[rajiv.agrawal]

Hello Members, I'm Rajiv Agrawal & currently living in Kolkata due to some commitments, though I'm from Delhi. My wife & son are in Delhi. Don't know how long will this commitment last. I haven't been able to go home for quite a while to see my family & have HUGE trepidation in flying. I was toying with the idea of taking the road, since I love to drive cross country. Haven't done so for a long time now.

The idea is to plan a trip Kolkata-Delhi in my Honda City, automatic, petrol. BUT, the catch is, I don't want to check-in at any commercial facility and carry my own food & water.

I need advice on the following:
1. Is it a feasible plan
2. If yes, how should I plan it

I do have an uncle in Prayagraj (Erstwhile Allahabad) and I can stay the night there. But what kind of journey time am I looking at between Kolkata & Allahabad? Which routes should I take? Is there bunch-up of trucks & traffic at borders that I should factor in for my calculations? Any other thing that I am missing? In all probability I will be driving alone.

And yes, will I need an RT-PCR negative report to enter states?

Regards

[gopikb]

Hey guys, I am also stuck in Tamilnadu in a town down south called Thoothukudi and wanted to travel back to Bangalore anytime now. I have got the epass from Tamilnadu to travel to Bangalore and hence no issue to travel inside Tamilnadu. However, I contacted the seva sindhu helpline for entry into Karnataka and they said I cannot enter Karnataka until the 24th May and maybe more depending on Government order after current lockdown period.
Both my parents were down with Covid and I travel to Thoothukudi and got them hospitalized for two weeks. With God's grace they have recovered and I want to get back to my wife and kids who are already missing me since three weeks. But I am unable to travel back. All Epass applications have been disabled in SevaSindhu portal. Any leads from anyone on how to get into Bangalore from Tamilnadu?

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by rajiv.agrawal

I do have an uncle in Prayagraj (Erstwhile Allahabad) and I can stay the night there. But what kind of journey time am I looking at between Kolkata & Allahabad? Which routes should I take? Is there bunch-up of trucks & traffic at borders that I should factor in for my calculations? Any other thing that I am missing? In all probability I will be driving alone.

Regards

You can check the below post/thread for the route/timing related queries,

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...ml#post5061195 (Delhi-Kolkata by Road | NH2 (now called NH19) in full detail)

[am1m]

Originally Posted by gopikb

But I am unable to travel back. All Epass applications have been disabled in SevaSindhu portal. Any leads from anyone on how to get into Bangalore from Tamilnadu?

Hope someone who has recently done a TN-KA road crossing can help. But if I was in your place, I'd book a flight from Tuticorin to Bangalore. I see that flights are still operating and I know that within Bangalore people with valid tickets can move around. Might be the only option to get back to your family for now. Later, when the lockdown is lifted and it looks highly unlikely that that will happen on the 24th, go back and pick up the car. Good luck, hope you get reunited with your family soon!

[gopikb]

Thank you am1m. I was contemplating this option as well if the lockdown extended beyond 24-May. With the corona cases hitting the roof, we really cant judge as to what more restrictions could come up on 5/24. I will give this a serious thought.

[NowNew7]

Originally Posted by rajiv.agrawal

In all probability I will be driving alone.

And yes, will I need an RT-PCR negative report to enter states?

Strongly recommend you try for a co driver.

While doable alone, it's exponentially better to have a co driver and backup for observing you and the road for such a trip.

I speak from personal experience of doing 3 2,200 km trips during the COVID times itself, with my wife as a co driver and us changing drivers every 3-4 hours.

If not at least have a co passenger who can watch the road with you, and watch you as well!

There is no shame in fatigue, so shamelessly stop when tired and take rest in the vehicle itself, as it's the best option with the environment completely managed by you. Best place to stop is at a Toll Gate, especially if it's night, as they are well lighted, busy and have tea and restrooms if needed.

Please do carry an RTPCR as it may be required anywhere. Only challenge is that they are typically valid for 5 days, and nowadays there is up to 72 hours delay in getting results.

Wish you a safe journey.

[mazda4life]

My colleague’s sister has to return back to Bangalore from Anathapur in AP, any idea If such inter state travel is permitted now ? . Would appreciate any inputs if anyone has travelled recently.

[balenoed_]

Originally Posted by gopikb

All Epass applications have been disabled in SevaSindhu portal. Any leads from anyone on how to get into Bangalore from Tamilnadu?

It is a very subjective thing. I guess your entry point is via Attibele. That check point is generally relaxed. Time it that you enter there between 6am-9am (when the curfew is relaxed for essentials) and hopefully you will be able to get through. You need to give it a try. You can explain all the reasons and I don't think why they will not let you in as it is a genuine reason and you are not causing any harm. Give it a try. Worst case you have to head back and I don't think any cop would want you do that.

