[gearhead_mait]

Originally Posted by mi2n

Planning to take the Siuri-Bolpur route on my way back. Any heads up on that?

Firstly, I would suggest to take the Bhagalpur route i.e. Bhagalpur-Amarpur-Banka-Deogarh-Dumka-Siuri-Bolpur(NH2B)-Burdwan Shib Mandir - DGP EXPY - Kolkata

Only if you must take on Kaliachowk then :

Start early (around 4:30 - 5 am) from Siliguri (then you will not face any congestion around Dalkhola).

The route is fine after Morgram. Infact the entire stretch is very good barring a few kms around Nalhati. Avoid Panagarh, take this route after Morgram

Morgram - Nalhati - Rampurhat - Siuri - Purandarpur - Bolpur(NH2B)-Burdwan Shib Mandir - DGP EXPY - Kolkata

Note : NH60 around Dubrajpur is worst, so I have suggested the above route. This will avoid Panagarh.

I recently traversed Bolpur to my home at Behala (Kolkata) in 3 hours flat. So you can imagine the condition of the road.

Originally Posted by mi2n

I took the Melli - Jorethang - Zoom - Soreng - Kaluk route.
After Jorethang / Nayabazar a narrow and very steep climb to Zoom with lots of hairpins. Was very unnerving to say the least. But freshly laid tarmac saved me.

There is a video of this section in my travelogue to Kaluk. Although, this section involved cautious driving, but till date I enjoy just thinking about some of the stretches I have driven in Sikkim. This is one of them.

[themagicclicks]

Originally Posted by Sheel

Its there on this thread, please do search for it.

The bypass for Tetri is still required? Main road is still bad?

With monsoon, expect deterioration and with saawan month, expect pilgrims/traffic in Deoghar/Sultangunj route.

No idea, if the road is bad or good. Read somewhere in TeamBHP that there often have been massive congestions on the Vikramshila Setu. So asked about the bypass often referred by many.

[mi2n]

Today I left Namchi at 9 am and drove till Maldah. Checked in at the Golden Park at 6:30 pm. Plan is to leave at 5 am in the morning and continue on NH34.

[mi2n]

Update :

Left Golden Park, Maldah at 0500 hours and reached home safe and sound at 1320 hours. Maldah to home was covered in 8 hours and 20 minutes. Adding the four and half hours it took me to reach Maldah from Siliguri, the total travel time comes to 12 hours 50 mins with no hold ups anywhere. That's exactly what gmhossain had predicted. Kudos to you Sir and a special picture in celebration :

Kaliachak at dawn


NH34 needs to shed off its notorious legacy now. In my humble opinion, this stretch is now very manageable with intermittent 4 laned stress relieving toll roads. As for the rest, all you need to do is manage the Krishnanagar to Baharampur stretch with lots of patience and attention and plan the crossing of the critical bottlenecks a bit cleverly. Also, it would be advisable to avoid the Krishnanagar to Amdanga(Barasat) stretch after dusk due to the narrow single carriageway with deep shoulders coupled with unruly oncoming local and truck traffic. If someone plans to drive up to the hills from Kolkata, NH34 can now definitely be in contention. On the return, plan it such that on your last day in the hills you stay as nearest to Siliguri as you can. South Sikkim, Kalimpong, etc. would be ideal. Leave by 0900-1000 and drive all the way upto Maldah by dusk, camp there for the night and head for Kolkata at daybreak.

Thanks again for all the help and information made available. It was a wonderful experience, every inch of the 1501.7 kms. What roads! What views! What a machine!

Signing off witha couple of pictures:

[gmhossain]

Originally Posted by mi2n

Left Golden Park, Maldah at 0500 hours and reached home safe and sound at 1320 hours. Maldah to home was covered in 8 hours and 20 minutes.
...

Kaliachak at dawn
Attachment 1373634

... It was a wonderful experience, every inch of the 1501.7 kms. What roads! What views! What a machine!

I must say that your plan of staying at Malda and resuming your drive in the early morning from there was quite smart and pragmatic. Now, as gearhead_mait has already mentioned, please do put up a travelogue!

We were visiting my sister place in Malda town yesterday. We took the route via Mothabari to avoid going through Kaliachak as there was some congestion in the afternoon and we were on a bit tight schedule. There I was enquiring about 4-laning work within Kaliachak town. It seems that 4-laning work within Kaliachak will start only after electrical pole shifting is complete.

