[justwheels]

Originally Posted by narayans80

All sections are 4-laned. Only challenge is bypassing Vijayawada. There was a Youtube video on this sometime back on this.

Thanks for the above.
One more query, if going through Hyderabad, any idea what place will be best for a night halt? No point entering the city and finding a hotel. Is Shadnagar a decent place to stay for the night or any other options?

[gajadonga]

Best bet is Shamshabad close to Hyderabad Airport. Lots of options occording to your budget. Can take the ORR to exit the city which is very close by.Shadnagar is a very small town with minimal facilities.
Hope this helps

[pramodpk]

Is it advisable to plan a road trip to Kolkata from Bangalore during Diwali time this year? (October 26 - Nov 2). Will the route be affected by rains/cyclone during this time?

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

Will the route be affected by rains/cyclone during this time?

It is the time of the year. Too early to predict though. You could have Nagpur-Raipur-Sambalpur as an alternate route in case Orissa, AP are affected.

I'd actually be worried how to deal with traffic during the festive season than rains

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by narayans80

I'd actually be worried how to deal with traffic during the festive season than rains

Would it be that bad?

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

Would it be that bad?

In TN, I've personally been stuck in long jams in the days leading into/after Diwali. I don't think things would be any rosy. Oct 25-27, Nov 1-3 are likely to be heavy traffic days. Same story for Puja, Xmas.

For cyclones, start following like a week ahead. Late October cyclones in OR are rare (biggest being '99 super cyclone), keep the Nagpur route as backup in case something comes up.

[justwheels]

Thanks all for the inputs. The trip finally starts today. After all the discussions with TBHPians, below is the final plan:

Day 1: Bangalore to Hyd : Start at 5 PM, reach by 1 AM, stay at Shamshabad (near Airport)
Day 2: Hyderabad to Visakhapatnam : Start at 7 AM, reach by 6 PM, stay at VSKP
Day 3: VSKP to Araku by train at 6 AM, and back by train
Day 4: VSKP city visit
Day 5: VSKP to Kolkata, start early, reach by night

Please do advise if any final comments. I was waiting to do this long drive since long and finally time has come. Any updates on road condition or food joints on the way will be helpful. Vijaywada is still a concern for me as I will be passing the city mid day, so expecting traffic. Will keep the members updated on any conditions on the way to help any one taking the road anytime soon.

[9tMax]

Originally Posted by justwheels

Thanks all for the inputs. The trip finally starts today. After all the discussions with TBHPians, below is the final plan:

.
.


Please do advise if any final comments. I was waiting to do this long drive since long and finally time has come. Any updates on road condition or food joints on the way will be helpful. Vijaywada is still a concern for me as I will be passing the city mid day, so expecting traffic. Will keep the members updated on any conditions on the way to help any one taking the road anytime soon.

1. For bypassing Vijaywada take the Vijaywada Bypass - IRR combination from the place called Gollapudi. You will see direction boards on the road while goiing from Hyderabad. Traffic will be much less than passing through the city.


2. For food you have 2 nice options - 7 Food Court at Suryapet and One Food Courts at Annavaram. Google them for the exact location so that you don't miss them. 7 will be on your left side and One will be on your right while going from Hyderabad.
Almost nothing is available between Vijaywada and Rajamundry - so plan accordingly.


PS: Please post an update about the road condition after you reach Kolkata. I am planning to start for Kol on 1st aftenoon.

[justwheels]

Originally Posted by 9tMax

1. For bypassing Vijaywada take the Vijaywada Bypass - IRR combination from the place called Gollapudi. You will see direction boards on the road while goiing from Hyderabad. Traffic will be much less than passing through the city.


2. For food you have 2 nice options - 7 Food Court at Suryapet and One Food Courts at Annavaram. Google them for the exact location so that you don't miss them. 7 will be on your left side and One will be on your right while going from Hyderabad.
Almost nothing is available between Vijaywada and Rajamundry - so plan accordingly.


PS: Please post an update about the road condition after you reach Kolkata. I am planning to start for Kol on 1st aftenoon.

Thanks mate for the update. Will surely post about the road conditions once I reach Kolkata. Best of journey to you.

I had a 6pm start from Bangalore yesterday and it was a nightmare to cross Bangalore. From electronic city to Airport took 3 hours and at 9 we reached the Toll plaza after airport. Post dinner at India Paratha Company near Nandi hills turn, we hit the highway to reach Shamshabad (Hyderabad) at 2:15 am. The roads are amazing as always and you can cruise in 3 digit speeds all day.
Small road work after kurnool is on, but nothing to create traffic in the night.
Next update from Visakhapatnam.

[justwheels]

Originally Posted by 9tMax

PS: Please post an update about the road condition after you reach Kolkata. I am planning to start for Kol on 1st aftenoon.

Interim update from Visakhapatnam :
Firstly thanks for the guidance, 7 food court was a decent choice to stop. Hyd to Vijaywada road is good, although initial few kms after exiting from ORR are bad a lot of traffic.
Vijaywada was not that bad as Google took me through the right route bypassing city and theough the IRR. But road condition on IRR is not god for 50% time. Later it becomes better.
After Elluru, google shows a different route through state highway to Rajahmundry as the NH16 goes to Tanuku and further which probably is longer route. This route to Rajahmundry is bad, lot of traffic , roads are bad and passes through many interior places/villages. You get to cross the mighty Godavari three times and that is nice, its some cotton barrage near Rajahmundry.
Post Rajahmundry, its back to NH16 but quite a few road work in progress and couple of times road is only open one side. Not a very big deal though but speeds drop.

Rest update once I reach Kolkata on 1st night.

