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-   -   Bangalore - Vijayawada - Vizag - Bhubaneswar : Route Queries (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/89966-bangalore-vijayawada-vizag-bhubaneswar-route-queries-21.html)

It is doable with 3 drivers but not in 21 hrs as gmaps seem to suggest. Night driving will be slow and you'll need breaks. Vijayawada to Vizag traffic will slow you down. Probably around 28 hrs. The rapid will be a better choice with a powerful engine. I've heard that OTDC panthanivas is decent.

How is the road condition? I have driven till Horsley Hills and 2 lane road after Mulbagal.

Mulbagal till Naidapetu is 2 lane and then 4 lane once you hit the GQ. There were diversions from Nellore to Vijayawada when I drove last year. Overall road conditions are good but there will be moderate to heavy traffic on this stretch. Stretch from Vizag to Chilka is excellent. You may want to consider the Blr Hyd Vijayawada route. For about 150 km more you get excellent 4 lane roads till Vijayawada with sparse traffic.

Would not recommend taking this route, its way longer than the route via Naidupeta.

With 3 drivers you could do it easily, no of hours I can't comment as I don't know how comfortable the drivers would be!

I have personally done Blr-Kol-Blr a min of 12-14 times, me being the only driver, I generally would leave Blr by 5:30-6am and reach Vishakapatnam by around 6pm.

You could drive alone till Vishakapatnam and then have someone do the remainder of the journey, or halt at Vizag and then proceed the next day!

You could stay at the "Hotel Haritha resort" or the "Haritha Yatrinivas" run by the APTDC, on beach road! Pretty decent rooms!

Yes, that will be way too long route. Considering the time we have, it would be difficult. Unless the Naidapetu route is in horrible condition.

Thanks ssjr0498. That's what the plan is, I drive major chunk of the trip and give other somewhere after Vizag.

Vizag is the ideal stop for this. In Dec 2011, I did the Blr-Kolkata run. The only bad patches that time were in Orissa where GQ was incomplete. Got stuck in a terrible traffic jam there.

Those bits might be fixed now - not sure.

I doubt if the roads would be that bad! Anyway, have a safe journey, enjoy the drive and do update about the road conditions as I am also due to do a CCU-BLR trip next week in my Vtec!

Those bits are fixed!! The road is now in short "Malai" :)

From Vizag, Chilka lake should not take more than 4.5-5 hours. Roads were superb till Bhubaneswar when I went in Dec 2013.

For accomodation try OTDC Panthanivas at Rambha. Its right on the edge of Chilka. Atleast we found it to be much better than the one at Barkul.

They have an online booking facility for some rooms but I doubt you would get the rooms now as it is a long weekend.

There were few other hotels/homestays but they were some distance from the lake. Panthanivas properties are right on the lake shores.

Is this route advisable in the wake of destruction caused by cyclone hudhud. I know it may be a little too early to ask this question as the full extent of damage is yet to be assessed but need to finalize on the route soon.

Highway experts in this region, request your inputs. Have you heard of any news of damage to NH 5? Is it advisable to take this route in 5 days time? I gather from news that Viazg has been battered badly and is currently cut off from the rest of the country.

Thanks.

I guess normalcy will be restored in next couple of days. The damages reported are mainly within Vizag city. I understand, authorities had enforced traffic curbs between Rajamundry & Vizag highway about 12-24 hours before the cyclone could pass this region. I don't see much issues with the roads as similar conditions prevailed during cyclone Phailin last year.

Hope the damages are limited to the minimum and normalcy returns soon.

Will keep a tab on this route, if things don't improve in 2-3 days time then will have to resort to Nagpur route.

You can take this route. But, make sure you don't halt in Vizag for known reasons. Also before you enter the Vizag district, make sure you have a tank full of fuel. None of us can foresee what might crop up in the next couple of days. Better be prepared than regret later:D.

Yes, a friend of mine who stays in Vizag was telling that situation is still quite bad with no power for the last 4 days and it may take couple of days more to restore power. The city is indeed in tatters.

If I happen to take this route provided the day 1 halt will be at Rajahmundry.

Hi, I would also suggest you to consider stocking of all essentials ( water, cash , medicines etc). In addition, consider some congestion in traffic en-route as a lot of trucks were detained or lined up due to uprooted trees / debris on road . The route has been opened but the traffic may be more than the expected nos.