In your picture, you can notice that the existing electrical poles (in the left side) are within the toe-line of proposed 4-laned carriageway. New poles (painted white and very closed to the wall of the house) are being stringed but not yet energized. It seems to me that in another six months congestion in Kaliachak could begin to ease up as HCC is planning to begin toll operation for Farakka-Raiganj section of NH-34 before the end of this year. Also, the earth-work for Farakka-end of Malda bypass has finally began. This part was stuck for sometime due to land tangle. Whereas the earth-work for Raiganj-end of Malda bypass including new 4-laned Mahananda river bridge has been completed already.

[rahul4640]

Originally Posted by Sheel

The bypass for Tetri is still required? Main road is still bad?

No the Tetri bypass is no more required. The entire stretch from the Vikramshila bridge till Naugatchia has recently been repaired, in the month of March this year. It is now in very good shape.

Originally Posted by themagicclicks

No idea, if the road is bad or good. Read somewhere in TeamBHP that there often have been massive congestions on the Vikramshila Setu. So asked about the bypass often referred by many.

I am afraid Tetri bypass will not help for any congestion on the bridge. One option I think is to follow the local cars. Last time I was on this route a couple of months ago, I faced heavy congestion on the southern end of the bridge (while returning). I followed some local cars which slowly went down from the side of the elevated Vikramshila Setu road. They took some unknown circuitous route but before even asking someone for direction I found myself arriving at Tilka Majhi Chowk, which I knew well.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by rahul4640

No the Tetri bypass is no more required.

Yes, I too thought the same.

I am afraid Tetri bypass will not help for any congestion on the bridge. ....
I followed some local cars which slowly went down from the side of the elevated Vikramshila Setu road.

Right and how can it?
Did they take a right after you crossed the bridge, just after the shanty where they collect toll from HCV's? In monsoon, that road might create a problem.

[rahul4640]

Originally Posted by Sheel

Did they take a right after you crossed the bridge, just after the shanty where they collect toll from HCV's?

Yes. I saw two or three cars and even a couple of white coloured bus getting down from the side of the road and followed them. Shortly thereafter on that road I found a bus terminus on my left. Both the buses went inside it but the cars continued ahead. I followed them and reached this statue of Tilka Majhi, from where I already knew my directions. You must be very familiar with this statue.

Originally Posted by Sheel

In monsoon, that road might create a problem.

Possibly yes. But that time the ground was totally dry.
Regards,
Rahul

[Sheel]

Met two BHPians traveling. It was a privilege meeting both. Won't name one of 'em just now Another BHPian was gmhossain

Both had entirely different & opposite experience of the NH-34/Dalkola. Going by what I hear, will pick Dumka route.

[themagicclicks]

Originally Posted by rahul_kej

I would suggest you to take kolkata burdwan durgapur asansol deoghar sultangunj bhagalpur purnea dalkola siliguri route.

Its approx. 700kms without much hiccups.

NH-34 is still not suggested may be for another 1.5 years, dumka to bhagalpur is in bad shape, so currently above route is the best option.

Could you please guide me with the expected ETA at Siliguri along this route from Kolkata? Google Maps an MapMyIndia are providing completely different estimates.

Originally Posted by Sheel

That is a bit longer. One may try Amarpur & Banka instead of Sultangunj route.

Will be shorter & surface is albeit the same.

To you too my senior BHPian , guidance regarding total time required would be very much appreciated. Although Mr.Hossain gmhossain and mi2n have travelled along NH34 successfully just a few days ago, but would prefer to avoid the repeat of the experience I had in December, if possible.

Also look at the incident at Malda Station today, would much like to avoid delays due to such incidents or any damage to car or to me and my wife along the route.

Another important input request to both of you, since I'll be driving the entire route on my own, I wouldn't be driving at express speeds, so if required any suggestion of halting at Bhagalpur or Purnea instead of Siliguri and then starting from there very early the next morning for Dooars?

These routes hopefully do not pass through Maoist affected districts?

Yes many questions, and help is much needed, I am pretty much confused.

Originally Posted by Sheel

Met two BHPians traveling. It was a privilege meeting both. Won't name one of 'em just now Another BHPian was gmhossain

Both had entirely different & opposite experience of the NH-34/Dalkola. Going by what I hear, will pick Dumka route.

