[contactgautam]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Pretty smooth sailing on this road. Since you're leaving midday, you might want to stop for the night at Kanpur (reaching about 8-9 pm). Or you might wish to drive all night like I do. As to the information about road condition, take a look through the link below about details of the NH2...

If you need any more info, feel free to PM or post here.

That is certainly a lot of driving, but no travelogues to show for it - would look forward to your posting some of those trip details on this forum.

As correctly said,I am leaving at 12 noon, and plan to stay at Banaras for the night so that early in the morning the family can take Ganga bath and visit some imp temples and then start for kolkata. I have gone thru your post thoroughly and it is a sort of ready reckoner for me already. If you think I need to know anything apart from what you have already penned down, then I am listening.
I did Delhi Pune in June 2010 in one long night drive drive, Also did delhi -Manali and delhi - Pathankot at night. I am a little weary about Bihar, Jharkhand and naxal prone areas in the east.I somehow or the other feel that highways on the western,southern and northern India are much safer. As you say things may have improved. I need more feedback from you on this. I am open to the idea of a straight drive through the night on my way back to Delhi.
Most of my trips were undertaken much before I joined Team-BHP except the trip from Delhi to KanyaKumari via Jaipur,Chittorgarh, Himmat nagar, Ahemedabad, Vadodra,Mumbai, Pune(stayed at daughter's place for about 10days. Drove to Kashid beach. Came back to Pune & dropped her as she was studying there) Goa, Magalore,Cochin, Munnar,Lake Tekhaddi (Periyar) Madurai Cape Comorin, Bengaluru,Pune( stayed with daughter for a day or two) and back to Delhi by the same route that I took to come to Mumbai at the start of the trip I totaled a driving distane of 7700Km from start to finish. It took me around 27 days which includes 10 day stay in Pune withmy daughter. and confess that I am poor at story telling. But this time after I finish my trip to kolkata I promise to upload my travelougue wtih photos

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by contactgautam

...leaving at 12 noon, and plan to stay at Banaras for the night...

You'll get to Benaras past midnight if you leave at 12 noon. 810 km, so expect 11-12 hours' driving time, plus halts.

I am a little weary about Bihar, Jharkhand and naxal prone areas in the east.

Bihar is much safer nowadays than it used to be even 5 years ago. No naxal prone areas on this route at all.

I am open to the idea of a straight drive through the night on my way back to Delhi.

Quite doable. The best I've done is about 21 hours, but there's no contest about setting the best times at all! Aim for 24 hours, that's reasonable.

...I totaled a driving distane of 7700Km...

But this time after I finish my trip to kolkata I promise to upload my travelougue wtih photos

Will look forward to it!

[samarjitdhar]

Sir, your travelogues over NH2 are a revelation and I guess you can be termed an expert on NH2 by now. I myself am planning one longish road trip very soon to go through NH2 but for a trip to Bandhavgarh, MP. The tentative route looks like Kolkata->Varanasi (NH2), stay overnight at Varanasi, Varanasi->Bandhavgarh (NH7). This is based on multiple experiences posted out here in this section. In this respect wanted to know the following.

Kolkata-Varanasi (NH2) stretch
1. Are there any decent dhabas where one can stop and take bio-breaks as and when needed?
2. What is the estimated time to reach Varanasi from Kolkata and what time I should be ideally starting?
3. Is Dhanbad or whereabouts probably the right place to stop for lunch (Khalsa hotel as mentioned in your posts)?

I too am looking at staying the night at Rahi Hotel since its probably on NH2 right next to Varanasi railway station. If I follow NH2 through Varanasi will it be too much of a problem from a traffic congestion standpoint?

Also if you have any experience with NH7 and the route to Bandhavgarh from Varanasi, kindly share the same.

Thanks a lot in advance

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by samarjitdhar

Also if you have any experience with NH7 and the route to Bandhavgarh from Varanasi, kindly share the same.

NH7 from Varanasi to Rewa is in very bad condition currently, and it is better to go further down NH2 to Allahabad and come to Rewa through that route since it has good roads.

[samarjitdhar]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

NH7 from Varanasi to Rewa is in very bad condition currently, and it is better to go further down NH2 to Allahabad and come to Rewa through that route since it has good roads.

hvk sir, thanks so much for replying to this post. I actually had been reading some other travelogues I think about trips from Jabalpur->Varanasi where NH7 was said to be mentioned to be in good condition all through except for about 20 kms near Rewa. I stand corrected then.

