[Sowmya]

Just a thought, Why did you went till KOLKATA if you didnt had intension to stay there. You could have take bypass route which join NH34 with out touching Kolkata.

[rajeshchand]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Rajesh,

The best route to take on your return is to come on NH34 via Siliguri, Raiganj, Malda and Farakka till Morgram, where you turn off to go via Siuri to reach Panagarh/Durgapur on NH2. This will save you the bother of coming to Calcutta on the congested NH34, and helps you shift to the super-fast Durgapur Expressway from Panagarh. You will bypass Calcutta, and join Nh6 which is now the Kona Expressway to Kharagpur. Again another super-fast road. Watch out for some traffic dislocation on Kolaghat Bridge.

There are shorter routes from Panagarh/Durgapur to Kharagpur via Bishnupur and Midnapore, but these small country roads of Bengal are not recommended, being conventional highways and much slower without town/ village bypasses.

So I would recommend the NH34-Morgram-Siuri-Panagarh-NH2-NH6-Kharagpur option. Maybe, if you leave Guwahati early enough, you could even land up in Durgapur for the night's stay (but quite a long drive).

Thanks kumar for the info, can you give me a detailed list of towns and major turning points on road from Malda till i reach the road to bhubaneswar from kharagpur

Originally Posted by Sowmya

Just a thought, Why did you went till KOLKATA if you didnt had intension to stay there. You could have take bypass route which join NH34 with out touching Kolkata.

Well, the initial plan was to stay in Kolkatta, but changed minds and ended up driving further, also this was my first drive towards East

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by rajeshchand

Thanks kumar for the info, can you give me a detailed list of towns and major turning points on road from Malda till i reach the road to bhubaneswar from kharagpur

Rajesh, I have never driven on the Morgram-Rampurat-Siuri-Panagarh road, but let me give you some pointers from what A K Roy told me sometime ago:

"the entire highway from Darjeeling More to Moregram More (junction with NH34) is a beauty (about 150km) and it can be easily done in 2 hours...This is SH60.

even better from nalhati to Moregram...."

BlackPearl is a regular on this route, and he has posted travelogues about his drive:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...th-sikkim.html


http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ng-esteem.html

Andy dof lover has also written about his drive on the route,

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...700-kms-2.html

Broadly, I understand that you have to turn off from NH34 at Morgram, south of Malda and Farakka, towards Rampurat and go via Siuri to Panagarh on NH2. Seems to be a straightforward route.

[akroy]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Rajesh, I have never driven on the Morgram-Rampurat-Siuri-Panagarh road, but let me give you some pointers from what A K Roy told me sometime ago:

"the entire highway from Darjeeling More to Moregram More (junction with NH34) is a beauty (about 150km) and it can be easily done in 2 hours...This is SH60.

even better from nalhati to Moregram...."

Yes I still stick to the claim although the road work is on in some places between DarjeelingMore - Siuri but still far far better than NH34 route.

Few days back, I did Kol - Siuri by North Bengal bus in 3 hrs 45min (with 20min halt at Shaktigarh). Return journey also took about 4 hours.

NH34 and NH60 junction at Moregram is very well marked, you cannot miss it. Take the right turn. Although distance wise is more but many Kolkata based private cars do take that route to reach Kolkata faster and without hassles.

Abhi

[Sudipto-S-Team]

In addition to what HVK and AKR said here is my log from Moregram to Panagarh done in 07. It has the names of the towns. (You can do a small detour to Tagore's Shantiniketan on this route if you have the time and inclination.)
Once you hit Panagarh you are on GQ (NH2). Just turn right and keep going straight towards Asansol and then onwards to Benares-Allahabad-Agra-Delhi. I have the log upto the Benares after this that I can post if you need.
Best of luck.
Sudipto

[hvkumar]

171 kms from Morgram, and 71 kms from Siuri is the NH2 junction before Panagarh. From the Panagarh junction (called Darjeeling More?), you wind through the narrow streets of Panagarh bazaar before the road opens up onto the Durgapur-Calcutta expressway. From the NH2 junction to the NH6 flyover on Calcutta bypass, it is exactly 143 kms (2 kms after the Himalaya Mall/Mother Dairy)

[Sudipto-S-Team]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

From the Panagarh junction (called Darjeeling More?), you wind through the narrow streets of Panagarh bazaar before the road opens up onto the Durgapur-Calcutta expressway.

But he wants to go to Delhi from Guwahati. Therefore from Panagarh he needs to turn in the opposite direction towards Asansol sir.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Sudipto-S-Team

But he wants to go to Delhi from Guwahati. Therefore from Panagarh he needs to turn in the opposite direction towards Asansol sir.

Rajesh mentioned that he has cancelled his Delhi trip and is now returning to Hyderabad.

[rajeshchand]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Rajesh mentioned that he has cancelled his Delhi trip and is now returning to Hyderabad.