[9tMax]

Originally Posted by justwheels

After Elluru, google shows a different route through state highway to Rajahmundry as the NH16 goes to Tanuku and further which probably is longer route. This route to Rajahmundry is bad, lot of traffic , roads are bad and passes through many interior places/villages. You get to cross the mighty Godavari three times and that is nice, its some cotton barrage near Rajahmundry.
Post Rajahmundry, its back to NH16 but quite a few road work in progress and couple of times road is only open one side. Not a very big deal though but speeds drop.

Uh-oh! Totally missed that point.
Yes, time to time gmaps suggests 2 different alternative shortcuts to cross godavari - one via Gundugolanu - Nallajerla and then onto 4th bridge of Godavari and the other one via Prathipadu - Gopavaram and then onto the Cotton Barage. But unless I am crossing this stretch in the dead of the night (between 2300 - 0500 hrs), I avoid these shortcuts and stick to the good old NH 16, because Rajamundry has got some crazy two wheeler traffic. Though it may be around 30-40 km longer but the progress at least is smooth.
Both at Icchapuram and Jaleshwar border, last couple of times I didn't have to travel on the wrong side of the road. Trucks were there, but they were parked on both sides of the road, leaving a narrow passage at the center for other vehicles to move.
Have a safe trip for the rest of the drive.

[justwheels]

Originally Posted by 9tMax

Uh-oh! Totally missed that point.
Yes, time to time gmaps suggests 2 different alternative shortcuts to cross godavari - one via Gundugolanu - Nallajerla and then onto 4th bridge of Godavari and the other one via Prathipadu - Gopavaram and then onto the Cotton Barage. But unless I am crossing this stretch in the dead of the night (between 2300 - 0500 hrs), I avoid these shortcuts and stick to the good old NH 16, because Rajamundry has got some crazy two wheeler traffic. Though it may be around 30-40 km longer but the progress at least is smooth.
Have a safe trip for the rest of the drive.

No worries, it was some experience navigating the Rajahmundry traffic. Google baba at its play..

Now ready for the next leg of travel from Visakhapatnam to Kolkata.
Any inputs of good fooding options on the way will be helpful, and any things to avoid. Will update on the road conditions soon.

[9tMax]

Originally Posted by justwheels

Any inputs of good fooding options on the way will be helpful, and any things to avoid. Will update on the road conditions soon.

The stretch beyond Vizag is absolutely poor in terms of food options. But I can see one Oyo near Berhampur, just by the side of the NH. You can explore that. Otherwise for lunch, pull on upto Bhubaneshwar and don't get onto the flyovers and you will get some good hotel cum restaurants. One I remember is Presidency Inn. Have seen couple of other good hotels too, right on the NH, on your left.
Have read some negative reviews about the famed Chilika Dhaba near Chilika, so better avoided.
Just remembered about one more option, if BBSR is too far. OTDC Panthanivas, Rambha - not too much of a deviation from the NH, but has got a okayish restaurant.

[justwheels]

Originally Posted by 9tMax

PS: Please post an update about the road condition after you reach Kolkata. I am planning to start for Kol on 1st aftenoon.

Roads are more or less ok with quite a few flyover construction happening hence many diversions on the way, but not a big spoiler. Few big diversions and bad road patches around Srikakulam as road relaying is in progress.might get completed by the time you reach.

Few bad patches with potholes or rather eroded roads near chandkhole and few other patches.
Lots of truck traffic from balasore to jaleshwar to kolkata

No food options past Bhubaneshwar... we stopped at Hotel Orion at Bhadrak for tea. Ok place. There is one much before on the right side but we missed that. Be on the lookout.

Big update: road after shere punjab dhabha in kolaghat after bagnan is full jam due to road construction. Dont even plan to use that entry, it is a 2 hour congestion at midnight. Google routed us through Domjur then amta road to NH6 past the jam section. It was a saviour. So be careful.

Have a safe journey.

[9tMax]

Originally Posted by justwheels

Roads are more or less ok with quite a few flyover construction happening hence many diversions on the way, but not a big spoiler. Few big diversions and bad road patches around Srikakulam as road relaying is in progress.might get completed by the time you reach.

Few bad patches with potholes or rather eroded roads near chandkhole and few other patches.
Lots of truck traffic from balasore to jaleshwar to kolkata

No food options past Bhubaneshwar... we stopped at Hotel Orion at Bhadrak for tea. Ok place. There is one much before on the right side but we missed that. Be on the lookout.

Big update: road after shere punjab dhabha in kolaghat after bagnan is full jam due to road construction. Dont even plan to use that entry, it is a 2 hour congestion at midnight. Google routed us through Domjur then amta road to NH6 past the jam section. It was a saviour. So be careful.

Have a safe journey.

You are very very kind hearted I must say, to comment that the roads are more or less OK. In their current form they are simply not acceptable to me as tolled roads. In between Vijaywada and Srikakulam the roads are almost fully spoiled as compared to their earlier form. You just can not cross 80 or so for the fear of a suddenly popping up pot hole. Don't know, if NHAI can not maintain the roads then what right they have to collect tolls.
They should either maintain the roads properly or stop collecting tolls till the repair is completed.

Hotel Orion at Bhadrak is good for food but they take ages to serve you. Last time they made us wait for 1.5 hours for a simple fried rice and chicken curry order. So this time we threatened them in the very beginning that if we don't get our simple plain rice and dal fry order within 20 minutes, we will just leave. And it worked.

Our entry to Kolkata through the Kona expressway and then 2nd Hooghly bridge was smooth. You might have reached Kolaghat / Bagnan / Santragachi belt around or after 8 PM and that's why got stuck in the jam. Because the truck traffic is not allowed to enter Kolkata before 8 PM.