[adetour]

Originally Posted by gmhossain

However, the recent highlight of this route is the newly 4-laned Krishnanagar - Ranaghat - Barajaguli (Kalyani) section. It's now the fastest section of Kolkata Siliguri route with official speed limit being 100 kmph. Besides, it is the first section of this route in which speed cameras are being installed at multiple locations!

On 12th April, while returning from Malda, we crossed Kaliachak at 5:45 am and reached Mother's Hut, Krishnanagar at 8:45 am (had a 10 min loo break in between). After having breakfast we resumed our journey at 9:30 am and exited NH-12 at Kalyani More at 10:18 am. Ranaghat mess is now a thing of the past . This was my fastest ever drive from Malda where we covered ~260 km in a bit less than 4 hours of drive!.

This is superb progress in the last 3-4 months, been closely tracking all the updates.
Will the pending work for small 2L stretches between Krishnanagar and Berhampore start this year atleast?
Also any idea what's the status at Fulbari, the 5-6km from the Mahananda barrage is still 2L without any sign of road work.

[gmhossain]

Originally Posted by adetour

Will the pending work for small 2L stretches between Krishnanagar and Berhampore start this year atleast?

Thankfully yes! NHAI has now awarded the balance work to a new contractor last month. I guess, the actual work won't start until the end of general election. On a positive side of this long delay, both towns (Beldanga and Debagram) will now get a new over bridge each as per the revised DPR (old DPR did not have any!).

Originally Posted by adetour

Also any idea what's the status at Fulbari, the 5-6km from the Mahananda barrage is still 2L without any sign of road work.

This 5.5 km long stretch was also de-scoped (from L&T's work order) earlier due to the land valuation dispute between NHAI and the land owners (similar to incomplete stretches between Berhampore and Krishnanagar). Calcutta HC last year passed a judgement on a PIL, covering Barasat (Kolkata) to Barobisha (Assam border) asking NHAI to pay these land owners as per the new LA act (significantly higher compensation) rather than the old act (pre-2013). This has already resolved all pending land logjams for Kolkata - Siliguri route, including Barasat - Barajaguli section of NH-12 (NHAI has already awarded this work last month). So I am hopeful for a resolution soon even for the Fulbari stretch of NH-27.

[ABHI_1512]

So Raigunj bypass is now open with both side traffic using the Siliguri bound railway over bridge which is complete. The Kolkata bound flank is also getting ready soon enough with some pending work going on well. The last remaining bypass work is now on the way to completion.

The Siliguri flank of the overbridge which is operational:


This is from the opposite side where the Kolkata flank can be seen where work is still going on the overbridge.

[princegaurav]

Hello fellow BHPians, what is the current condition of NH12 now? I would be traveling with family from Kolkata to Siliguri around September 20th, 2024. Are there any deterioration due to rains? What is expected time to cover the distance with sedate driving? Any good suggestion of eateries for both onward and return journeys? What is suggested time to start from Kolkata? I would be taking my XUV7OO AWD to Kalimpong, any tips for that drive will also be helpful, as it would be my first drive in Himalayas (although have driven on hills earlier).

[DrRC83]

Originally Posted by princegaurav

Are there any deterioration due to rains? What is expected time to cover the distance with sedate driving? Any good suggestion of eateries for both onward and return journeys? What is suggested time to start from Kolkata? I would be taking my XUV7OO AWD to Kalimpong, any tips for that drive will also be helpful, as it would be my first drive in Himalayas (although have driven on hills earlier).

Though some parts of the NH12 are newly built and should have a smooth road surface, the older parts especially from Dalkhola to Islampur stretch and Morgram to Farakka stretch have always been 'Pothole Prone' , so be cautious.

To start from Kolkata, night driving has lesser obstacles but, poor visual acuity. Though, currently night time hill driving is not at all recommended as the main road to Kalimpong NH10 has been damaged at many places and recently opened after more than a month closure and landslide is a common problem in these hills.

There are many good dining options en route from Mothers Hut at Krishnanagar, Punjabi Dhaba at Palsanda, Pardesi Dhaba after Malda or Banphool Dhaba at Gajol. For tea break/Snacks at Burman hotel at Gajol Truck line bay or Chauhan Sweets at Panjipara are good.

As a weekly commuter from Siliguri to Kalimpong, I can only say just enjoy the roads through the banks of the Teesta, though some parts of the beautiful road has gone now. After the Chitrey the uphill starts and as there are some undulations of the road don't race your engine too much . Chitrey to Kalimpong is only 15 kms and though some points are very narrow and bendy, overall road condition is good and easily doable with some hill driving experience.

Enjoy your trip and please share your experience afterwards. Happy miles!

Regards
Rakesh

[arjab]

Update on NH-12 conditions (nee NH-34) and other road info:

Returned last evening from Siliguri to Kolkata. It took me 10hrs 40mins, from SLG to CCU(Lake Market area). While going to SLG it had taken me exactly 10 hrs.
These timings are normal driving with speeds between 80-100 kmph. With two stops & multiple refresh/bio breaks.
While returning I had encountered torrential rains which slowed down progress.
The route taken was via Kolkata Airport - Barasat - Krishnanagar - Farakka - Malda - Raiganj - Siliguri.

