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Old 11th February 2013, 19:11   #16
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Re: Drive to Chilka, Vizag, Araku Valley & Gopalpur-on-Sea in my XUV500

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Originally Posted by samarjitdhar View Post

Sad to hear the state of NH33 from Jamshedpur to Baharagora. With even 200mm of GC your XUV bottoming out speaks volumes of the sorry state of affairs of this national highway. Hope all those who have ever thought of doing this stretch in a sedan or a hatch give up any such hope.
That stretch is really a mess. I drove on that stretch on October 2011 in my Manza with 5 adults and 2 kids and it was horrendous. Under-body did get hit couple of times but managed to negotiate somehow. In few areas one cannot negotiate even, because the road itself was a crater.
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Old 11th February 2013, 21:05   #17
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Re: Drive to Chilka, Vizag, Araku Valley & Gopalpur-on-Sea in my XUV500

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Originally Posted by samarjitdhar View Post
Is this the route that you took http://goo.gl/maps/H39Ab? If this route is smooth enough specially when compared to the Baharagora-Jamshedpur stretch I guess then its a very good option. In fact another person from Bangalore was recently inquiring about ways to do a road trip from Ranchi to Bangalore via Jamshedpur. Again thanks for pointing this route out and sharing the conditions. I can live with speed breakers but not with craters which can bottom out an XUV. By the way how much time did it take for you to do this stretch from Bisoi all the way to Jamshedpur?
The route taken by me while returning to Jamshedpur is the same as the Google Maps route that you have sent. About 21 KM from Baripada, one comes across a Y-junction at Kalabadia. Here, instead of taking the RHS of the fork that leads to Jharpokharia on NH6, one should take the LHS of the fork to Bangriposi (also on NH6). The distances are as follows :
  • Baripada to Kalabadia : 21 KM
  • Kalabadia to Bangriposi : 14 KM
  • Bangriposi to Bisoi (by NH6; a scenic ghat section lies within this stretch) : 18 KM
  • Bisoi to Rairangpur (narrow, but good surface; being widened) : 29 KM
  • Rairangpur to Jamshedpur (Tatanagar Railway Station) : 69 KM

It took me about two and a half hours to cover the stretch between Bisoi and Jamshedpur.
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Old 11th February 2013, 21:26   #18
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Re: Drive to Chilka, Vizag, Araku Valley & Gopalpur-on-Sea in my XUV500

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Originally Posted by debuda View Post
It took me about two and a half hours to cover the stretch between Bisoi and Jamshedpur.
Thanks a bunch Debu da. Sorry forgot to ask the first time around. How did your Garmin GPS perform in these stretches? I am doubly sure my MMI device would have been pretty clueless though Google Maps on my Android phone perhaps would have done better. I am just trying to perform a mental calculation of how much time it should theoretically take me to reach Jamshedpur from Kolkata if I use this route. Last time around I had driven the NH2-Bankura-Purulia-Chandil route and the Patamda-Khatra-Bankura-NH2 route which I took to avoid Baharagora but because of the broken sections in Jharkhand I ended up taking almost 8-9 hours including breaks. I am just wondering if I make it till Bisoi in 4 hours max from Kolkata if I can make it to Jamshedpur in 7 hours or less with minimum damage to the car.
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Old 11th February 2013, 22:52   #19
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Re: Drive to Chilka, Vizag, Araku Valley & Gopalpur-on-Sea in my XUV500

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Originally Posted by samarjitdhar View Post
Thanks a bunch Debu da. Sorry forgot to ask the first time around. How did your Garmin GPS perform in these stretches? I am doubly sure my MMI device would have been pretty clueless though Google Maps on my Android phone perhaps would have done better. I am just trying to perform a mental calculation of how much time it should theoretically take me to reach Jamshedpur from Kolkata if I use this route. Last time around I had driven the NH2-Bankura-Purulia-Chandil route and the Patamda-Khatra-Bankura-NH2 route which I took to avoid Baharagora but because of the broken sections in Jharkhand I ended up taking almost 8-9 hours including breaks. I am just wondering if I make it till Bisoi in 4 hours max from Kolkata if I can make it to Jamshedpur in 7 hours or less with minimum damage to the car.
Check out http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...ml#post3036864 for my overall assessment of my Garmin 50LM during this trip.

As far as the Jamshedpur-Balasore stretch is concerned, my Garmin recommended the route via Bahragora and Baripada. On my return leg, it kept 'recalculating' when I took the Bisoi route but finally figured out the way to Jamshedpur when I reached Rairangpur.

Do make it a point to look me up in Jampot whenever you come here.
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Old 11th February 2013, 23:01   #20
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Re: Drive to Chilka, Vizag, Araku Valley & Gopalpur-on-Sea in my XUV500

Nice travelogue Debuda. I did a Kolkata-Chandipur-Vizag-Bora-Araku-Rambha-Kolkata trip in December 2010, have a thread on it too. Nice to rekindle old memories again.

