[bordeaux]

Originally Posted by ampere

- Great update on this sector. Especially Narsighpur-Jhansi.
- Really sad to know that nothing is being done on the Jhansi-Agra sector.

I think you misunderstood me. Only Jhansi-Gwalior section (NH-75) of 80 KMs is bad. Gwalior has a four lane bypass of fair quality. Gwalior-Morena is again four lane but quality is not superior (do note that my frame of reference is NH-7/NH-44). No potholes though. Morena-Dholpur-Agra is good quality tarmac.

Originally Posted by ampere

- Agra bypass has remained a question mark. Now with the arrival of the expressway its even a bigger problem.
- The express way ends near the Agra-Aligharh road / Rambagh area of Agra.
- And from that side of the entry there is absolutely bypass to the south of the city; beyond Sadar area.

Agra is bustling with road development activities. It's amazing how much work UP Govt is doing in this sector. Please see the satellite image below. On south-western side you see a mega ring road coming up which will connect NH3 to NH-11 and NH-2. In a few years, you'll be able to skip Agra totally to join the NH-2 without a single traffic signal or speed breaker. And around the same time, the six laning working on Agra-Delhi section of NH-2 will be over and add to that the completion of Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway. One moment you are outside Agra and next thing you know is you are in Kundli, Sonepat without a single traffic signal.

Also, observe the eastern arc which is supposed to connect Yamuna expressway to the upcoming Agra-Lucknow expressway. It's highly likely that this will extended to connect to NH-3 also. That way, you will be able to skip to Yamuna expressway and then to the western peripheral expressway. But that is a little far in future.



Satellite view of upcoming Agra Outer Ring Road connecting NH-2, NH-11, NH-3, Yamuna Expressway and upcoming Agra-Lucknow expressway.

Originally Posted by ampere

- The other problem being traffic has increased many fold on the GT road through the city as well.

If I have learned anything from living close to 18 years in Haryana, it's that GT Road will never be enough. The very economic scenario of that region is responsible for it. Road construction will never be able to catch up with people's capacity of buying cars in this region.

[bordeaux]

Originally Posted by Ani0404

Hello fellow Bhpians. I am planning for a J&K trip in the month of July in a Tata Safari Dicor 2.2. Just collecting information about the road conditions from Hyderabad to Panipat. I laid out a draft itinerary in which I am planning to start early from Hyderabad.

Day 01: Hyd to Sagar via Nagpur (883 KM)

Day 02: Sagar to Panipat via Gwalior, Agra and Delhi (743 KM)

Well I will be having company but I will be the lone driver for the entire trip.
So is this doable or am I being too ambitious? Any further suggestions regarding few diversions which should be taken for better roads would be really helpful.

Thankyou.

Ani, Hyderabad-Sagar is fairly doable if you start at the right time. We did Hyderabad-Lalitpur (1020KMs) in October, 2014. We started from Gachibowli at 2:00AM. Reached TS/MH border at 5:30AM. This is when the bad road started and about the same time we had enough daylight for good visibility. It took us 3+ hours to reach Hinganghat back then but these days it that can be done in 1.5 hours. We had a lunch break at MPTDC Rookhad Highway Treat and moved on. Then we got stuck in a traffic jam for ~30 minutes in a ghat section in Pench because a truck broke down in the middle of the road. Lakhnadon-Jhansi is a free ride. Four lane all the way and sparse traffic. We reached Lalitpur at 7:00PM. It was getting dark and I was really tired, so we stayed at some really bad hotel in Lalitpur. Total time 17 hours including 2 hours break. But with better Adilabad-Hinghanghat stretch and perfect Lakhnadon-Jhansi stretch, you can do it in much quicker.


Sagar-Panipat is also very much doable. On 2nd day of our travel, we did Lalitpur-Kurukshetra via Bhognipur between 6AM and 10PM. We wanted to avoid Jhansi-Gwalior stretch at all costs and it was a really bad decision. Jhansi-Bhognipur highway was full of bumps because of too much trucking (part of East-West corridor). Bhognipur till NH2 was only two lanes with heavy trucking. NH-2 till Agra was plagued with diversions at it was being extended to six lanes. Overall, it was a bad decision and we should have gone via Gwalior.