Correct kumar

i just found this route, hope it is the right one
================================================== =======
Leg 1

Step 1. Start from Siliguri, West Bengal and head North on Mill Cart Road (NH 31) | Distance: 3.9 Km
Total : 3.9 Km

Step 2. Turn left on NH 31 | Distance: 133.9 Km
Cross the following on your way:

Bairatisal at 6.0 Km
Uttar Bagdogra at 10.9 Km
Islampur at 71.9 Km
Kishanganj at 103.6 Km
Dalkhola at 133.6 Km
Total : 137.8 Km

Step 3. Bear left on NH 34 | Distance: 117.5 Km
Cross the following on your way:

Raiganj at 47.3 Km
Old Maldah at 116.4 Km
Total : 255.3 Km

Step 4. End at Morgram, Maldah, West Bengal | Distance: 0 m
Total : 255.3 Km


Leg 2


Step 1. Start from Morgram, Maldah, West Bengal and head South on NH 34 | Distance: 53.5 Km
Cross the following on your way:

Old Maldah at 4.4 Km
English Bazar at 4.8 Km
Farakka at 38.5 Km
Total : 53.5 Km

Step 2. Turn right on SH 5 | Distance: 131.3 Km
Cross the following on your way:

Pakaur at 9.0 Km
Rampurhat at 63.2 Km
Suri at 109.8 Km
Dubrajpur at 129.2 Km
Total : 184.9 Km

Step 3. Turn left on SH 9 | Distance: 49.0 Km
Cross the following on your way:

Kanksa at 45.4 Km
Debipur at 47.7 Km
Total : 233.9 Km

Step 4. End at Panagarh Railway Station, West Bengal | Distance: 0 m
Total : 233.9 Km

Leg 3

Step 1. Start from Panagarh Railway Station, West Bengal and head North on Grand Trunk Road (NH 2) | Distance: 3.2 Km
Cross the following on your way:

Debipur at 1.6 Km
Total : 3.2 Km

Step 2. Turn left | Distance: 49.3 Km
Cross the following on your way:

Prayagpur at 0.2 Km
Sonamukhi at 16.1 Km
Bishnupur at 44.3 Km
Total : 52.5 Km

Step 3. Continue on NH 60 | Distance: 78.7 Km
Total : 131.2 Km

Step 4. End at Kharagpur, Medinipur, West Bengal | Distance: 0 m
Total : 131.2 Km
================================================== =======

I will try and post the travelogue back on day to day basis, if i can get wifi accessibility at the hotels

[Sudipto-S-Team]

Ooooops. Sorry sir. I think I missed that post. But I must say I am really amazed by your memory about small towns like Panagarh. Personally once I drive through a place all those small towns become a blur in my memory.
@ Rajesh - Regarding the towns from Kolkata to Bhubaneshwar - they are Kharagpur, Baleshwar, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar.

[vinayrathore]

A great trip indeed!

I too am planning Delhi-Guwahati road trip. What is the exact route from Siliguri to Guwahati? I have heard its not a safe stretch of road?

Any Insights?

Cheers!
Vinay Rathore

[akroy]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

171 kms from Morgram, and 71 kms from Siuri is the NH2 junction before Panagarh. From the Panagarh junction (called Darjeeling More?), you wind through the narrow streets of Panagarh bazaar before the road opens up onto the Durgapur-Calcutta expressway. From the NH2 junction to the NH6 flyover on Calcutta bypass, it is exactly 143 kms (2 kms after the Himalaya Mall/Mother Dairy)

Yes Sir, that junction (NH2 and NH60) at Panagarh is called Darjeeling More.

Abhi

[hvkumar]

Rajesh

As mentioned earlier, I would avoid the Bishnupur-Kharagpur route from Panagarh and stick to NH2/NH6 combo via Bardhaman, Howrah, Ulberiya and Kolaghat to Kharagpur.

[thebagchi]

Current situation of NH60 from Panagarh Darjeeling More to Moregram is not all that good.

Darjeeling More to Illambazar is almost a lunar Surface. Very bad.
Illambazar to Nalhati section has many bad potholes (spotted few rolled over vehicles, infact a Bolero toppled infront of eyes of my friend)

Nalhati - Moregram is again full of Potholes


If considering this road to avoid bad roads and speeding through to Moregram from Panagarh then think again.

[thebagchi]

Avoid NH60 to reach Kharagpur from Moregram.
You wouldn't save any time.

Better direction would be
Siliguri - Dalkhola (NH31) - Maldah - Farraka - Behrampur - Krishnanagar - Barasaat - Birati - (NH34) (Right Turn) (Take Belghoria Expressway) - Reach Nivedita Setu - Left Turn - Nibra More - Uluberia - Kolaghat - Pashkura - Kharagpur (NH6)

NH60 from Ranigang to Mednipur is in bad state, there are broken bridges, huge potholes.