[julupani]

The alignment shown in Google Maps of some of the highways is definitely off, but that is the case not just in the NE but all over India. But the places are generally correctly marked on the highway, even though they may not be in the right place geographically.

[Sutripta]

^^^^
Just a few examples of the top of my head:

NH31C does not dip down towards Bongaigaon, and then goes up North again. In fact there is NO road which goes South the way it has been shown. Somebody digitised the BRPL siding line as a road.

NH152 starts from Pathsala, not Patacharkuchi.

A major South bank road following the Brahmaputra from Goalpara. Seems interesting. Lets take it in preference to NH37. Good luck.

First part of NH37 alignment highly inaccurate.

Your choice in how much faith to put in it.

Regards
Sutripta

[rockyb]

Sutripta & Julupani - thanks a lot for your valuable feedback. I have taken down your points. Google map is for reference only. I dont depend on it. I usually carry Eicher all India road map. Will ask for directions along the way but planning saves time.

Buragohain dangoriya - you are welcome to join us . Am planning to start on last week of March

[Joy]

@rockyb: Hope you had a happy and safe journey. Could you please update on latest road conditions especially between Kolkata and Siliguri? I might have to go around last week of May'11.

Thanks in advance.

[fash_1]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

I am attaching a excel file prepared by me for someone who drove from Coimbatore to Bhutan & Guwahati.......

This spreadsheet is mind blowing work, thanks for sharing

[goandude]

Has anyone tried to go through Bangladesh? It would shorten the distance significantly. Only visa hassles, but one can get to see another country.

[faustus77]

Hi everybody
That would be an interesting option.
Question of visa and carnet should be done at the border otherwise becomes a tedious process.
Also entry and exit at different places should be possible.
Another point should be a multiple visa(for return)
Regards

[Sowmya]

Originally Posted by goandude

Has anyone tried to go through Bangladesh? It would shorten the distance significantly. Only visa hassles, but one can get to see another country.

Interestingly if you search in Google Map, it shows this route. When I tried route map for Kolkata-Guwahati it showed me via Bangladesh instead of NH34. I believe getting Visa for Bangladesh is not a tough job. In fact you may get VISA on arrival.

[goandude]

Originally Posted by faustus77

Hi everybody
That would be an interesting option.
Question of visa and carnet should be done at the border otherwise becomes a tedious process.
Also entry and exit at different places should be possible.
Another point should be a multiple visa(for return)
Regards

Originally Posted by Sowmya

Interestingly if you search in Google Map, it shows this route. When I tried route map for Kolkata-Guwahati it showed me via Bangladesh instead of NH34. I believe getting Visa for Bangladesh is not a tough job. In fact you may get VISA on arrival.

Visa is free for Indians for upto 15 days. The crossing point is Haridaspur which is on the way from Calcutta to Dhaka. I was interested in going to Shillong, and the nearest crossing point is Dawki. So it is possible to go via Bangaladesh. However road conditions are not too good and you will need a international drivers licensee. There is a 300 taka departure tax to be paid while leaving the country.
ref here Bangladesh Getting there. Guide to Getting there in Bangladesh from Iknowagreatplace.com

[blurust]

Hey Guys,

I am shifting my base to guwahati, currently in bangalore.
I am planning to drive the distance down.
My map my india Gps on my mobile phone tells me the distance in 3000 km.
The route that it chooses is bangalore(starting point)-chennai-vishakhapatnam-bhabhaneshwar-kolkata-guwahati. the last one is a little too ambitious, with 760 km stretch.
Any suggestion, route change advice, road condition info would help me a lot.
I dont want to do more than 500km a day and want to stay overnight in big cities, reason being, I am travelling with my dog and we need hotels that allow dogs in the rooms.For all destinations accept for vishakhapatnam, the hotels have been found.
so its gonna be me, my wife, and our dog. The car is getz prime 1.1. I hope the car can take the journey.
I would also like to know if there are red alert areas in this route.

Thanks.

[SmartCat]

As long as the car is serviced regularly and in a good condition, it can make the 3000 km journey. You probably don't even need to visit the service station before the trip for a "checkup".

Are you sure the dog can take the 5-6 day road trip?

In some sections of the journey, you might be able to do more than 700 km a day. And in other sections, you might struggle to do 400. So don't be fixated on the 500 km/day number. Take feedback from others who have driven the route on road conditions before you make a plan.

[blurust]

Originally Posted by smartcat

As long as the car is serviced regularly and in a good condition, it can make the 3000 km journey. You probably don't even need to visit the service station before the trip for a "checkup".

Are you sure the dog can take the 5-6 day road trip?

In some sections of the journey, you might be able to do more than 700 km a day. And in other sections, you might struggle to do 400. So don't be fixated on the 500 km/day number. Take feedback from others who have driven the route on road conditions before you make a plan.

about the dog.he will sleep through the whole journey, as he loves car rides
and i would better have him with me rather than being in the cargo hold of the plane, looking at indian quality standards, on airports it will not be surprising if the cargo holds not pressurised by the pilot. if its not he wont even survive half an hour and there is no way to find out if he is okay.

i will have to chalk out the map and find hotels and book them in advance even if i can do more than the distance form one hotel to another.

[paragsachania]

I am back from my GQ drive 2 weeks before and put some light till Kolkata.
Bangalore - Vizag = I took the longer route as I had to stick to the GQ. Remains in good shape with 6 lane work all over in TN and AP.
Vizag - Icchapuram (AP-OR Border)= Excellent roads all the way.
Icchapuram - Behrampur - Bhubaneshwar - Cuttack - WB-OR Border - You will find work in progress at many places, specially railway crossings and at times may have to follow traffic on narrow road till you hit the completed corridor.
Also, driving through Bhubaneshwar- Cuttack at peak hours (morning or evening) will be pain since there will be too much miscellaneous traffic to irritate you.

Roads in WB are good all the way passing Kharagpur till Kolkata.

On Car - I agree with Smartcat. If you have been taking proper care of your car with periodic checks and service (and replacement of parts due to normal wear and tear), there is no reason why it can't do a 3000 kms trip.

For that matter, I did the GQ drive without a single breakdown or a puncture on my WagonR that had already clocked 167000kms when we started the 6000 kms drive.

[hvkumar]

You can check out this detailed route plan that I prepared recently for someone planning a drive from Kochi to Shillong on the same route you wish to take. This will give you the full route, facilities, etc:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...VRFVzBxVk5sTmc

Considering how good these highways are, you can easily do over 500 kms a day, and you will find pet-friendly hotels in the highways too. I remember having someone who drove the same route to Darjeeling some time ago.

[blurust]

@hvkumar.
You are a legend. thanks a lot.
my only worry now, is to find pet friendly hotels on this route.

thanks a ton