The path we took to escape Jhansi-Gwalior in October 2014. Maps Url https://goo.gl/maps/KoFgspZPoqm

[contactgautam]

Originally Posted by Shivanshu

definately Gautam, will keep my fingers crossed for the fog conditions. Though you should plan accordingly.

Hi There,
Did this section Delhi to Nagpur and Hyderabad sometime back on 24th Dec 2015. Thankfully there was no fog at all. I was lucky. Same old story with Agra Jhansi road. It's in pitiable condition. But after Jhansi it is a breeze. Started from Delhi at 3 a.m early in the morning and was in Nagpur at 7.30 p.m in the evening with about 40 minutes wastage enroute due to tyre puncture. Did not continue to Hyderabad as I had originally planned due to pressure from family. Had I continued I would be in Hyderabad by 1.00 hrs, a drive of 22 hrs. Now since I have done this about 4 months back, I now firmly believe that Delhi - Hyderabad can be done in a day if conditions permit.

[bordeaux]

Finally managed to process few videos from the dashcam. Below are two videos of some stretches on this route.

NH-547 Nagpur-Narsinghpur

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WH-VKIIaao

NH-75 Gwalior-Jhansi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnyiH20_vpc

[bordeaux]

Guys, dug up some more videos of North-South corridor especially the famous Adilabad-Hinghanghat stretch.

NH-44 Adilabad-Hinghanghat in October, 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Wi8...pGHgbXYV_R9r2P

NH-44 Adilabad-Hinghanghat in Feb, 2016
Definitely has come a long but miles to go before it's as good as the rest of NH-44.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPHP...pGHgbXYV_R9r2P

NH-44 Hyderabad-Nizamabad in Feb, 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XJk...pGHgbXYV_R9r2P

NH-44 Nizamabad-Adilabad in Feb, 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MRN...pGHgbXYV_R9r2P

I'll see if I can dig up some more recording of this or other routes. Will keep updating this thread.

[bordeaux]

Some good news for Adilabad-Hinghanghat stretch of NH-44 (part of North-South Corridor). I had filed an RTI on May 23, 2015 regarding the two massively potholed/non-existent stretches. It took them more than a year to reply as the RTI went from one PIU (NHAI Project Implementation Unit) to another, but finally I received the reply today.


Adilabad-Hinghanghat Current Status

As the contracts have been signed, we can expect minor improvements in next six months. I am totally excited about this development as this will reduce Hyderabad-Nagpur travel time by at least 45 minutes.

[deepv]

Hi folks,

I am looking for route to take from Hyderabad to Lucknow.
Initial look around pointed to following options:
1. Hyderabad - Nagpur - Jhansi - Kanpur - Lucknow.
2. Hyderabad - Nagpur - Jabalpur - Rewa - Allahabad - Lucknow.

#2 is shorter a little (by about 50kms), but #1 being through AH43 I thought should be better. Let me know the preferences/alternates.

Probably not the best thread for my queries, point me relevant threads.

Thanks!

[gauravdgr8]

Last month I completed the Chandigarh-Raipur stretch in my now sold Vista.

Chandigarh - Delhi : Awesome road
Delhi - Yamuna Exp. till Mathura
Exit Expressway at Mathura to Join the old Delhi - Agra highway, idea was to bypass Agra traffic and straightaway hit the Gwalior road.

The bypass for Mathura is more like a slum dwelling road crossing. Now on reaching the old Delhi-Agra highway, one meets all construction activity with 100's of Maruti trailers. Finding the bypass to Gwalior road is another task. The Agra bypass is like the old fashioned ring road.

Total time taken after getting off Yamuna Exp at Mathura and getting on the Agra - Gwalior road (bypassing Agra) took 2 hours. Next month will try going through Agra.

Agra - Gwalior highway is 4 laned with lots of service lane traffic on the highway, eventually slowing you down.

Gwalior bypass is awesome. One can easily zip through.

The road gets bad after the Gwalior bypass is over until one reaches outskirts of Jhansi. However if one is in an SUV, do not fret. The cattle on the road near village Dabra will be more of an issue than the road itself. One can easily maneuver the potholes.

Jhansi to Sagar is a bliss, however cover only during the daytime. Holy Cows, in numbers I haven't seen since birth have been left on the road to feed and fend for themselves. I checked with the gas station at Lalitpur as to why and he said that it's due to drought for the past 2 years, farmers don't have enough to feed them.

