[yogesh.janghel]

Update: Durg to Jamshedpur - Just completed my trip from Durg to Jamshedpur. Route taken - Durg ->Raipur->Maha Samundh-> Saraipalli->Sambalpur->Doegarh->KanjiPani-> Koenjhar->Rimuli->Chaibasa->Sariakela->Jamshedpur.

Road Conditions :
Durg->Sambalpur - 4 Lane, great roads( very small stretch of around 1-1.5 km is 2 Lane, some constructions going on).
Sambalpur->Koenjhar - 2 Lane roads, mostly good. Little bit of bumps here and there. All forest and Ghat sections here. So, better to cover this during day.
Koenjhar->Jamshedpur-4 Lane road construction going on between Koenjhar and Rimuli.So couple of places you need to get down and go in Katchha road. Else its good.After Rimuli to Jamshespur -2 Lane, but great road.
Total Time - Around 11 hrs.

[CANPUSH]

Originally Posted by yogesh.janghel

Update: Durg to Jamshedpur - Just completed my trip from Durg to Jamshedpur.
Total Time - Around 11 hrs.

How is the road condition between Raipur and Sambalpur (NH53/AH46)?
Anyone traveled recently on this patch?
How much time it should take to cover this patch?

[yogesh.janghel]

I did the journey in March. 2-3 places, new road, bridge construction is going on, so its just single lane there, but in good condition. Rest its all good 4 lane. It should take you around 4.5 hrs to cover Raipur-Sambalpur.

[Sudipto-S-Team]

An update on Calcutta-Keonjhar section which I did last week. It's almost entirely 4-laned now if you go via Panikoli and avoid going the Jamshola/Bahragora route. Panikoli to Keonjhar - NH 20 - 4-laning is almost complete. Even if you are forced to take a diversion to the wrong side, since there is hardly any traffic you can easily hit a very high speed. It took me about 7 hours including breaks. Via the old route is now taking more than 12 hours, if you drive non-stop.

[Majumdarda]

Are 1000cc cars robust enough for performing these 2000 kilometer journeys in 3 days (and then coming back after a week)? If yes, how much should be the stopping intervals (kilometer wise) and what is the best speed to cruise along in these small cars on highways for long journeys?

The question comes from an excited soul who runs a recently acquired similar engine (<8K on Odo)

[Sudipto-S-Team]

Originally Posted by Majumdarda

Are 1000cc cars robust enough for performing these 2000 kilometer journeys in 3 days (and then coming back after a week)? If yes, how much should be the stopping intervals (kilometer wise) and what is the best speed to cruise along in these small cars on highways for long journeys?

The question comes from an excited soul who runs a recently acquired similar engine (<8K on Odo)

This is perhaps a wrong thread/section to ask this question. But the short answer is yes. But unless you are familiar with your car I wouldn't advice a multi-day, long, road trip as your first long drive. Go on a few - or at least one - short distance ones like Shantiniketan or Puri. You will know the answer yourself. Also there are many travelogues here written by people who have driven to various places in their small car. So that's not a limiting factor.

[Majumdarda]

1. Please advise if NH 65 and NH 16 have hotels where I can settle bills via credit card? (Family with 3 yr kid)

2. Please advise if Fastag lanes are operational in NH 65 and NH 16?

[Majumdarda]

Pune / Mumbai to Kolkata is a very popular stretch amongst the road-travelers. But what I found missing in this thread is a discussion on the popular and safe place for night stay. Though we can start a new thread for this, but to maintain the relation, please share your thoughts in this particular thread.

• Which hotel's service had you availed for you or family while travelling from Mumbai / Pune to Kolkata and back?

• Does it have a provision of car parking?

• Do you happen to remember the direction or any other means to get in touch with them?

• How were the rates and amenities?

[Majumdarda]

Originally Posted by Majumdarda

Pune / Mumbai to Kolkata is a very popular stretch amongst the road-travelers. But what I found missing in this thread is a discussion on the popular and safe place for night stay. Though we can start a new thread for this, but to maintain the relation, please share your thoughts in this particular thread.

• Which hotel's service had you availed for you or family while travelling from Mumbai / Pune to Kolkata and back?

• Does it have a provision of car parking?

• Do you happen to remember the direction or any other means to get in touch with them?

• How were the rates and amenities?

Bumping up again. Let me know if this is not the correct place to put this query. I am specifically looking for safe night halts at

1. Suryapet - Google advises Hotel New Swagath Grand.
2. Visakhapatnam - preferably budget hotel on the road opposite Ramkrishna beach. My friend had suggested Hotel Rio, but they are all booked in January. Do I need to advance book? Any alternate suitable recommendations near to Matsya Darshini?