How did the XUV perform over the trip? Any niggles?
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Old 11th February 2013, 23:51   #21
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Re: Drive to Chilka, Vizag, Araku Valley & Gopalpur-on-Sea in my XUV500

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Originally Posted by debuda View Post
As I have stated already, the stretch between Jamshedpur and Bahragora continues to be bad. But the 8 KM stretch between Bahragora and Jamshola border has been recently repaired.
Dear Debuda, what is the condition of this road once you cross the Jamshola border, particularly in the stretch between Jamshola and Jharpokharia?
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Old 12th February 2013, 09:40   #22
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Re: Drive to Chilka, Vizag, Araku Valley & Gopalpur-on-Sea in my XUV500

Thanks for sharing Debuda. Another nice travelogue from you. And truly another flashback for me from Vizag with the riotous beach and other moments, although that time I could not make it to the dolphin's head and beyond to Naval field. Especially loved the mood captures of people and life there. Is it possible to venture into or look over the Naval dockyard there or is it just the sub stationed there for display for people? Thanks again.

Last edited by parsh : 12th February 2013 at 09:42.
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Old 12th February 2013, 21:44   #23
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Re: Drive to Chilka, Vizag, Araku Valley & Gopalpur-on-Sea in my XUV500

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Originally Posted by predatorwheelz View Post
How did the XUV perform over the trip? Any niggles?
Great performance and NO niggles. Check out http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...ml#post3039720

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Originally Posted by rahul4640 View Post
Dear Debuda, what is the condition of this road once you cross the Jamshola border, particularly in the stretch between Jamshola and Jharpokharia?
Condition of NH6 inside Orissa (after crossing Jamshola border) is quite good. BTW, the distance between Jamshola and Jharpokharia is only 8 KM.

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Originally Posted by parsh View Post
Is it possible to venture into or look over the Naval dockyard there or is it just the sub stationed there for display for people? Thanks again.
Since I served in the Indian Navy for many years, I could obtain official permission to take my relatives to the Naval Dockyard to show them warships, dry docks, etc. You will not be able to visit the Naval Dockyard unless you are personally known to senior Naval officials. However, anybody can visit (and enter) the submarine on Ramakrishna Beach. Also, one can visit the lighthouse on Dolphin's Nose and from there one can get a bird's eye view of the Vizag harbour, the Hindustan Shipyard and some Naval ships (if one is lucky).
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Old 13th February 2013, 10:29   #24
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Re: Drive to Chilka, Vizag, Araku Valley & Gopalpur-on-Sea in my XUV500

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Originally Posted by debuda View Post
During early Feb 2013 my wife and I, along with a cousin and his wife, drove in our XUV-W6 to Visakhapatnam and back (from Jamshedpur). From Vizag we also drove up to Araku Valley. On our way to Vizag, we spent a couple of nights at Chilka Lake and during our return we spent a night at Gopalpur-on-Sea.

Here's my travelogue -- less words and more pictures.
Wonderful picture travelogue Debuda (as usual), now writing such travelogues has become your trademark. The born sailor that you are, this comes natural to you. We are blessed to be offered such wonderful travelogues. Keep them coming. Personally I cannot visit to all these places (as life doesn't permit me to do so now), but who is complaining.

Each photograph is marvelous in its own right. But my pick of the lot is that tribal lady, with three piercings in her nose & one is each year, totaling five. Those five rings reminded me of the planet earth's greatest games, The Olympics. However the expressions on that lady's face tell us how oblivious she is to all that which is around her. She seems to be lost in her own world. Absolutely fantastic capturing of her mood.

Quote:
Devotees at Kalijai temple.
Attachment 1049353
Love all the temple pictures, especially those of the devotees from all walks of life with their relenltess faith in the diety.
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Old 14th February 2013, 17:14   #25
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Re: Drive to Chilka, Vizag, Araku Valley & Gopalpur-on-Sea in my XUV500

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Originally Posted by debuda View Post



At Gopalpur-on-sea. Note the ladder being used to mount the camel.
Attachment 1049392



At Gopalpur-on-sea.
Attachment 1049393
Great stuff .
It so nice to see that your taking your XUV to all parts of india .
The pictures of Golpalpur reminded me of the wonderful 4 year that i spent there during my college days .