So would it be possible to reach Bandhavgarh from Varanasi if one started in the morning and went through Allahabad on NH2 and then turned left on NH27 and then on NH7 just before Rewa? Thanks again.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by samarjitdhar

So would it be possible to reach Bandhavgarh from Varanasi if one started in the morning and went through Allahabad on NH2 and then turned left on NH27 and then on NH7 just before Rewa? Thanks again.

Yes, it will be a day drive from Varanasi to Bandhavgarh.

[rahul4640]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Bihar is much safer nowadays than it used to be even 5 years ago. No naxal prone areas on this route at all.

Very much true. In my last visit to Rajgir a couple of months back, I was much surprised by the Tata Sumo/Toyota Qualis car drivers, who are regularly driving to Bakhtiyarur with tourists at around 8 PM and coming back, so that their passengers may catch Calcutta (or any other destination) bound trains. It was totally unimaginable a few years ago.

Originally Posted by samarjitdhar

1. Are there any decent dhabas where one can stop and take bio-breaks as and when needed?
2. What is the estimated time to reach Varanasi from Kolkata and what time I should be ideally starting?
3. Is Dhanbad or whereabouts probably the right place to stop for lunch (Khalsa hotel as mentioned in your posts)?

Please permit me to add some of my opinions here. If not decent ones, locating dhabas of average quality will not be difficult. Just stop at any such dhaba, ask them for a cup of tea and take your bio-break. Please drive little slowly and watch out for them. You may even consider buying a small quantity of fuel (5-10 liters) from any petrol pump and use their toilet.

I am very confident that you will manage it in much less than 12 hours, provided there is no traffic jam at Panagarh. And I have heard that fortunately the condition of traffic at Panagarh has improved.

You have to take a little detour from NH2 to reach Dhanbad. But the closest place you will reach to it is Govindpur. And the Khalsa hotel there is very good. I also stopped there once, as per suggestion of SS-Traveller and I was satisfied. Beside the food, I was also glad that the waiters there understood Bengali and was very much helpful as well.

[samarjitdhar]

Originally Posted by rahul4640

Please permit me to add some of my opinions here. If not decent ones, locating dhabas of average quality will not be difficult. Just stop at any such dhaba, ask them for a cup of tea and take your bio-break. Please drive little slowly and watch out for them. You may even consider buying a small quantity of fuel (5-10 liters) from any petrol pump and use their toilet.

I am very confident that you will manage it in much less than 12 hours, provided there is no traffic jam at Panagarh. And I have heard that fortunately the condition of traffic at Panagarh has improved.

You have to take a little detour from NH2 to reach Dhanbad. But the closest place you will reach to it is Govindpur. And the Khalsa hotel there is very good. I also stopped there once, as per suggestion of SS-Traveller and I was satisfied. Beside the food, I was also glad that the waiters there understood Bengali and was very much helpful as well.

Wow, thanks a lot Rahul. Yes the Khalsa Hotel in Govindpur is the one I had in mind for my lunch break. I will have a couple of ladies also traveling with me as part of the party so cleanliness of the toilets in the average dhabas will be scrutinized a lot, us men probably being not so picky in that department always . I have traveled through Panagarh frequently this year and I have found the traffic to be bearable. So would you say taking into account tea+bio breaks and a lunch break I should be able to make it to Varanasi somewhere between 10-12 hours tops of course excluding any emergency stops on the way?

On another note, how I wish Google Street View had been available for us in India at least for the national highways with pictures of these dhabas. I could have even planned my tea+bio breaks en-route

[rahul4640]

Originally Posted by samarjitdhar

would you say taking into account tea+bio breaks and a lunch break I should be able to make it to Varanasi somewhere between 10-12 hours tops of course excluding any emergency stops on the way?

Certainly, if you do not stop too frequently. And although the road surface has deteriorated slightly between Panagarh and Barakar, the road is in very good shape in Jharkhand. But I have read somewhere that the condition of NH2 in Bihar, specially the stretch between Aurangabad (Bihar) and Dehri is not so good.
If possible, I suggest that you may please contact "Sudipto-S-Team", another Calcutta based very esteemed member of this forum. He took this road in October, on his tour of Rajasthan. He may provide a better update on the condition of the roads.

[contactgautam]

Originally Posted by rahul4640

Certainly, if you do not stop too frequently. And although the road surface has deteriorated slightly between Panagarh and Barakar, the road is in very good shape in Jharkhand. But I have read somewhere that the condition of NH2 in Bihar, specially the stretch between Aurangabad (Bihar) and Dehri is not so good.
If possible, I suggest that you may please contact "Sudipto-S-Team", another Calcutta based very esteemed member of this forum. He took this road in October, on his tour of Rajasthan. He may provide a better update on the condition of the roads.