I will try to sum up the road conditions to the best of my ability:

Barasat level crossing: micro off road zone.

The Amdanga 2-lane stretch is all wrecked by the rains till the start of BoroJaguli divided 4-lane stretch.

Borojaguli to Krishnanagar: Good, no issues.

Bhabta level crossing: Micro-off roading again. With crazy e-rickshaws being driven in WRC fashion!

Baharampore bypass: Top layer has peeled off. The right-most lanes of the bypass, which the trucks usually take, have developed furrows, there is water accumulation in the furrows, leading to the tarmac peeling off. Overall the water drainage engineering of the Baharampore bypass perceptibly looked to be inferior, compared to the other Bypass's such as Raiganj and Karandighi. There were large patches of stagnant water, in a lot of places on Baharampore bypass.
Short capture of Baharampore bypass:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=QrLxLZh3iFM?feature=share

The Kolkata - Siliguri bound flank of Ahiron bridge is closed. The other flank is being used for both-way traffic.

Malda, Karandighi, Raiganj & Dalkhola bypass's: all ok

Dalkhola to Kishanganj: all broken tarmac. However while returning I did see patch repair works happening

Islampur to Siliguri: broken patches in and around Chopra. Siliguri bound flank of one bridge at Chopra is closed. The other flank is all broken up.

Hills road update:

Old Hill Cart road: Fine. Little bit of broken patch around Tindharia loco shed.

Rohini - Kurseong: Ok.

Pankhabari - Kurseong: Ok

Mirik-Pashupati-Ghum: Good

Jorebunglow-Peshok-Tista: Largely ok. Tista bazar road alongside Tista river is broken up.

Dooars side: I went till Bagrakote & returned to Siliguri. Fantastic roads throughout

Sevok road: from BSF camp start (Sevok side)till the "Y"-junction flyover works are on. Lots of dust and narrow single lane traffic.
Please keep extra time in hand if you are coming down from Kalimpong - Sikkim side and headed towards Bagdogra airport. Regular traffic snarls seemed to be the norm.

[DrRC83]

Thanks Arjab for this excellent Pre Puja road review.

I also travelled to Kolkata and returned to Kalimpong during the 1st week of September.

Just want to share my two pennies -

Originally Posted by arjab

Barasat level crossing: micro off road zone.

The Amdanga 2-lane stretch is all wrecked by the rains till the start of BoroJaguli divided 4-lane stretch.

Better to avoid the Barasat to Barajaguli Strech. The Kalyani expressway is in good shape now from Muragachha (Madhyamgram/Michel Nagar approach) to Kanchrapara Kampa more. Almost all the flyovers are complete now and four lane is a breeze. The Kampa to Barajaguli, road is also good though traffic is oneway.

Originally Posted by arjab

Islampur to Siliguri: broken patches in and around Chopra. Siliguri bound flank of one bridge at Chopra is closed. The other flank is all broken up.

I think it is the Bidhan Nagar Flyover. One side is closed for more than three months.

To avoid the jam and the bad road, take the service road while entering Bidhannagar (applicable for both sides).

Originally Posted by arjab

if you are coming down from Kalimpong - Sikkim side and headed towards Bagdogra airport. Regular traffic snarls seemed to be the norm.

NH 10 is currently a gamble and be prepared for closure/landslide at any time while travelling to Kalimpong/Gangtok/Old silk route side.

The alternative route is either via Lava or via Panbu. Though the Panbu route is very scenic, but not for the first timers in hills. So if you are new to this topography and driving yourself, better to avoid Panbu route as an alternative, Lava road is far more comfortable.

Thanks and regards and best wishes for Durga Puja
Rakesh

[arjab]

Quick update on the state of NH-12 (nee NH34)
Reached Siliguri a few hours ago from Kolkata:

> Baharampore bypass has now been repaired but they have done patch repairs. Hence you feel the "ghhut-ghhhuttt" every time your wheels roll over the repaired patches accompanied by proportional suspension
jiggle .
> Raiganj Bypass both bridges are now open for traffic. No more "wrong side" driving.
> Karandighi bypass is fine.
> Moregram - Farakka is in a sorry state. Potholes, broken tarmac, furrows in the rightmost lane,(due to heavy trucks). It is an a a la carte menu of every conceivable road irregularity.
Low slung sedans and hatches were having a difficult time. I did not face much issue as I was in the Jimny and the long travel suspension soaked up the worst bits.
> Farakka barrage bridge: right at the end of the bridge, i f you are going from Calcutta, there's a magnum opus of a pothole! With the bridges iron spikes poking out! Good thing is you have space on the left to avoid it.
> Dalkhola - Islampur: Still pockmarked but some patch repair work has been done. You have to stick to extreme right or extreme left (often two wheels on shoulder) to try to avoid the potholes.
> The bridge after the Ghoshpukur toll. Wow! Absolute replica of Paris - Dakar or any rally-raid special stage! It is a short stretch, maybe 300-400 metres(?) but what a surface! The ditches, humps, consecutive potholes will test your car's suspension articulation, axle twistong capabilities, bump stop longevity, wheel-rim strength for free!
That's all for now..
Take care & drive safe.
Best,

[sayakc]

During the Durga Puja break, I travelled to CoochBehar, my home town and where my parents live.