You have suggested the alternate route avoiding the Dumka-Bhagalpur route, so you think this route can be taken now? Thank you already, all BHPians, since without this forum where would people get information from I wonder!

Rahul4640 if possible your estimate on the time required along your preferred route is much appreciated too.

regards,
Neelanjan.

[gmhossain]

Originally Posted by Sheel

Met two BHPians traveling. It was a privilege meeting both. Won't name one of 'em just now Another BHPian was gmhossain

Both had entirely different & opposite experience of the NH-34/Dalkola. Going by what I hear, will pick Dumka route.

Thanks Sheel! It was indeed a wonderful moment for us to meet you in person. We reached Mongpong well ahead of our plan as Dalkhola allowed us to zip through!

Incidentally, at Mongpong I met two fellow travellers and their family. One group drove via Bhagalpur and it took them 18 hours to reach Siliguri. While others took 15 and half hours via SH7/NH34. Now guess what? Both were cursing the routes they have driven! Truely, both were right to do so.

[themagicclicks]

Originally Posted by gmhossain

Thanks Sheel! It was indeed a wonderful moment for us to meet you in person. We reached Mongpong well ahead of our plan as Dalkhola allowed us to zip through!

Incidentally, at Mongpong I met two fellow travellers and their family. One group drove via Bhagalpur and it took them 18 hours to reach Siliguri. While others took 15 and half hours via SH7/NH34. Now guess what? Both were cursing the routes they have driven! Truely, both were right to do so.

So NH34 it is for me too, as suggested by you earlier, Mr.Hossain One reason being that, for the alternate routes the Navigators are predicting too many hours than can be good for me. I thought of the possibilities of the other routes several times, had been oscillating between scylla and charybdis for a while now, now everything seems so clear to me. I have stopped doing this ( )now, leaving this weekend.

[rahul_kej]

Originally Posted by themagicclicks

Could you please guide me with the expected ETA at Siliguri along this route from Kolkata? Google Maps an MapMyIndia are providing completely different estimates.

This route will take approx. 14hours with breaks, the best part is that you wont get stuck anywhere and will be moving. One of my cousins did this route last week as guided by me and was pretty happy with it.

[anurag_p80]

Originally Posted by themagicclicks

Could you please guide me with the expected ETA at Siliguri along this route from Kolkata? Google Maps an MapMyIndia are providing completely different estimates.

I had passed through this route (Dankuni-Burdwan-Durgapur- Jubilee Pump-Masalia- Dumka- Siliguri)on my way from Hyd to Bhutan and back recently. My observations in the post below.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3714229


In short, Durgapur to Bhagalpur should take you 5-6 hours driving sedately. From Bhagalpur till Siliguri should be another 4-5 hours or so (we left Vaibhav Inn at 2:30 pm and were in Siliguri by 7 pm). The roads are good on this route mostly, traffic is little till you hit Bihar and then WB and the scenery is also decent. No facilities and around the towns (near Jubilee Pump, around Dumka, and within Bhagalpur) roads are patchy. Remember to not turn towards Hansdiha/ Bhagalpur from Chopa More and go straight towards Deoghar. You can stop at Vaibhav Inn for Lunch/ nighthalt. Safe and good food and rooms. It is about 4 kms after the Setu towards Naugachia. All the best!

[themagicclicks]

Originally Posted by rahul_kej

This route will take approx. 14hours with breaks, the best part is that you wont get stuck anywhere and will be moving. One of my cousins did this route last week as guided by me and was pretty happy with it.

Great news for me, I had already decided as per feedback from two recent travellers gmhossain and mi2n, to follow the route I know, i.e. NH34 or SH7/NH34, since was not getting an exact time frame and some have had problems with loosing the path along the way, requiring a detour. But if you can help me on this, the exact guide/route to follow like you guided your cousin, I'd prefer to follow this different route since this route is more refreshing to the eyes and easier on the left foot than the NH34 route. Please guide as you feel is necessary.

But was always interested

Originally Posted by anurag_p80

In short, Durgapur to Bhagalpur should take you 5-6 hours driving sedately. From Bhagalpur till Siliguri should be another 4-5 hours or so (we left Vaibhav Inn at 2:30 pm and were in Siliguri by 7 pm).

Thanks for this info, although I have already had decided to follow gmhossain sahib along NH34, but if this is really true, then might apologise to him and take this route too