Cheers
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Old 17th February 2013, 13:07   #26
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Re: Drive to Chilka, Vizag, Araku Valley & Gopalpur-on-Sea in my XUV500

Quote:
Originally Posted by debuda View Post
The route taken by me while returning to Jamshedpur is the same as the Google Maps route that you have sent. About 21 KM from Baripada, one comes across a Y-junction at Kalabadia. Here, instead of taking the RHS of the fork that leads to Jharpokharia on NH6, one should take the LHS of the fork to Bangriposi (also on NH6). The distances are as follows :
  • Baripada to Kalabadia : 21 KM
  • Kalabadia to Bangriposi : 14 KM
  • Bangriposi to Bisoi (by NH6; a scenic ghat section lies within this stretch) : 18 KM
  • Bisoi to Rairangpur (narrow, but good surface; being widened) : 29 KM
  • Rairangpur to Jamshedpur (Tatanagar Railway Station) : 69 KM
It took me about two and a half hours to cover the stretch between Bisoi and Jamshedpur.
Just adding to the excellent route info by Shri Debuda, this route is not shown (edit: partially shown but unmarked) in Google map although visible in Google Earth. My TomTom GPS too accurately follows the route. In fact it recommends this road to Jamshedpur if I enter my route preference via Bisoi

I take the liberty of adding co-ordinates to aid future travellers.
  • Y Fork = 22.0874,86.639814. You bear Left while coming from Baripada
  • NH6 Bangriposi junction = 22.153269,86.53586. You join NH6 here.

Road condition is excellent to fair except a small stretch (between 22.124799,86.622777 – 22.124613,86.620956) where a bridge is being widened.

This is THE current route to follow if one is driving up to Jamshedpur from anywhere in the eastern seaboard or South India. I regularly take this road when travelling to/from Bhubaneswar and beyond.

Last edited by drive_factor : 17th February 2013 at 13:28.
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Old 17th February 2013, 13:58   #27
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Re: Drive to Chilka, Vizag, Araku Valley & Gopalpur-on-Sea in my XUV500

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Originally Posted by debuda View Post
Since I served in the Indian Navy for many years, I could obtain official permission to take my relatives to the Naval Dockyard to show them warships, dry docks, etc. You will not be able to visit the Naval Dockyard unless you are personally known to senior Naval officials. However, anybody can visit (and enter) the submarine on Ramakrishna Beach. Also, one can visit the lighthouse on Dolphin's Nose and from there one can get a bird's eye view of the Vizag harbour, the Hindustan Shipyard and some Naval ships (if one is lucky).
Well said, debuda. It took me close to 20 years to get a chance to visit the Naval Dockyard, during my stint in Vizag Steel. A direct report's cousin was a commander who arranged for our visit. We visited the submarine, INS Kurusura, that was docked there a few months before it was shifted to the RK Beach.

And do you know it took nearly 6 months to shift the submarine to the beach? The part which involved pulling it ashore took the longest part.

As regards Dolphin's Nose, the lighthouse is now out of bounds for visitors. Luckily I could get to see it before the new regulation.

Apart from the splendid views that Dolphin's Nose affords, the Yarada Beach on the other side is the best beach in that area.
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Old 18th February 2013, 08:32   #28
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Re: Drive to Chilka, Vizag, Araku Valley & Gopalpur-on-Sea in my XUV500

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Originally Posted by debuda View Post
We spent 2 nights at Chilka in Orissa, right next to the lake.
Debuda, excellent TL. Where did you stay at Chilka, is one day enough to explore the lake? I was also looking at a trip where I will be crossing this region and had planed a stop over at Puri, but Chilka also needs to be explored, what do you suggest.
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Old 18th February 2013, 11:12   #29
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Re: Drive to Chilka, Vizag, Araku Valley & Gopalpur-on-Sea in my XUV500

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Originally Posted by zulfi hansi View Post
Debuda, excellent TL. Where did you stay at Chilka, is one day enough to explore the lake? I was also looking at a trip where I will be crossing this region and had planed a stop over at Puri, but Chilka also needs to be explored, what do you suggest.
IMO one day is enough time to explore Chilka Lake. Access to the lake can be through Barkul or Rambha (both OTDC resorts, Rambha being far better) if you're coming from NH5 and Satpada if you're coming from Puri.

Information on accessing Chilka from Satpada side:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ml#post1557730

And Barkul side:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ml#post2194432

Last edited by predatorwheelz : 18th February 2013 at 11:23.
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Old 18th February 2013, 17:21   #30
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Re: Drive to Chilka, Vizag, Araku Valley & Gopalpur-on-Sea in my XUV500

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Originally Posted by predatorwheelz View Post
IMO one day is enough time to explore Chilka Lake. Access to the lake can be through Barkul or Rambha (both OTDC resorts, Rambha being far better) if you're coming from NH5 and Satpada if you're coming from Puri.

Information on accessing Chilka from Satpada side:
I read through both your TL's and you really did the run exhaustively I must say. I am actually coming from NH5 and will touch Rambha side first and then Barkul, but I am also staying at Puri too. So really confused. I can spend only one day for Chilka and Puri each. Before that I am staying at Vizag from where I intend to do the borra trip, giving one day each there too.
Something like; Bangalore to Rajahamundary (only overnight stay) to Vizag (one day and stay overnight) to Borra caves to Chilka (1 day there and stay overnight) to Puri (1 day there and stay overnight) and so on.
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