[vnabhi]

Hi folks

A good chum of mine from Bangalore is planning to drive to Bhutan from Bangalore on his Isuzu Vmax early next month. The plan is to drive for 20 days, during which he wants to cover places in Orissa where he spent his first 15 years of childhood.

The places are Jeypur (Koraput), Rourkela and Cuttack/ Puri. Below is the route he is planning:-

Bangalore to Bhadrachalam on day 1.

Bhadrachalam to Jeypore on day 2 via Konta, Penta, Dornapal, Sukma, Malkangiri, Pangam, Boipanguda to Jeypore

Jeypore to Rourkela after a day's stay will be via Koraput, Tikiri, Sagada, Bhwwanipatna, Kesinga, Balangir, Sambalpur and Sundergarh.

After adequate rest in Rourkela, he plans to drive to Siliguri, Gangtok, and Bhutan. On his return he wants to stop for a couple of days at Cuttack , Puri and Vizag.

While coastal routes are well known, he wanted inputs only on road conditions between Bhadrachalam and Jeypore, and how safe it is, given that it passes close to the Naxal belt in Chattisgarh.

He also needs inputs on the route to Rourkela from Jeypore, especially on the part between Jeypore to Sambalpur. We know that the road is wide and smooth between Sambalpur and Rourkela.

Both the above stretches are roads less traveled, so I am posting this on his behalf to check with you guys, especially those from Odisha.

Thanks in advance. Below is the route plan:

https://goo.gl/maps/XgkrWEkYLgN2

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Hi folks

A good chum of mine from Bangalore is planning to drive to Bhutan from Bangalore on his Isuzu Vmax early next month. The plan is to drive for 20 days, during which he wants to cover places in Orissa where he spent his first 15 years of childhood.
Thanks in advance. Below is the route plan:

https://goo.gl/maps/XgkrWEkYLgN2

I drove from Sambalpur to Balangir and can confirm this patch only. Sambalpur to Bargarh is smooth 4-lane road. Beyond Bargarh, it is a SH with 2 lane roads. Most of it is good with small patches of broken/under construction roads.

I could get further update that Balangir to Jeypore is similar 2 lane road with a mix of good and average roads.

Edit: Received further update for Bhadrachalam to Jeypore. Roads have improved a lot recently and can be termed as good. Regarding the risk, general notion is that the common man is not targeted. Security personnel, contractors or Govt. officials can be at risk, if at all.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by ashis89

I drove from Sambalpur to Balangir and can confirm this patch only. Sambalpur to Bargarh is smooth 4-lane road. Beyond Bargarh, it is a SH with 2 lane roads. Most of it is good with small patches of broken/under construction roads.

I could get further update that Balangir to Jeypore is similar 2 lane road with a mix of good and average roads.

Edit: Received further update for Bhadrachalam to Jeypore. Roads have improved a lot recently and can be termed as good. Regarding the risk, general notion is that the common man is not targeted. Security personnel, contractors or Govt. officials can be at risk, if at all.

Thanks a lot for your inputs. Though I've spent the first 20 years of my life i Orissa, I've never ventured on the above roads. The only western Orissa road I've traveled was from Berhampur to Bhawanipatna via Taptapani. But that was way back in 1983. It was a beautiful and desolate stretch for the most part, and we passed through thick forest stretches.

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Thanks a lot for your inputs. Though I've spent the first 20 years of my life i Orissa, I've never ventured on the above roads. The only western Orissa road I've traveled was from Berhampur to Bhawanipatna via Taptapani. But that was way back in 1983. It was a beautiful and desolate stretch for the most part, and we passed through thick forest stretches.

I spent first 18 years in Sambalpur where I have traveled to Ranchi via Rourkela, Raipur via Bargarh and then the coastal cities.

Parents moved and settled in Bhubaneswar since 2007. Since then my trips to western Odisha have reduced a lot and mostly via train.

One trip that I will always remember: Bhubaneswar - Nayagarh - Daspalla - Phulbani (1 night stay) - Daringbadi - Surada - Berhampur - Bhubaneswar. Daspalla forest is still a sight to see. And Daringbadi-Udaygiri forest was covered late evening and night, it was scary to say the least.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by ashis89

I spent first 18 years in Sambalpur where I have traveled to Ranchi via Rourkela, Raipur via Bargarh and then the coastal cities.

Parents moved and settled in Bhubaneswar since 2007. Since then my trips to western Odisha have reduced a lot and mostly via train.

One trip that I will always remember: Bhubaneswar - Nayagarh - Daspalla - Phulbani (1 night stay) - Daringbadi - Surada - Berhampur - Bhubaneswar. Daspalla forest is still a sight to see. And Daringbadi-Udaygiri forest was covered late evening and night, it was scary to say the least.

Many thanks, Asish. We should catch up in Hyderabad some day and re-live our Orissa diaries.

I have lived for 2 weeks in a small, desolate tribal village named Paburia, close to Kalinga ghat and Phulbani. This was during my field study vist while studying Anthropology Honours during graduation.

I know how scenic and tranquil that place is. And how simplistic the Khond tribals are. I long to visit that place again and re-live my memories of 1980, but alas, that place is too far from Hyderabad.

[vnabhi]

My friend has started his epic journey on Jan 27th. He's currently on the 3rd leg of the journey that is from Koraput to Rourkela. Below is his feedback on the roads:-

• Bangalore to Bhadrachalam via Hyd ORR, Suryapet and Khammam-he covered this in 12 hours though Google estimated 15 hours. He faced heavy rains from Anantapur to Hyderabad, and drizzle all the remaining journey. The road from Suryapet onwards to Bhadrachalam was undivided, but in decent condition.

• Bhadrachalam to Koraput via Sukma and Malkangiri---was an undivided highway in decent condition, except 40 kms between Sukma and Malkangiri. But even sedans can take that patchy road. So not a show stopper for guys owning sedans and low GC vehicles. He could reach Koraput town in 5 hours from Bhadrachalam. He passed through some scenic routes, though desolate.
  
  However in Chattisgarh, he came across a dozen CRPF platoons on the road, almost one every few kilometers. When he stopped and asked the first group, they said 'today things are fine, you can safely travel'!
  He saw all of them with automatic rifles, armoured cars and minesweepers. i'll try to post the single pic he could take.

He promised to give me an update this evening, after reaching Rourkela.

Edit: Here is the picture he took.

[vnabhi]

I know not many have traveled on the roads in Western Orissa, but just in case someone wants to, this thread might be useful.

Here's an update on the 3rd leg of the journey from Koraput to Rourkela that my pal completed yesterday. He started the journey at 5 am amid thick fog. Google suggested he take the Nowarangpur road instead of the one that goes North East of Koraput and merges near Bhawanipatna. This is because the fog was apparently thicker on the other route.

He found the fog even upto 9 am, after which things were good. Roads were decent all through, including a small ghat section after Nowarangpur. Things improved dramatically from Sambalpur with a 4-lane tolled road. As a result he reached Rourkela at 4 pm, instead of the estimated 530 pm.

He has started the 4th leg of this journey today from Rourkela to Siliguri. Google estimates 19 hours. I'll post his update tomorrow if he gets time to update me.