[maker_of_things]

Hey Travel Experts.

My brother's wedding will be happening in a month's time and I will be going to Ranchi to drive down my dad's 2014 Tata Aria to Pune, starting on the 17th of June.

I wanted to enquire about the route conditions and stops along the way. Adding a screenshot of the route as per Google Maps.



The basic route looks like Ranchi -> Sambalpur -> Raipur -> Nagpur -> Akola -> Aurangabad -> Ahmednagar -> Pune

The route from Ranchi to Sambalpur, as per Gmaps is NH23 till Simdega, then SH10, and after that some local unmarked roads (Sambalpur-Kolabira road, passing through Bamra) till Sambalpur. This leg is roughly 320 km.

An alternative to this route is Ranchi to Gumla (via NH43) from where SH24/SH10 till Sambalpur. This route is a bit longer as well (345 km) and prone to slower moving traffic starting before Jharsuguda (bad roads?). Adding a screenshot below -



Q1 - Has anyone travelled this leg before (Ranchi - Sambalpur)? If you have, then your thoughts on the two routes that I've mentioned above will be helpful.

Q2 - Also, how are the roads for the journey from Akola - Pune, via Aurangabad?

Q3 - Coming to the breaks, initially I was thinking of taking a night's rest at Raipur (600 km from Ranchi) and then continuing the journey till Pune on the second day. Now, I'm leaning towards Nagpur for the night's rest (875 km from Ranchi), if time and energy permits. Any thoughts on this?

[feluda86]

Originally Posted by maker_of_things

Hey Travel Experts.


Q2 - Also, how are the roads for the journey from Akola - Pune, via Aurangabad?

I can help you with this stretch. The roads are mostly above average to very good. Once you enter Maharashtra, be on the watch out for speed-breakers and bikes coming on the wrong side around villages. You might encounter relatively high truck traffic on this road, especially around Aurangabad and near Pune. I would suggest you cover this stretch when there is day light as trucks/SUVs driving on the opposite lane with high beams make it difficult to drive at night. You will also find a couple of good highway restaurants with clean washrooms after Ahmednagar.

Since you will be travelling via Aurangabad, it will be great if you can find time to visit the historic Ellora caves (if not Ajanta also).

[maker_of_things]

Originally Posted by feluda86

I can help you with this stretch.

Thanks for the tips feluda86 .

Since you will be travelling via Aurangabad, it will be great if you can find time to visit the historic Ellora caves (if not Ajanta also).

If time permits, I will definitely try to visit them.

[WheelWake]

Originally Posted by maker_of_things

Hey Travel Experts.

My brother's wedding will be happening in a month's time and I will be going to Ranchi to drive down my dad's 2014 Tata Aria to Pune, starting on the 17th of June..

Hey Maker!
Were you able to make this trip? I am looking to do Mumbai Ranchi in two weeks which essentially is the same stretch. Tried reading on various thread and information seems to be scattered. For me it looks like the feasible plan should be Mumbai ->Nagpur (Halt)->Sambalpur(Halt)->Ranchi

Now Mumbai Nagpur and Nagpur Sambalpur seems to be described over various threads and looks like very doable. However, I have hardly got any information on Sambalpur Ranchi stretch. Also, it will be great if you can help with the current law and order situation in these area.

Tia

[maker_of_things]

Originally Posted by WheelWake

Hey Maker!
Now Mumbai Nagpur and Nagpur Sambalpur seems to be described over various threads and looks like very doable. However, I have hardly got any information on Sambalpur Ranchi stretch. Also, it will be great if you can help with the current law and order situation in these area.

Hey Tia

I was able to successfully make this trip. It took me about 2 days and 30 hours of driving to reach Pune. Our journey looked like Ranchi -> Durg -> Pune. Though we were delayed because father became a bit skeptical of Google Maps during the last leg of the journey and we took a route advised by the locals. This turned out to be a bad decision it was all a single lane road and in extremely bad shape.

Roads from Nagpur to Sambalpur are a dream. 4-lanes with minimal traffic, though the occasional cows do pop up from time to time. Post Sambalpur, atleast within the Odisha border, the 2-lane roads are smooth, wide with ample shoulder; with the occasional 4-lane popping up for a few kilometres. Google Maps does navigate through some state highways to reduce time instead of going through the longer routes. It's effective, but since it mostly routes through villages there's a chance of being left stranded in the Naxalite prone areas. It's best to cover the journey post Sambalpur during the day, given that the sun sets early in the winter and more so in the eastern part of our country. Apart from that, there's not really much of lawlessness in Odisha.

Oh, and if you're navigating using Google Maps do keep the routes downloaded for offline use. The network can be spotty in the forests of the Odisha/Jharkhand region.

Do get your vehicle checked up beforehand, and drive safe!

