[subhojitb]

It would be really helpful if someone can provide me the detailed route guide as well the road condition for the following 3 destinations

1) Kolkata - Murshidabad in West bengal
2) KOlkata - Chandipur in Orissa
3) Kolkata - Tatanagar in Jharkhand

Which of the above has relatively better roads for driving and which of the above takes minimum time to reach from kolkata. I am planing for the travel end December / 1st week of Jan

Thanks in anticipation
Subhojit

[hvkumar]

Kolkata - Murshidabad:
NH34 would be the direct road, but NH2 (Durgapur may be preferable, via Darjeeling More (before Durgapur), Siuri.
Nh2 is a great road, no update on the rest of teh route

Kolkata - Chandipur:
NH6 (Kon Expressway) till Kharagpur, Nh60 from thereon till Baleshwar
Some bad sections in NH60

Kolkata - Tatanagar
NH6 till Baharogara (beyond Kharagpur), then NH33 to Tatanagar
Kharagpur-Baharogara road is OK, no idea about the road from there to Tatanagar/Jamshedpur

[akroy]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Kolkata - Murshidabad:
NH34 would be the direct road, but NH2 (Durgapur may be preferable, via Darjeeling More (before Durgapur), Siuri.
Nh2 is a great road, no update on the rest of teh route

DarjeelingMore - Moregram stretch is also good. It can be easily done in 3 hours (150km)

Abhi

[Sudipto-S-Team]

Attached is my May 07 trip log to Darjeeling and back. Went up via NH34 and came down via Moregram. So you can compare.

NH 34 is relatively in a much worse shape. I am told even some long distance buses to north Bengal are avoiding NH34 and going via Panagarh/Moregram. But remember, the road via Panagarh-Moregram will be a huge detour and some sections are pretty desolate with minimal roadside repair facilities. On the contrary, NH 34 goes through pretty crowded areas, which again is a put off for many.

Since your destination is just as far as Murshidabad you could consider NH 34. Assuming, by Murshidabad you mean Baharampore, please remember you have to turn back from Moregram if you take that route.

Tatanagar will be your best bet among the three, in terms of smooth roads. You just turn right from Kharagpur (actually you take the left exit at the flyover to go right - ). And then again turn right from Baharagora. But don't plan a night trip on this route since Lodhashuli jungle area is highly criminal infested and trucks move in a convoy with police escort at night.

For going to Chandipur you go straight under the flyover and reach Balasore, there you just get lost and you will be in Chandipur. As HVK said NH60 (from Kharagpur to Balasore) has a few bad patches. Recently a Qualis (or was it an Innova) got washed away in flood and that incident made major headlines.

I have the logs of all these destinations. But except for the Darjeeling one, the others are in my notebook and I feel too lazy to put them on xl sheet.

[subhojitb]

Thanks a lot .. all of you.. It indeed helped me a lot. However just to let you know that since I am now responding from office where there is limited access. I am unable to respond in detail regarding your inputs.. I would do so from my home..
Thanks again..

[thebagchi]

Murshidabad
Kolkata - Barasaat - Chakdah - Krishnanagar - BethuaDahari - Murshidabad.
NH34 upto Behrampur is moreorless in OK condition. (Few potholes are there)

There are few other state highways that run inside Burdwan and Nadia districts, absolute pleasure to drive.

Minimum Distance: 140~150Kms

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Chandipur
kolkata - Kharagpur - Belda - Jaleshwar - Balasore(Baleshwar) - Chandipur
(Only at Balasore road is bad, otherwise it a dream road)
(There is an alternative road, but not recommended)

Minimum distance: 254Kms

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Jamshedpur
Kolkata - Kharagpur - Chinchira - Bahargoda (Right Turn to catch NH33) - GhatShila - Jamshedpur

Only at Chinchira road is bad, otherwise roads are good.
Driving or riding on Kharagpur to Jamshedpur at night is a strict no no.

Minimum Distance :: 250~260Kms

[vnabhi]

Guys

Any updates on the best route to Chandipur from Calcutta? My brother plans to drive down tomorrow.

Thanks in advance.

[black_panther]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Guys

Any updates on the best route to Chandipur from Calcutta? My brother plans to drive down tomorrow.

Thanks in advance.

A friend of mine drove to Puri and back few days ago. He said that the roads were excellent.

He deviated from NH5 to bypass the stationary trucks at the WB-OR border at Jaleshwar. One can also juggle between the double roads to cross the border, if the ground clearance of the car is good.

[Sommos]

Kolkata to Kharagpur NH 6.
Kharagpur by-pass - Jeleshwar - Balasore by OT Road (NH 60)
Balasore - Chandipur.

NH6 upto Kharagpur by-pass and NH 60 upto Balasore is fine 6 lane highway and part of GQ. There may be some bad/rough patches and be careful about the concrete culverts because the height of the concrete is higher than the tar road.

No idea about Balasore to Chandipur.

Better to pass through Jaleshwar town rather than the NH, it is a small town so won't take long to cross.

[rahul4640]

Just returned after a brief one day visit to Chandipur. Took me six hours each way, with adequate breaks. The road is good, although it is a single carriageway all the way from Kharagpur. The last portion of the road from Baleswar to Chandipur (possibly only 15 KM) is broken but nothing one can not manage with cautious driving.

Saw lotus flowers in a roadside village pond, on the main highway. Hope you will like this picture.
Regards,
Rahul
Calcutta.

[debuda]

Drove from Kolkata to Jamshedpur and back a few days ago via Kharagpur and Bahragora. I have been driving on this stretch regularly for the last 16 years and right now it is in quite a good condition (probably the best in the last 7-8 years).

The stretch from Kolkata to Kharagpur is superb, being a part of the Golden Quadrilateral (6-laned, tolled). From Kharagpur to Bahragora (2-lane) is very good. From Bahragora to Jamshedpur (2-lane) is also very good except the last 30 km near Jamshedpur. This 30 km stretch is potholed and a bit rough but still not too bad -- one can easily do 50-70 kmph.

It is really encouraging to see lots of 4-laning work in progress on the Bahragora - Jamshedpur (NH-33) stretch. I think this 4-laning work should complete in the next 2 years.