Sagar to Seoni is again beautiful stretch, except a couple of kms of ghat section during descend.

I did the Seoni - Balaghat - Deori section which goes through Pench and saves 85 kms vs the Seoni - Nagpur - Deori. All in all, no time saved due to 2 laned roads.

Deori - CG border - Awesome
CG border - Rajnandgaon - Potholes due to heavy rains.
Rajnandgaon - Raipur - Bliss.

[ObsessedByFIAT]

Originally Posted by deepv

Hi folks,

I am looking for route to take from Hyderabad to Lucknow.
Initial look around pointed to following options:
1. Hyderabad - Nagpur - Jhansi - Kanpur - Lucknow.
2. Hyderabad - Nagpur - Jabalpur - Rewa - Allahabad - Lucknow.

#2 is shorter a little (by about 50kms), but #1 being through AH43 I thought should be better. Let me know the preferences/alternates.

Probably not the best thread for my queries, point me relevant threads.

Thanks!

I travelled on the Jhansi - Kanpur - Lucknow stretch on Saturday - 10th September. The entire stretch is in good condition and you can easily maintain an average speed of 70/75 KMPH. Be careful of the live stock moving around freely on the road though. You will find a lot of live stock who have made the road their home.

The flyover at Unnao is complete and its a breeze to get past Kanpur now.

I started from Barabanki at around 4:15AM and was at Shivpuri by 9:30AM including a small stop over of about 30 mins at Kanpur.

I have never been on the Hyd-Nagpur-Jhansi stretch so cannot comment on the same.

[nkghai]

Originally Posted by gauravdgr8

Last month I completed the Chandigarh-Raipur stretch in my now sold Vista.

Thanks!

I did Chandigarh to Baloda Bazaar last year. Was a leisurely drive with night halts at Agra and Sagar in cantonments. Was real fun.

Try interiors of Chattisgarh and come to Baloda and cows will be plenty full on the road. Generally on the roads around 9 AM and 5.00 PM.

Plan to do Baloda Bazaar to Chandigarh again in December with one break only.

How much time did you take?

[gauravdgr8]

Originally Posted by nkghai

Thanks!

I did Chandigarh to Baloda Bazaar last year. Was a leisurely drive with night halts at Agra and Sagar in cantonments. Was real fun.

Try interiors of Chattisgarh and come to Baloda and cows will be plenty full on the road. Generally on the roads around 9 AM and 5.00 PM.

Plan to do Baloda Bazaar to Chandigarh again in December with one break only.

How much time did you take?

I left Chandigarh at 6:30 on 5th Aug. Reached Nizamuddin by 10. Left Nizamuddin by 11:30 and reached Sagar by 9pm with breaks on Yamuna Exp., Gwalior bypass for lunch, Lalitpur for fuel.

Left Sagar at 6:30 the next day and reached Raipur by 4pm.

I will be driving my Brezza and therefore thinking to take the Raipur-Nagpur-Sagar route. Are the interior roads good and pothole free, keeping in the mind the rains this year. Could you tell the route in detail.

Thanks!

[nkghai]

Originally Posted by gauravdgr8

Left Sagar at 6:30 the next day and reached Raipur by 4pm.

I will be driving my Brezza and therefore thinking to take the Raipur-Nagpur-Sagar route. Are the interior roads good and pothole free, keeping in the mind the rains this year. Could you tell the route in detail.

Thanks!

I think for you the Raipur-Nagpur-Sagar route is best post monsoons.

For me it will be Baloda Bazaar-Simga-Bemetra-Seoni and then on the same route as you. I have not taken the Bemetra-Seoni route earlier, but another driving enthusiast who works in the same company went from here to Kota on 14th Aug has informed that the route was OK and i should try it.

[bordeaux]

We did Yamuna Nagar - Hyderabad this weekend and I have some really awesome news for you guys here A little bid of bad news as well!

Good points first!

