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Originally Posted by gmhossain Please do share. It would be really helpful for the people who needs to drive only a part of this route say to Malda/Raiganj from either Siliguri or Kolkata.
Best,
Golam |
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Originally Posted by gearhead_mait I am interested for some insight into Botolbari-Dhantola stretch (maybe some pictures as well), if you could, please! |
I do not have many real time pictures on this route as each time I have driven on this, it had been under headlights, however, will still try to give some insights.
Here is a snapshot of the route (Please note, this is the actual erstwhile Bengal-to-Bengal Bus route)
The link to the route
https://goo.gl/maps/uGbej
The route starts at Botolbari, which is approximately 15.6 kms from Raiganj 4-point junction. Or alternatively, 14.2 kms from the WBTDC Raiganj Tourist Lodge Gate.
The entry into this route looks like this (This is the only pic we managed). One needs to take a right turn into the narrow road on right.
From the above entry point, drive for 17 kms on a narrow road (acceptable road surface - but even two auto's crossing each other would need to put one wheel each onto the lower shoulder) to a town called Rudel (also known as Barhas)
At Rudel, at the T-junction, one would need to make a right turn onto the road to Shahpur (Incase one needs to ask a local, ask for directions to Shahpur).
This same road will go all the way to Dhantola on NH31 (43kms later). If one has a navigator, one can easily set for destination as "Islampur" and depend on the directions they provide from this point.
However, approximately 13kms from Dhantola and 47kms from Botolbari (30kms from Rudel) one would get a 4 point crossing in a busy looking area. One will need to take the road on the opposite side (carry on straight), which is a little offset to one side and is much narrower (Roads to all the 3 other directions would look wider and better surfaced and it would be quite natural to ignore this road ahead). The road surface also deteriorates from this point all the way till NH31.
On the way back,
The entry into this route will look like this, will come up approximately 7.5 kms from the 4-lane start after crossing Islampur
Infact the entry is quite easy to miss, because one hardly spots it
Until one is almost on it.
The entry looks like this, the landmark is the Indianoil pump (inset)
However on the way back from Dhantola to Botol bari, one will need to watch out for 2 things
1> 25.6kms from the start of this route at Dhantola, there will be a fork, while it will be natural to carry on straight into the village here, one will need to take the road on left and continue straight for 17kms to Rudel. (If one needs to setup the Navigator, one can do so over here with directions to Tourist Lodge at Raiganj)
2> At, Rudel, which is approximately 43.3 kms from entry to this route at Dhantola (17.6kms from the point mentioned in 1 above), one will need to take a narrow road on left (This road is easy to miss, so keep a watch for roads on left side at Rudel). To get local confirmation, ask for road to Botolbari, they should be able to relate to it (as Auto's also run the route)
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Originally Posted by rahul_kej Doing Kolkata to Siliguri in 13hours is pretty decent considering the present condition of roads between these two cities. Those who want to do Kolkata Siliguri I would suggest not to take Dumka Bhagalpur route. As soon as you enter Bihar from Jharkhand the night mare begins until you cross Bhagalpur. The roads are bad enough to scrap the underbody of even 210mm GC SUVs.
Crossing Bhagalpur is something which can irritate and frustrate even the most patient drivers. If you cross during day time the local traffic will irritate you and if you cross during night time the thousands of trucks gonna frustrate you, either way one will take hours to cross Bhagalpur. The Vikramshila Setu which is 4.7kms long is no better than Farakka bridge can easily take you an hour or so to cross. Though once you cross Bhagalpur and reach NH 31, it's a breeze to drive till Siliguri.
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This route is documented in the following thread, created separately for it.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ding-nh34.html (Kolkata - Siliguri route via Dumka, Bhagalpur. Avoiding NH34)
The Dumka Bhagalpur route has its own perils as well.
The intention of creating the SH7 thread is to keep a watch on the developments on this route, which we believe, will be the eventual route of choice.