Background:
I had last travelled along the route in March and took the (South)Kolkata - Vidyasagar Setu - Dankuni - Kalna - Katwa - Nabadwip - Krishnanagar - Behrampur - Malda - Raiganj (Town) - Ghosh Pukur - Fulbari bypass - Cooch Behar. In the interest of this thread, we will stick to Kolkata - Ghosh Pukur section of ~570 kms. Bagdogra is another 20 kms.

March 2024:
The 570 kms stretch, had the following 2 laned sections. Overall 90 kms.
1. Raiganj town (~10 kms)
2.Mogra to Krishnagar (~70kms)
3. 8-10 kms between Krishnanagar and the Farakka Bridge (2 kms)

Before our October journey, like everytime, I spoke to Golam-da on which route to take. He suggested me to take: Kolkata - Airport - Kalyani Expressway - Barajaguli (connector for NH34) - Krishnanagar - Behrampur - Malda - Raiganj (Town) - Ghosh Pukur.

October, 2024:
To my surprise, excepting 24 kms (details below) the entire route was 4 laned:
1. Airport to Kalyani expressway connection route (4 kms)
2. Kalyani Expressway to Barajaguli (10 kms)
3. 8-10 kms between Krishnanagar and the Farakka Bridge (2 kms)
And what was previously a door to door timing of 16 hrs in March was a 14 hours journey in October. I also noted that due to the several bypasses, the length of the route has increased by 10-12 kms.

However, be mindful:
1. The stretch between Dalkhola to Ghoshpukur is royally battered and potholed. Not sure when will NHAI wake up to repair that mess.
2. The Behrampur bypass which was in pristine shape in March has needs of repair in certain stretches.

Some photos from the trip:

Grapes grown in the garden of the Dhaba

[ABHI_1512]

Some patch work has been done to the Dalkhola- Islampur section on both sides. Yet Bidhannagar and Chopra remain the sore point, specially towards Calcutta section. At Chopra, some sections are so bad that you have to really remind yourself again about the tests performed during getting the license !

And I have no words to say about the Baharampur bypass towards the Calcutta side. I drove through extreme rains yesterday and I was thanking my stars for not getting stranded on hitting some crater ! I wonder how can a bypass which was opened only a year back, can be in such a bad state. Someone should be held responsible for such a shoddy job but I know that’s not happening.

Please be careful while driving on the Baharampur bypass towards the Calcutta flank. Rest, as Arjab mentioned above, everything is good

[DevilisH]

Thank you guys for such helpful updates ! I came to Darjeeling via Dumka and Purnea, and this is one route I am not taking again anytime soon. I will return in a couple of days via the Dalkhola route.

[arjab]

Road conditions update as on 4th November 2024:

Returned to Kolkata on 4th Nov evening from North Bengal. Following are the updates:

1. The Kolkata bound lane after the Ghoshpukur toll plaza, on the Siliguri-Dalkhola stretch, has been closed for a stretch of about 2kms for repairs. Witnessed a lot of heavy road repair machinery being used.

2. The Kolkata bound lane of the 7-month old Baharampore bypass, as pointed out by ABHI_1512, is in pathetic condition.
From what I could see, the entire lane, particularly around the culverts/bridges, seem to have subsided slightly to the left. Whether the underlying landfill/flyash foundation has subsided or not is anybody's guess. I saw multiple number of teams consisting of 3-4 serious looking people who looked like highway officials in safety helmets and jackets assessing various sections of the Baharampore bypass. At least someone is taking note.

3. Moregram to Farakka: the Siliguri bound flank is broken tarmac all the way. Your best bet is to stick to the extreme left of the highway which will help you skirt around some of the potholes.

4. Farakka - Dalkhola is in good shape. No issues.

5. Dalkhola - Kishanganj: Again broken tarmac. Both up and down lanes. Please exercise caution and stick to the extreme left which may help you to avoid the large potholes.

6. The Siliguri bound flank of the Ahiron bridge is still closed for repairs. Only one lane is open for both side traffic.

7. The Barajaguli - Amdanga - Barasat, single lane national highway is not in good shape at all.
Please be careful because this section is not a divided highway. Two wheelers and E-Rickshaws from the opposite side or even in front of you, may suddenly swerve and weave erratically trying to avoid the potholes cutting right across in front of you, giving you little time to react or brake.

8. While returning to Kolkata, spotted a fancy looking cafe after Jangipur and stopped. I forget the name of the joint . They served decent coffee and snacks.