1. Bypassing Delhi is easier than ever! Many flyovers on Delhi Outer Ring Road (Dr KB Hegdewar Marg) are now complete. All you have to do is just drive. https://goo.gl/maps/Bb4uYSR9A3n
2. Phase I of Agra Inner Ring Road is complete. If you are planning to stay in Agra, better take the Yamun Expressway all the way to the end, then don't exit it just yet and continue on the Agra Inner Ring Road. Then you'll exit at Fatehabad Road. Lots of hotels on Fatehabad for night halt. Also, better take this route to visit Taj Mahal. Not need to take Hathras Exit on Yamuna Expressway if you are staying in Agra. The ring road is a six lane divided carriageway with perfectly smooth tarmac! No concrete. https://goo.gl/maps/7UdF5zfbwMD2
3. This is the best part! The mighty Chambal bridge is complete and functional both ways. Chambal floods will no longer stop you!
4. Agra-Gwalior is full time four lane divided carriageway. Does get a little congested while passing thorough Morena.
5. Gwalior bypass is being resurfaced. When we used it six months ago, it had a lot of jumps. They are fixing that and it does show.
6. Another good news is that the Gwalior-Jhansi section has been repaired and you have pothole free two lanes all the way. Some sections have all four lanes working. Dabra town is becoming more and more congested.
7. Jhansi - Lakhnadon is a no brainer. Full time four lane.
8. Lakhnodon - Pench Forest Entry has 2-3 kms of stretch where it's still two lanes but work is actively being carried out and we should see some good outcome in next six months or so.
9. MP/MH Border - Mansar is a war zone. Too much machinery all over the place. This is one of the fastest progress I have see so far. It's going to be a concrete four lane road with many bridges. The bridges will have underpasses to facilitate animal movement. In many sections, the newly laid 2 lanes of concrete surface are already open and you can literally fly on them. I expect most of it to have newer 2 lanes functional in a few months.
10. The two famous sections of 25 KMs each between Hinghanghat and MH/TS border are again like war zones. Work in progress in full speed. At places the new two lanes has been laid already and should be functional in a few months. Pipe culvert and flyover/bridges will probably take longer. Almost all pipe culverts are also work in progress now.

Now, the bad points!

1. The MH/MP Border to Pench Forest Exit (towards Seoni) section has deteriorated to crazy levels! I didn't have many underbody hits in Honda City but faced departure angle issues too many times. This section is now almost like the earlier Hinghanghat-MH/TS border
2. Hinghanghat flyover is still not complete. I guess we need to sacrifice a goat or something to make it happen

I have raw videos of almost all the road. Will upload as and when I get time to process them.

[damodar]

Originally Posted by bordeaux

Now, the bad points!

1. The MH/MP Border to Pench Forest Exit (towards Seoni) section has deteriorated to crazy levels! I didn't have many underbody hits in Honda City but faced departure angle issues too many times. This section is now almost like the earlier Hinghanghat-MH/TS border
2. Hinghanghat flyover is still not complete. I guess we need to sacrifice a goat or something to make it happen
.

Did you try the Narsinghpur-Chhindwara-Nagpur route? Read on some travel forums that this is much better surfaced with very less traffic.

Regarding the Jhansi-Gwalior stretch what if go via Shivpuri to avoid heavy traffic and road works?

[bordeaux]

Originally Posted by damodar

Did you try the Narsinghpur-Chhindwara-Nagpur route? Read on some travel forums that this is much better surfaced with very less traffic.

Yes, we have taken that earlier this year. It's a two lane road with paved shoulders and is maintained well. We used the regular NH-44 route as I wanted to see the work progress in forest area right outside Mansar. When we used the NH-44 8 months ago, they were removing trees and leveling terrain. It was a beautiful surprise to find out that a lot of work has been done in such a short span of time.

Originally Posted by damodar

Regarding the Jhansi-Gwalior stretch what if go via Shivpuri to avoid heavy traffic and road works?

The difference is 80 KMs which will take at least 70-80 minutes extra no matter how good the road is. Also, I don't see any ring-road or bypass kind of arrangement in Shivpuri. The traffic on the Jhansi-Gwalior is not much. It feels more because there are only two lanes. The Jhansi-Gwalior two lane stretch is total 80 KMs and can be done in 90-100 minutes if you don't rush it too much.

Back in 2014, I took Jhansi-Bhognipur-Etawah-Firozabad-Yamuna Expressway (https://goo.gl/maps/BdtG7fQDNCU2) to avoid Jhansi-Gwalior, Chambal region and Agra altogether. It wasn't such a good idea in terms of saving time :-)