Nikhil

[ashtrix]

Dear Friends, I request your suggestion about the shorter and better of the following three routes for a trip to Hazaribagh from Mumbai next month -
A) Mumbai - Aurangabad - Nagpur - Raipur - Sambalpur - Jharsuguda - Ranchi - Hazaribagh
B) Mumbai - Nasik - Indore - Bhopal - Sagar - Rewa - Varanasi - Aurangabad - Chouparan - Hazaribagh
C) Mumbai - Nasik - Indore - Bhopal - Jhansi - Kanpur - Allahabad - Varanasi - Aurangabad - Chouparan - Hazaribagh

I plan to drive only during the day so request suggestions about places for night halts on the route and preferred hotels if possible.
Thanking in advance.

[Sheel]

DBHPian //M has recently ridden from Pune to Ranchi. Will send him this link, he may take a while to revert as he is caught-up with some assignments/work.

[//M]

Originally Posted by Sheel

DBHPian //M has recently ridden from Pune to Ranchi. Will send him this link, he may take a while to revert as he is caught-up with some assignments/work.

Thank You for pointing me to this thread.

Originally Posted by ashtrix

Dear Friends, I request your suggestion about the shorter and better of the following three routes for a trip to Hazaribagh from Mumbai next month -
A) Mumbai - Aurangabad - Nagpur - Raipur - Sambalpur - Jharsuguda - Ranchi - Hazaribagh
B) Mumbai - Nasik - Indore - Bhopal - Sagar - Rewa - Varanasi - Aurangabad - Chouparan - Hazaribagh
C) Mumbai - Nasik - Indore - Bhopal - Jhansi - Kanpur - Allahabad - Varanasi - Aurangabad - Chouparan - Hazaribagh

I plan to drive only during the day so request suggestions about places for night halts on the route and preferred hotels if possible.
Thanking in advance.

Hi ashtrix, I recently rode from Pune to Ranchi via Jalna - Amravati - Nagpur - Raipur - Sambhalpur - Jharsuguda - Simdega. I would wholeheartedly suggest you to go ahead with this route.

Mumbai - Nasik - Amravati - Nagpur - Raipur - Sambhalpur - Jharsuguda - Rourkela is in a terrific shape. So much so that you would be tempted to cover the distance in one day itself. However I would suggest you to take a break at Bhilai or Raipur if you are keen to cover the distance in two days.

I did Pune - Bhilai in 14.5 hours and Bhilai - Ranchi in 8.5 hours on my motorcycle during the monsoons. The roads are fantastic so maintaining good speeds is possible.

I, however, took a shortcut after Jharsuguda to Simdega. You will come across a small village called Kutra after Jharsuguda. You may take a left to Simdega just after Kutra but this road is extremely narrow in stretches and goes through villages. I enjoyed riding in this road as I was bored riding on straight roads. Plus this route saved me a lot of time.

Other option is to take the longer route till Ved Vyas Junction before Rourkela and then turn towards Simdega. You will encounter moderate traffic in Simdega in either case.

I would suggest plan your trip in such a way that you drive on the last stretch from Jharsuguda to Hazaribagh during the day.

Drive safe.

[ashtrix]

Originally Posted by //M

Thank You for pointing me to this thread.




Hi ashtrix, I recently rode from Pune to Ranchi via Jalna - Amravati - Nagpur - Raipur - Sambhalpur - Jharsuguda - Simdega. I would wholeheartedly suggest you to go ahead with this route.

Mumbai - Nasik - Amravati - Nagpur - Raipur - Sambhalpur - Jharsuguda - Rourkela is in a terrific shape. So much so that you would be tempted to cover the distance in one day itself. However I would suggest you to take a break at Bhilai or Raipur if you are keen to cover the distance in two days.

I did Pune - Bhilai in 14.5 hours and Bhilai - Ranchi in 8.5 hours on my motorcycle during the monsoons. The roads are fantastic so maintaining good speeds is possible.

I, however, took a shortcut after Jharsuguda to Simdega. You will come across a small village called Kutra after Jharsuguda. You may take a left to Simdega just after Kutra but this road is extremely narrow in stretches and goes through villages. I enjoyed riding in this road as I was bored riding on straight roads. Plus this route saved me a lot of time.

Other option is to take the longer route till Ved Vyas Junction before Rourkela and then turn towards Simdega. You will encounter moderate traffic in Simdega in either case.

I would suggest plan your trip in such a way that you drive on the last stretch from Jharsuguda to Hazaribagh during the day.

Drive safe.

Thanks a lot //M. I have traveled several times via Indore - Jhansi (not to Jharkhand though) and was keen to try a new route for this trip. I am looking forward to it now. Thanks again.

[rkw]

Has anyone recently been on Sambalpur - Ranchi route? Will be of great help if info on preferred route, road condition, traffic etc. can be given. Based on these I plan to drive down next week.

