[evilminstrel]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Can someone from that region please find out about the condition of this road at present?

I enquired about this route December last year; I was told it was not in good shape.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by evilminstrel

I enquired about this route December last year; I was told it was not in good shape.

Can you find out if a proper bridge over the Sone river, at a place called Chopan, is operational or not? The last I knew, it was necessary to cross the river over a fair weather causeway, which had a foot of water flowing over it even in the dry season.

[evilminstrel]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Can you find out if a proper bridge over the Sone river, at a place called Chopan, is operational or not? The last I knew, it was necessary to cross the river over a fair weather causeway, which had a foot of water flowing over it even in the dry season.

I will try to find out and will let you know.

By the way, any issue crossing UP-Bihar border (Karmnasa bridge)? Also, what was the time when you crossed Karmnasa bridge and Dehri-on-Sone? I suppose you faced the issue only one way, right?

Looking at the situation, am thinking of driving the car just with a co-passenger and avoid taking my daughter and wife with me. I am looking at Google Map every day to assess the right time to cross Dehri and Karamnasa, but credentials of Google Maps on these issues are not good.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by evilminstrel

I will try to find out and will let you know.

Thank you.

Originally Posted by evilminstrel

By the way, any issue crossing UP-Bihar border (Karmnasa bridge)?

The border is fine. No hold-ups there. The choke points are
1. Bridge over the Ganga at Benaras (Dafi Toll) - up to 2 hours, but can be smooth too;
2. Mohania Toll;
3. Sasaram Toll - a constant delay of at least 30-60 minutes;
4. Jawahar Bridge over the Sone river (can take 2-4 hours);
5. Sherghati (eastbound bridge is old and rickety and trucks negotiate it very slowly, so smaller vehicles move over to the other side of the highway and jam up the westbound lanes as well).

Originally Posted by evilminstrel

Also, what was the time when you crossed Karmnasa bridge and Dehri-on-Sone? I suppose you faced the issue only one way, right?

On the way to Kolkata:
Crossed the Dafi toll at ~10:30 am. Across in 20-25 minutes.
Mohania Toll - ~11:30 am - not too bad - didn't need to check time.
Sasaram Toll - ~30 minutes
Sone River bridge - ~2 hours (2-4pm IIRC)
Sherghati - smooth sailing.

On the way to Delhi:
Sherghati - ~40 minutes
Sone River Bridge - ~4 hours (6:25 pm to 10:30 pm just to get across)
Sasaram Toll - ~45 minutes
Mohania Toll - ~45 minutes (12:15 - 1 am)
Dafi Toll & Ganga bridge - bypassed, went through Benaras city at 3 am)

I am looking at Google Map every day to assess the right time to cross Dehri and Karamnasa, but credentials of Google Maps on these issues are not good.

Yeah, GMap was constantly telling me the hold-up on the Sone River bridge was anything between 8 & 13 minutes, where it took us 4 hours to travel 3.5 km.

[evilminstrel]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Can someone from that region please find out about the condition of this road at present?

I enquired about this bridge and it seems it is fine now. I also did some research on the internet. Look at this video link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gVYmJiTFig&t=12s

Another person tells me that roads are not too bad, with mixed stretches. Given the situation at GT road since last few years, it will be interesting to check this route once.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by evilminstrel

I enquired about this bridge and it seems it is fine now. I also did some research on the internet. Look at this video link below:

https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=4gVYmJiTFig&t=12s

Another person tells me that roads are not too bad, with mixed stretches. Given the situation at GT road since last few years, it will be interesting to check this route once.

Wow! This looks way better than I expected! Can't wait to get a first-hand road condition report from someone. In fact, this would entirely eliminate travel through Bihar, and state highways in JH are way better than those in BR as I understand it.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

My daughter took this pic somewhere in Bihar, on the NH19 (NH2) near Sasaram on 7-Feb-21 night. A truck crashed into the back of another earlier that day, sandwiching a motorcycle in between. The rider, a local member of the sand-mining "brotherhood", was killed. The resultant traffic jam took over 12 hours to clear, and we were also stuck inside that mess.

The ongoing war of discontent between the long-distance truck drivers and sand miners, with contributions by the local RTOs, continues, such that traffic in that sector moves at crawling pace if at all. LMVs take the wrong side of the road, and create a bigger traffic jam than warranted. The war is because of multiple factors:
A. Because a truck accident killed someone;
B. Perpetual traffic jams due to the slow movement of sand laden trucks, dumpers and tractor trolleys cause impediment to smooth movement;
C. RTOs are imposing fines on overloaded interstate trucks, but not on overloaded sand trucks;
D. Sand miners steal spare wheels off parked interstate highway trucks to use on their trolleys and trucks.

[haisaikat]

I plan to travel end of March from Kolkata to Varanasi. If I make the travel during the night, will i be able to bypass majority of the traffic issues on this route?