[bikertillidie]

Originally Posted by Majumdarda

Bumping up again. Let me know if this is not the correct place to put this query. I am specifically looking for safe night halts at

1. Suryapet - Google advises Hotel New Swagath Grand.
2. Visakhapatnam - preferably budget hotel on the road opposite Ramkrishna beach. My friend had suggested Hotel Rio, but they are all booked in January. Do I need to advance book? Any alternate suitable recommendations near to Matsya Darshini?

Originally Posted by Majumdarda

Pune / Mumbai to Kolkata is a very popular stretch amongst the road-travelers. But what I found missing in this thread is a discussion on the popular and safe place for night stay. Though we can start a new thread for this, but to maintain the relation, please share your thoughts in this particular thread.

• Which hotel's service had you availed for you or family while travelling from Mumbai / Pune to Kolkata and back?

• Does it have a provision of car parking?

• Do you happen to remember the direction or any other means to get in touch with them?

• How were the rates and amenities?

Please PM me. I would be happy to answer any queries you may have as I have done to/fro road trips on this route on multiple occasions.

[Thumping Soul]

Hi Folks!

Coming winter holidays, I plan to do Nagpur - Kolkata around 25th December. The plan is to have an easy start (read 6-6.30am) from Nagpur and head towards Sambalpur. Call it a day at Sambalpur and start for Kolkata the next day. From Sambalpur, I plan to drive down to Cuttack and from there take the GQ to Kolkata.

I have driven on Cuttack - Kolkata sector in the past, some 4-5yrs back.

So, request the members here to shed some light on the road conditions on this route.

Also, i would be driving my Punto (1.3 MJD) with family (wifey & 2 kids). So, would also need info on good places for pit-stops and good options for overnight stay around Sambalpur.

Regards
Saurav

[Arka]

Originally Posted by Thumping Soul

I have driven on Cuttack - Kolkata sector in the past, some 4-5yrs back.

So, request the members here to shed some light on the road conditions on this route.

Also, i would be driving my Punto (1.3 MJD) with family (wifey & 2 kids). So, would also need info on good places for pit-stops and good options for overnight stay around Sambalpur.

Hi Saurav,

I had been on the Cuttack-Kolkata route about 3 years ago. We stopped at Hotel Orion at Bhadrak. Its on the highway and has a decent restaurant and restrooms. After Bhadrak I couldn't find any any reasonably decent places for a break until we reached kharagpur. Also the stretch of highway between Balasore and Kharagpur was in bad shape and was being worked upon. We had to slow down considerably on this stretch.

Another pitstop suggestion for the Sambalpur Choudwar stretch is at Hotel Prasanti or Hotel Durga. Both appear after crossing Angul town and are on either side of the highway. Decent places with clean restrooms. Have a good trip.

[yogesh.janghel]

Latest update on Bhilai-Raipur-Sambalpur-Deograh-Koenjhar-Rimuli-Jamshedpur route.
1. Bhilai-Raipur-Sambalpur : 4 Lane road. No issues.
2. Sambalpur-Deograh : Road has deteriorated, but still Ok. Be alert for sudden cracks and places where tar has come off.
3. Deogarh-Koenjhar - Road is in pathetic state. Kanjipani Ghaati is in really bad state. Low GC cars will not be able to make it.
4.Koenjhar-Rimuli-Jamshedpur - Great road. 2 Lane, but super smooth.

Question - Any idea how good/bad is Rourkela to Koenjhar ?

[Majumdarda]

Originally Posted by Majumdarda

...still in the planning phases,

Yes, its not too late to live up to your plans. Completed part one (Pune-Kgp) and reached destination on 21/Jan.

Tips and tricks are already shared by our members and there is nothing new to add. Still a few observations :-

1. Road condition between Solapur to Omerga is not that bad as I had expected it to be after reading some of the posts. Yes, its in patches at many places but one should not expect a Mumbai-Pune Highway like experience; Its not so bad so as to spoil the trip. The bad patches are usually in small sections and one needs to do some zig-zag movements to protect the underbody. Its advisable to cover this section during day time. Bonus is the Naldurg Fort; a big W-O-W. It just stretches at one side of the road and at one point it looked so daunting and mesmerizing from the driver's seat. Those high walls are definitely worth a visit and next is to plan a visit just for the Naldurg forts.