[//M]

Originally Posted by rkw

Has anyone recently been on Sambalpur - Ranchi route? Will be of great help if info on preferred route, road condition, traffic etc. can be given. Based on these I plan to drive down next week.

My parents traveled from Sambalpur to Ranchi recently. They took the Sambalpur - Jharsuguda - Ved Vyas - Simdega - Ranchi route. The road is great till Ved Vyas, good with low to moderate traffic till Simdega.

After Simdega its a 2-lane state highway till Ranchi, the road condition is fairly good but exercise caution against jaywalkers while crossing junctions and villages.

Originally Posted by //M

I, however, took a shortcut after Jharsuguda to Simdega. You will come across a small village called Kutra after Jharsuguda. You may take a left to Simdega just after Kutra but this road is extremely narrow in stretches and goes through villages. I enjoyed riding in this road as I was bored riding on straight roads. Plus this route saved me a lot of time.

Other option is to take the longer route till Ved Vyas Junction before Rourkela and then turn towards Simdega. You will encounter moderate traffic in Simdega in either case.

Another option is this shorter route from Kutra to Simdega - very narrow road but saves you time.

[rkw]

Originally Posted by //M

My parents traveled from Sambalpur to Ranchi recently. They took the Sambalpur - Jharsuguda - Ved Vyas - Simdega - Ranchi route. The road is great till Ved Vyas, good with low to moderate traffic till Simdega.

After Simdega its a 2-lane state highway till Ranchi, the road condition is fairly good but exercise caution against jaywalkers while crossing junctions and villages.




Another option is this shorter route from Kutra to Simdega - very narrow road but saves you time.

Thanks for the quick revert with helpful info. Seems doable. But due to rains, may defer my plan to Diwali.

[rkw]

Recently undertook Sambalpur-Ranchi & back trip. Journey legs as follows.
Sambalpur - Kutra on Rourkela expressway: Excellent highway. Look for dogs / cattle jumping on to the road.
Kutra - Ambapani on NH143: Very good except few bad patches & speed breakers. Can save time by not taking the longer Rourkela (Ved Vyas jn) route. New culverts being built at few places leading to slowing down. Once these are ready, it will be much better. Definitely recommend this road.
Ambapani (taking left at Kutra road junction on NH143) till Simdega: About 30 km. Road is not very good. Lot of potholes. Google also shows taking right & reaching Kolebira through Lambai, Silga. I guess this is the route from Ved Vyas jn. But locals told me to take left on to Simdega-Kolebira route.
Simdega to Kolebira: Road gets better. Passes through a short ghat.
Kolebira to Ranchi: Again excellent highway. It's a 2 lane w/o divider NH but broad & sparse traffic. After Kolebira at about 30 km , Google will prompt to take left onto Ranchi somewhere near Kandra. DO NOT do that as it passes through narrow roads, some untarred patches, under construction rly underpasses, villages etc. Instead keep straight onto Torpa, Khunti & then Ranchi. Hardly 10 km extra but can save about 1 hr. It is a pleasant drive till Ranchi. Slight slowdown while passing through Khunti town. Exercise caution about speed breakers, cattle while crossing habitations.
Overall good experience. Took about 6 hr to cover 340 km stretch. At present, only 2 tolls on Sambalpur-Rourkela highway (Rs.50 + Rs.75 one way).

[automachine]

One of my friend is planning to do Mumbai-Ranchi by road. Can anyone provide update on the route to take and any pointers on the road conditions? Also does anyone have any idea on the e-pass or transit pass requirements for Chattisgarh and Odisha in current scenario?

[shishir333]

Originally Posted by automachine

One of my friend is planning to do Mumbai-Ranchi by road. Can anyone provide update on the route to take and any pointers on the road conditions? Also does anyone have any idea on the e-pass or transit pass requirements for Chattisgarh and Odisha in current scenario?

I did pune to ranchi on July 8 (last week) via aurangabad-amravati-nagpur-bhilai-sambalpur-jharsuguda (actually the route google suggests) and following is my takeaways

• The roads are decent (50% four lane) and running 24 hours.
• Fuel stations were open 24 hours too.
• There were two bad patches...one before entering amravati and second after Jharsuguda (around 20-30 kms each)
• I took permits from punepolice.in and jharkhand and that was it...no other pass required.
• I was stopped only once for pass...infact orissa and jharkhand border had no checking at all.
• Dhabas are open on the way and once you get out of maharashtra you feel like everywhere else corona has not taken the front seat yet
• I maintained 80-90 throughout my journey and it took me 30 hours of drive...google says 33 hours
• There was this one small incidence; i stopped about 50 kms before ranchi to enjoy the sunset and some villagers passing by said "sir dilli se le aaye yaha corona!" (My vehicle has HR number plate). So yes...people here frown upon vehicles from delhi

Let me know if you need any more info...happy to help!