Hello Buddy!
I am driving down to Kolkata in my SX4 (Petrol) with my family consisting of one wife only and my younger daughter in the last week of Dec 2011. It will be basically a solo drive. It has always been that way. But my daughter as got a driving licence very recently ( as they say 'Jumma, Jumma'), and I plan to give her a dose of long distance driving skills. My plan is to start at 12 noon and give a break at Banaras for the night. Take bath at Ganga the next morning,and visit some important temples and start for kolkata may be by 10 or 11 am. Won't mind reaching kolkata late in the evening. I will be able to post the exact condition of the entire NH2 probably by end December 2011. Will definitely halt at Khalsa Ki Dhaba. Eat and have a culinary feast and let you know immediately.In the meantime if you have something that I need to know before I embark on my my Delhi to Kolkata drive do let me know. Chow!!

Originally Posted by samarjitdhar

Wow, thanks a lot Rahul. Yes the Khalsa Hotel in Govindpur is the one I had in mind for my lunch break. I will have a couple of ladies also traveling with me as part of the party so cleanliness of the toilets in the average dhabas will be scrutinized a lot, us men probably being not so picky in that department always . I have traveled through Panagarh frequently this year and I have found the traffic to be bearable. So would you say taking into account tea+bio breaks and a lunch break I should be able to make it to Varanasi somewhere between 10-12 hours tops of course excluding any emergency stops on the way?

On another note, how I wish Google Street View had been available for us in India at least for the national highways with pictures of these dhabas. I could have even planned my tea+bio breaks en-route

Hey There!
Would like to have your feedback as well!
I am driving down to Kolkata in my SX4 (Petrol) with my family consisting of one wife only and my younger daughter in the last week of Dec 2011. It will be basically a solo drive. It has always been that way. But my daughter as got a driving licence very recently ( as they say 'Jumma, Jumma'), and I plan to give her a dose of long distance driving skills. My plan is to start at 12 noon and give a break at Banaras for the night. Take bath at Ganga the next morning,and visit some important temples and start for kolkata may be by 10 or 11 am. Won't mind reaching kolkata late in the evening. I will be able to post the exact condition of the entire NH2 probably by end December 2011. Will definitely halt at Khalsa Ki Dhaba. Eat and have a culinary feast and let you know immediately.In the meantime if you have something that I need to know before I embark on my my Delhi to Kolkata drive do let me know. Chow!!

Note from the Team-BHP Support Team: Please use the "edit" button if posting within 30 minutes of the first post, instead of creating another back-to-back post.

Also use "Multi Quote" option for quoting Multiple posts.

[samarjitdhar]

Originally Posted by contactgautam

Hey There!
Would like to have your feedback as well!
I am driving down to Kolkata in my SX4 (Petrol) with my family consisting of one wife only and my younger daughter in the last week of Dec 2011. It will be basically a solo drive. It has always been that way. But my daughter as got a driving licence very recently ( as they say 'Jumma, Jumma'), and I plan to give her a dose of long distance driving skills. My plan is to start at 12 noon and give a break at Banaras for the night. Take bath at Ganga the next morning,and visit some important temples and start for kolkata may be by 10 or 11 am. Won't mind reaching kolkata late in the evening. I will be able to post the exact condition of the entire NH2 probably by end December 2011. Will definitely halt at Khalsa Ki Dhaba. Eat and have a culinary feast and let you know immediately.In the meantime if you have something that I need to know before I embark on my my Delhi to Kolkata drive do let me know. Chow!!

Hi Gautam, even I am pretty new to long road trips. The maximum I have ever driven at one go is to Durgapur from Kolkata and back. So between Delhi to Durgapur I am sorry I can't give any feedback, though you are on the right thread and SS-Traveller is an expert on these drives.
Between Durgapur and Panagarh, I had found the highway was being relaid (this was somewhere during January this year) so I am assuming that part of the highway too should be fine by now. Apart from some struggle at Panagarh the stretch is mostly smooth. Nowadays, they have posted quite a few traffic cops on the Panagarh stretch who help to maintain some semblance of order. Once you have crossed that 2 km stretch its smooth sailing towards Burdwan and then to Kolkata.