[SidharthaN]

I am travelling to Kolkata from Noida tomorrow morning.

Route - Noida - Lucknow - Varanasi - NH2 - Kolkata

How can I bypass Lucknow City. I will be travelling through Agra-Lucknow Expressway and then Rae Bareilly route.

Please inform asap

[Sail]

Originally Posted by haisaikat

I plan to travel end of March from Kolkata to Varanasi. If I make the travel during the night, will i be able to bypass majority of the traffic issues on this route?

@ haisaikat

I have tried both day and night in Kolkata – Varanasi sector.
From my experience, you should avoid night driving in this sector due to heavy jams at night, especially Dehri On Son to Varanasi sector. Truckers just goes to complete halt and call it a day after a long traffic jam. I have seen them even start cooking & go to sleep.

My suggestion would be start as early as possible from Kolkata, say by 0400 hrs and try to arrive Varanasi by evening. Even with no traffic jams, it will take easily 14 - 15 hrs on this stretch.
Due to day time local traffic, diversions in JH, you will be slow. But, continue with a steady pace. Avoid long breaks in this sector, try to save time wasted at food joints. We carry our own food for safety and time saving.


Brdgs
Sail

[evilminstrel]

Originally Posted by SidharthaN

I am travelling to Kolkata from Noida tomorrow morning.

Route - Noida - Lucknow - Varanasi - NH2 - Kolkata

How can I bypass Lucknow City. I will be travelling through Agra-Lucknow Expressway and then Rae Bareilly route.

Please inform asap

Bypassing Lucknow is not an issue. If you are planning to halt in Lucknow, start early morning and look for hitting Allahabad (not Varanasi) through Rai Bareilly. Varanasi route is not as free-flowing and you might get into narrow roads.

If you want to continue from Lucknow on the same day, you may face some traffic on the outskirts of Lucknow.

[evilminstrel]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

The ongoing war of discontent between the long-distance truck drivers and sand miners, with contributions by the local RTOs, continues, such that traffic in that sector moves at crawling pace if at all. LMVs take the wrong side of the road, and create a bigger traffic jam than warranted. The war is because of multiple factors:
A. Because a truck accident killed someone;
B. Perpetual traffic jams due to the slow movement of sand laden trucks, dumpers and tractor trolleys cause impediment to smooth movement;
C. RTOs are imposing fines on overloaded interstate trucks, but not on overloaded sand trucks;
D. Sand miners steal spare wheels off parked interstate highway trucks to use on their trolleys and trucks.

Sad state of affairs. These are the things that should be brought to the attention of the authorities. I am sure local police and sand mafia are filling their pockets while thousands are victim every day. And not that this has started yesterday. Is there anyone in the group who can raise this issue before the agencies?

[haisaikat]

Originally Posted by Sail

My suggestion would be start as early as possible from Kolkata, say by 0400 hrs and try to arrive Varanasi by evening. Even with no traffic jams, it will take easily 14 - 15 hrs on this stretch.

Thank you for the response. Per GMaps I see Kolkata to Dehri is 11 hours so if I start by 8 pm, I would reach Dehri by 6 am with no halts, and with halts it would be beyond 730 am. Would it still be a problem?

Per my limited experience of going by night time, usually state borders or certain city entry checkposts allow trucks only after 4 / 5 am and hence from 4 to 6 am there is standstill or slow traffic. By that logic, should we not be good with our timings?

[Sail]

Originally Posted by haisaikat

Would it still be a problem?

@haisaikat

Understood your plan.

What I have seen, during dry seasons there are too many tractors moving around Son River for picking up sands from the river. From mid-night till early AM (say 0600 hrs) they are very less in numbers. Traffic jams starts with their irregular movements around Son Bridge.

So, passing Dehri On Son in the early morning should not be any issue.

But, passing JH & Bihar during night could be a safety issue (if something goes wrong). On top of that there will be too many trucks on road during night compared to day, which translates to more traffic jams at toll booths.

Secondly, the traffic jam situation there (Son to Varanasi) now beyond any imagination. One can’t predict what happens and when. Son - Sasaram – Chandauli – Mohania - Ganges Bridge all are having huge traffic jams daily.

Keep checking Gmap daily for guidance (to get some idea), what is happening at what time. But don’t trust on their delay times (which is much more on the scene).

Forget about state entry / exit times, there will be more trucks on highways at night for sure.

Suggest, not to keep very firm plan, as it will break during enroute. Be flexible and expect the worst.

Brdgs
Sail

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by Vinod_nair

...In Kanpur I live close to NH19, you are most welcome to come home and take a break, rest take a shower, have a meal with us, I can pack some nice biryani and gilawati kabab, and thaggu ke Ladoo.

Regards

The plan didnt work out as I expected, so instead of Kolkata - Del, I ended up doing Kolkata - Chennai. But if I ever come to Kanpur, I'll sure take up the offer on biryani.