yet to come across any one on our forum [Team-BHP & HVK] where some one had any bad incidents.

Now coming to your specific query, it is all 4 lane road, save for odd 30/40 kms in Bihar/UP border. I have replied to almost all queries in above posts. The only [good] development which took place is, the entire road from Dalkola onwards has been relaid and it is free of potholes.

If you plan your stops, Gorakhpur to Siliguri wouldn't take more than 9 hours. In Bihar, no one stops a Toyota Fortuner usually, so you are safe on that ground as well.

Try to cover the UP/Bihar border section in day light [not early morning/night] because of huge truck traffic during that time.

[rrsteer]

Hi Sheel,

Thank you very much for your reply. Your answers are very comforting. I am confident of doing the trip now and will not let anyone seed doubts in my mind.

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by rrsteer

We will be driving from Jalandhar to Bhutan in the last week of August.
The route I have in mind is :
Day 1: Jalandhar - Agra
Day2: Agra - Gorakhpur
Day 3: Gorakhpur - Siliguri
Day 4: Will drive to Bhutan (location undecided)

Originally Posted by Sheel

Bro, pre-conceived notions/hearsay aren't good I tell you
...
Try to cover the UP/Bihar border section in day light [not early morning/night] because of huge truck traffic during that time.

Just thinking, is it possible to push till Jaigaon/Phuentsholing from Gorakhpur? That way, one can be done with immigration things early and then enjoy the drive for rest of the day in Bhutan.

I agree with Sheel, hearsay is often more dangerous than the ground reality, but yes, when in any unknown territory (not just UP/Bihar), its always better to travel between sunrise and sunset.

[dgoyle]

Hello Sheel,
I am travelling to Guwahati next week by car (self drive, single occupant, Etios Petrol) from Delhi. Would you be aware of the road conditions between Siliguri and Guwahati and whether I should take the Hashimara or Cooch Behar route?
The route till Siliguri seems to have been addressed very confidently by you and well taken. thankyou for your kind indulgence.

[pyrodrive]

Originally Posted by dgoyle

Hello Sheel,
Would you be aware of the road conditions between Siliguri and Guwahati and whether I should take the Hashimara or Cooch Behar route?
The route till Siliguri seems to have been addressed very confidently

Take the hashimara route. Road condition is fine now, with just occassional bad patches at a few places. No congestion in the srirampur gate now as well. It will take you 8-9 hrs till guwahati with breaks.

[gmhossain]

Originally Posted by dgoyle

I am travelling to Guwahati next week by car (self drive, single occupant, Etios Petrol) from Delhi. Would you be aware of the road conditions between Siliguri and Guwahati and whether I should take the Hashimara or Cooch Behar route?

I would strongly advise you to delay, if possible, your next week's road trip through northern Bengal. It has been raining very heavily for last couple of days in the entire sub-Himalayan West Bengal. This has led to an unprecedented flooding. In fact, some stretches of NH31 through Cooch Behar is under water now. Although NH31C is still open but considering the rain forecast it's better to delay the travel. In fact, all trains going to North Bengal from Kolkata are either stranded or cancelled today. Otherwise, I had driven up to Alipurduar from Siliguri through Hasimara in the first week of June. The road was fabulous!

• Here is the news from today's Telegraph: https://www.telegraphindia.com/11708...ory_166992.jsp
  
  
• Here is link to Google Public Alert from CWC: https://www.google.org/publicalerts/...source=maps-sp

[dgoyle]

I am taking precautions by soliciting updates on road conditions from people staying on the route at Binaguri and Hasimara. As and when I get updates I shall post them on the forum for benefit of others. Thank you!

[gmhossain]

Originally Posted by Sheel

The only [good] development which took place is, the entire road from Dalkola onwards has been relaid and it is free of potholes.

Hello Sheel, how is the current flood situation along this stretch of NH31? Some reports are claiming that few stretches of NH-31 are underwater between Dalkhola and Islampur. Do you have any update?

Originally Posted by dgoyle

I am taking precautions by soliciting updates on road conditions from people staying on the route at Binaguri and Hasimara. As and when I get updates I shall post them on the forum for benefit of others.

Yes, sure. Please also keep an eye on the weather updates along the route.


Best,

[virkdoc]

Can Lucknow to Siliguri be done in one day?
How are the road conditions?
Google maps show 907kms but 16 hours of travel time.
What is the best route....good roads even if slightly longer?

[dgoyle]

Originally Posted by virkdoc

Can Lucknow to Siliguri be done in one day?
How are the road conditions?
Google maps show 907kms but 16 hours of travel time.
What is the best route....good roads even if slightly longer?

Lucknow to Guwahati can be done in a day - a hard day.

I did Thimphu Bhutan - departure 7 am; arrival - Lucknow 11, am next day. We were two drivers, drove through the night. Car: Etios petrol. We did not proceed without reasonable stops especially from Thimphu to Phuenshiling. We reached the Indo-Bhutan border around 4 pm. Dinner was after Islampur. Lost lot of time in Islampur traffic. Breakfast in Gorakhpur (early morning).

Earlier did Delhi Guwahati with breaks in Gorakhpur and Siliguri. The above describes return leg via Bhutan.

Road conditions:
1. Lucknow to Gorakhpur 4.5 hrs. Do in early morning hours which shall have less traffic. Good roads, no surprises.
2. Gorakhpur to Siliguri good roads except for a small 0.5 hrs stretch of UP, Bihar border. Just before Siliguri is Islampur. Road is OK, but traffic is BAD. Cross after 9 pm and it would ease out.
3. Siliguri to Guwahati: Good roads throughout.

I would recommend: Siliguri to Guwahati in daylight. the views are mesmerizing. Bihar section is well lit, GOOD ROADS and SAFE at night. So do this through night. Start early evening, drive through the night and do Siliguri-Guwahati during day. Should have two drivers.

[virkdoc]

Thanks for the prompt response.
We will be on motorcycles. Plan to leave Lucknow at 4 am in the morning and go to siliguri. From Siliguri we plan to enter Bhutan the next day.