After you cross Dankuni just before reaching Kolkata, make sure you keep a note of the signs. Depending on which part of Kolkata you want to go to, it would be advisable to take the Belgharia expressway (North Kolkata) or the Kona Expressway through Vidyasagar Setu (South Kolkata) otherwise you will end up driving unnecessarily a lot within the city. The Belgharia expressway exit comes first. Just before you reach the Kona expressway exit, one section of the bridge on the highway is completely out of operation. They said that it was made so badly that it would collapse any day so they have shut it down permanently. Right now on that stretch its quite a struggle as traffic gets backed up since only one section of the bridge is used for traffic moving both ways. As far as I know probably by end of 2012 they might fix the closed down section of the bridge . Also its pretty easy to miss the Kona expressway exit as its not marked out too well. If you miss it, you will land up on NH6 which will take you to Kharagpur.

A thing to note that both Belgharia expressway and Kona expressway are in shambles, and what I mean by that is there are huge deep potholes of the size of craters on the Moon. Keep at least 1 hour just to get through those stretches if you manage to come in during rush hour traffic. Currently repairs might be taken up depending on whenever NHAI and/or PWD can first find out who is responsible for fixing it, then feel the urge and more importantly find the money to fix it. Hope this helps.

[contactgautam]

Originally Posted by samarjitdhar

Hi Gautam, even I am pretty new to long road trips. The maximum I have ever driven at one go is to Durgapur from Kolkata and back. So between Delhi to Durgapur I am sorry I can't give any feedback, though you are on the right thread and SS-Traveller is an expert on these drives.
Between Durgapur and Panagarh, I had found the highway was being relaid (this was somewhere during January this year) so I am assuming that part of the highway too should be fine by now. Apart from some struggle at Panagarh the stretch is mostly smooth. Nowadays, they have posted quite a few traffic cops on the Panagarh stretch who help to maintain some semblance of order. Once you have crossed that 2 km stretch its smooth sailing towards Burdwan and then to Kolkata.

After you cross Dankuni just before reaching Kolkata, make sure you keep a note of the signs. Depending on which part of Kolkata you want to go to, it would be advisable to take the Belgharia expressway (North Kolkata) or the Kona Expressway through Vidyasagar Setu (South Kolkata) otherwise you will end up driving unnecessarily a lot within the city. The Belgharia expressway exit comes first. Just before you reach the Kona expressway exit, one section of the bridge on the highway is completely out of operation. They said that it was made so badly that it would collapse any day so they have shut it down permanently. Right now on that stretch its quite a struggle as traffic gets backed up since only one section of the bridge is used for traffic moving both ways. As far as I know probably by end of 2012 they might fix the closed down section of the bridge . Also its pretty easy to miss the Kona expressway exit as its not marked out too well. If you miss it, you will land up on NH6 which will take you to Kharagpur.

A thing to note that both Belgharia expressway and Kona expressway are in shambles, and what I mean by that is there are huge deep potholes of the size of craters on the Moon. Keep at least 1 hour just to get through those stretches if you manage to come in during rush hour traffic. Currently repairs might be taken up depending on whenever NHAI and/or PWD can first find out who is responsible for fixing it, then feel the urge and more importantly find the money to fix it. Hope this helps.

Hey Mate!
Though I am a Bengali by birth, I am a pure unadulterated prabashi (alien) citizen of Bengal. Was born in Calcutta then, but brought up in Goa! Presently am a citizen of Delhi for the last 27 years. My destination in Kolkata is kalikapur in Eastern Bypass. My cousin bro told me to take BT road after I cross Dankuni and there after go to shyam Baazar paanch mathaar mor and proceed towards Aurobindo Setu to come to Ultodanga and finally to Kalikapur through eastern bypass from Ultodanga. Is this route the correct one. He strongly advised me against 2nd Hooghly Bridge as that would be a long detour to reach his place at Eastern Bypass at Kalikapur. Seeking your feed back on this urgently!!

Originally Posted by samarjitdhar

Sir, your travelogues over NH2 are a revelation and I guess you can be termed an expert on NH2 by now. I myself am planning one longish road trip very soon to go through NH2 but for a trip to Bandhavgarh, MP. The tentative route looks like Kolkata->Varanasi (NH2), stay overnight at Varanasi, Varanasi->Bandhavgarh (NH7). This is based on multiple experiences posted out here in this section. In this respect wanted to know the following.

Kolkata-Varanasi (NH2) stretch
1. Are there any decent dhabas where one can stop and take bio-breaks as and when needed?
2. What is the estimated time to reach Varanasi from Kolkata and what time I should be ideally starting?
3. Is Dhanbad or whereabouts probably the right place to stop for lunch (Khalsa hotel as mentioned in your posts)?

I too am looking at staying the night at Rahi Hotel since its probably on NH2 right next to Varanasi railway station. If I follow NH2 through Varanasi will it be too much of a problem from a traffic congestion standpoint?