2. On the Nehru Outer Ring Road, no matter what car you drive, there will be always someone to overtake you. Thus its imperative that we hold on to our horses and enjoy what is being offered in the form of driving and observing the city from the roads.

3. Getting an accommodation in Vijayawada might work out to be challenging initially as the local crowd seems not to understand hindi/english. But that's what makes it fun too!

4. Gopalpur is a worthy contender if one is considering a day break. Its on the Odisha / Andhra border; cheap hotels facing the sea with a lighthouse too (And yes, its working !!!)

5. Fastag works for 90% of the time on the NH 65 and NH 16 stretch. But the fastag track is always occupied by truck, trailer etc and therefore movement is very slow. Also, its usually accompanied by hand scanner.

6. Odisha / WB border fastag scanners seems typically of another breed. They never worked as expected. For some reason, the sensor would sense the car's RFID only and not the Fastag (mine is attached on the right side as the company's is at the center).

Total Toll charges from Pune to KGP :- INR 2030/-

[Majumdarda]

I returned back to Pune from Kharagpur, on the 3rd February via the NH 16 and 65. The return distance worked out to be 2005 kilometers. Toll amounted to Rupees 2192 [with a double deduction at Laxmipuram toll plaza.] Have taken the issue with the fastag team. This time, I did not plan anything in advance as I was aware of the road conditions.

On the first day, we reached Vishakhapatnam and booked a hotel near to the Ramakrishna beach, in one of the bylanes near to Matsyadarshini. I had the understanding that since we were returning in the middle of the week, hotel accommodation would work out fast, but that proved a mistake. All hotels (including OYO) seemed to be booked up. Luckily we got one accommodation in a guest house at the rate of rupees 1200 for one night. Not able to recollect the name now, but I can share afterwards. We could not venture towards the sea as we were dead tired looking for accommodation (approximately one and half hours). Car parking is on the road, but I have been informed that the area is safe.

On the second day, we reached Zaheerabad and got an easy accommodation at poolside at the rate of 1200 for the night. Name of the hotel is Mahindra Paradise and its apparently being constructed at the moment. Fooding is available at the same premise, with subsidized rates for people who are staying. But options are limited and not appropriate for accompanying kids as the dishes are very rich. This place is a common hangout spot for the long distance buses and while we were having our dinner, I observed at least 4 Orange bus along with others, make their pit stops. Car parking is within the hotel premise away from the main road and its safe, but not covered.

After this place you enter the much anticipated Mars-Land and therefore becomes risky to progress further with no street lights and rolling trucks.

Petrol Pumps are available in plenty across this stretch of NH 65 and 16 (both onward and return). I have roughly calculated that Reliance pumps are available at a gap of 85 kilometers approximately from their last pump, excluding 5 kilometers from the main city boundaries. Card payment works out in nearly all the pumps but its always better to inquire if in doubt. When inquired about availability of clean washroom for females, the usual response was that the same is being constructed. This sounded pretty strange, but I guess good days are about to come, someday!!!

Availability of good eateries is a matter of question and therefore its better to have food while within city limits. On the Second day, we had our lunch at 7 Food Court and spent approximately one and a half hour there. Ample space to roam around and my kid loved it too as she could sit on a model bullock cart! We also tested their special thali, and it was just awesome. (Its spicy, Tangy and the taste is something which just rejuvenates you. Though I had to taste everything from left side as had to get rid of a molar while I was at WB; still the taste buds actually started to work with this electrifying combination.) This place had the nicest and cleanest washrooms I observed in my entire road trip. The lunch on the First day was besides a road side dhaba near to some petrol pump, with all sand and dirt flying around. Nothing worth mentioning, but that place served rice and chicken in such proportions, that it will be enough to serve the needs of 4 full grown adults. There was rawness in the taste there and with the accompanying surrounding, it just went in smooth. This place was very close to a U turn, and I could see some of the biggest and longest trailers make their U turns, with grace and command. It was worth a sight.

This time I made approx 95% of toll payments via cash so as to avoid the long queues observed in toll lanes, but I guess that worked out expensively. Was surprised to observe that at Laxmipuram toll plaza, toll-personnel have charged me in cash when the same was debited via the tag. I have taken this up with the Equitas team for a refund (Rupees 75)

Overall, the experience of my first road trip has been excellent and its something which has given me the confidence to drive more, in my small and humble king size Kwid. Next visit would be towards Asansol, but this time, either it will be via the Allahabad or the Nagpur stretch. Let's see how that materializes, I have months to anticipate and work out