Also if you have any experience with NH7 and the route to Bandhavgarh from Varanasi, kindly share the same.

Thanks a lot in advance

Hey There!

Have planned in such a way that we will be reaching Banaras from Delhi by 12 midnight or later, and I am also wanting to spend the night at the Rahi's. Do I have to book the place in advance considering I will be there on the 23rd December 2011. Planning to start for Kolkata from Banaras at about 10 or 11 am in the morning and also planning to have lunch or late lunch at the Khalsas. Have read too much about it in Team-Bhp.

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[samarjitdhar]

Originally Posted by contactgautam

Hey Mate!
Though I am a Bengali by birth, I am a pure unadulterated prabashi (alien) citizen of Bengal. Was born in Calcutta then, but brought up in Goa!

Wow, that is cool. . I actually am one too having born in Bihar, brought up in Jamshedpur and having stayed all over India and the world due to my job. I am living in Kolkata for the past 10 years now.

Originally Posted by contactgautam

Presently am a citizen of Delhi for the last 27 years. My destination in Kolkata is kalikapur in Eastern Bypass. My cousin bro told me to take BT road after I cross Dankuni and there after go to shyam Baazar paanch mathaar mor and proceed towards Aurobindo Setu to come to Ultodanga and finally to Kalikapur through eastern bypass from Ultodanga. Is this route the correct one. He strongly advised me against 2nd Hooghly Bridge as that would be a long detour to reach his place at Eastern Bypass at Kalikapur. Seeking your feed back on this urgently!!

Depending on traffic you might be equally inconvenienced. Since Kalikapur is in the extreme south of Kolkata, if I had to take a call, I would take the 2nd Hooghly bridge through Kona expressway and then take the AJC Bose road flyover through Park Circus, and then take a right onto the EM Bypass at Science City. From there the stretch is just about 45 minutes tops even in heavy traffic. I cannot comment on the alternate route your cousin suggested since I have never taken that. We do get some fierce jams on Ultadanga along the EM bypass upto Science City. I think given the state of Kolkata both the routes are awash . You have to take a call mate on this one though personally I prefer the 2nd Hooghly bridge route. Discuss this with your cousin once.

Originally Posted by contactgautam

Hey There!

Have planned in such a way that we will be reaching Banaras from Delhi by 12 midnight or later, and I am also wanting to spend the night at the Rahi's. Do I have to book the place in advance considering I will be there on the 23rd December 2011. Planning to start for Kolkata from Banaras at about 10 or 11 am in the morning and also planning to have lunch or late lunch at the Khalsas. Have read too much about it in Team-Bhp.

You can actually make an online booking for Rahi here UP Tourism - Online Booking. I am pleasantly surprised that most government tourism websites now let you book online. Have a safe and pleasant trip.

[contactgautam]

Originally Posted by samarjitdhar

Wow, that is cool. . I actually am one too having born in Bihar, brought up in Jamshedpur and having stayed all over India and the world due to my job. I am living in Kolkata for the past 10 years now.



Depending on traffic you might be equally inconvenienced. Since Kalikapur is in the extreme south of Kolkata, if I had to take a call, I would take the 2nd Hooghly bridge through Kona expressway and then take the AJC Bose road flyover through Park Circus, and then take a right onto the EM Bypass at Science City. From there the stretch is just about 45 minutes tops even in heavy traffic. I cannot comment on the alternate route your cousin suggested since I have never taken that. We do get some fierce jams on Ultadanga along the EM bypass upto Science City. I think given the state of Kolkata both the routes are awash . You have to take a call mate on this one though personally I prefer the 2nd Hooghly bridge route. Discuss this with your cousin once.



You can actually make an online booking for Rahi here UP Tourism - Online Booking. I am pleasantly surprised that most government tourism websites now let you book online. Have a safe and pleasant trip.

Thanks! for the much needed advice. I have no idea about kolkata routes, though I have a MMI navigator with me now. I think, I will take the second Hooghly bridge as I desperately want to drive on that bridge. Never done that before.

[samarjitdhar]

Originally Posted by contactgautam

Thanks! for the much needed advice. I have no idea about kolkata routes, though I have a MMI navigator with me now. I think, I will take the second Hooghly bridge as I desperately want to drive on that bridge. Never done that before.

Yup. The 2nd Hooghly bridge gives you an awesome view all times of the day. I love the one at night when you can see both sides of Kolkata and Howrah and the famous Howrah bridge all lighted up. You can stop on the bridge and enjoy the view over the river with the ghats and the Victoria Memorial too. Its pretty and I think I have sold you enough on your trip to take the 2nd Hooghly bridge