[F1-Addict]

Originally Posted by blitzkrieg

I drove from GOA to BOMBAY yesterday - 9th May, 2021. With one co-passenger. We both had an RT-PCR negative report. Getting tested at home in Goa is a bit of a challenge. We were told there are not enough test kits available. After a lot of networking, we were able to get the test done. Test samples from Goa are all sent to Bombay for testing so the turn-around time for results are quite erratic. We had done a test two weeks ago as we were exposed to someone who was positive. That report took 5 days to arrive!!! This time thankfully the report arrived in two days. Which gave us just enough time to leave the next day. It was negative so we decided to take the chance and head out.

The first RTO check point at the Goa-Maharashtra border was stopping all vehicles. I had the report on my phone but they didn't look at it. I only had to mention that I have it. (Which seems quite negligent on their part.) They our details - Name, number, coming from, going to, type of covid test done (RT-PCR/RAT), vehicle no. That's all. They did not ask why I was travelling. They were conducting Rapid Antigen Tests on the spot there for others who were not carrying a report.

The next check point was after Sawantwadi. This time they looked at the report on my phone. Took the same details (name, no. etc.) and let us go.

After that there were multiple check points (around 6 to 8 more) all the way till Bombay. It seemed they were stopping only cars. Trucks were passing through without being stopped. They would ask where I was coming from and where I was heading to. They all were accepting the RT-PCR test and allowing me to proceed without any issues.

At one place I was asked if I had an e-pass. I did not. They gave me the website from where I could get the e-pass (https://covid19.mhpolice.in/). But the negative RT-PCR test seemed enough for them to allow me to go on.

Hope this is helpful.

Thanks for this. Am stuck too in Goa with family. Tried for an epass multiple times and got rejected.

Yes the test take long here. Did it recently and got the results only post 48 hrs which beats the purpose.

What route did u take on the drive back to mumbai?

Were they insisting the test be 48 hrs since the sample collection?

Pls let me know thanks

[gopikb]

Originally Posted by balenoed_

It is a very subjective thing. I guess your entry point is via Attibele. That check point is generally relaxed. Time it that you enter there between 6am-9am (when the curfew is relaxed for essentials) and hopefully you will be able to get through. You need to give it a try. You can explain all the reasons and I don't think why they will not let you in as it is a genuine reason and you are not causing any harm. Give it a try. Worst case you have to head back and I don't think any cop would want you do that.

Thank you. The government rules say "No inter-state travel" in Karnataka as of now. I dont want to take chance running into an officer who just goes by the books and end up getting stranded at Hosur. I will have to find a hotel to stay in Hosur and worst case if I get infected there, I cannot think about the repercussions.

As indicated by am1m, I am thinking of taking flight back to Bangalore if lockdown is extended beyond 24-May. All it takes is 8 hours for me to drive from my current location to Bangalore and traveling alone by own car non stop is the safest option given the current situation. I am not sure why Karnataka Government does not think about these and open epass for genuine travelers by road when train and flight travelers are allowed.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by am1m

Hope someone who has recently done a TN-KA road crossing can help. But if I was in your place, I'd book a flight from Tuticorin to Bangalore. I see that flights are still operating and I know that within Bangalore people with valid tickets can move around.

Is this basis someone's recent experience? Can you please advise? (especially wrt Bangalore city).

I don't have the details handy but when the lockdown guidelines were announced at the start of the month, inter-city and intra-city movement was not allowed. There have been a few revisions so not aware of what is the current decision.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Is this basis someone's recent experience?

A friend recently made it from TN to Bangalore - but was stopped multiple times. Could escape as the spouse is working in banking sector and hence allowed to pass under essential services.

[balenoed_]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Is this basis someone's recent experience? Can you please advise? (especially wrt Bangalore city).

I don't have the details handy but when the lockdown guidelines were announced at the start of the month, inter-city and intra-city movement was not allowed. There have been a few revisions so not aware of what is the current decision.

Incoming and outgoing to/fro Bangalore via flight is permitted at the moment.

It is weird that you are permitted to enter the city when you come on a flight while you drive in solo by a car it is not.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by balenoed_

Incoming and outgoing to/fro Bangalore via flight is permitted at the moment.

It is weird that you are permitted to enter the city when you come on a flight while you drive in solo by a car it is not.

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

A friend recently made it from TN to Bangalore - but was stopped multiple times. Could escape as the spouse is working in banking sector and hence allowed to pass under essential services.

Thank you. Any visibility if this caveat applies to railways too? We were planning to shift in May to Bangalore but pushed it given the cases and the lockdown. Now hoping things get somewhat (relatively) better and are planning for June.

I actually don't expect the lockdown to be lifted on 24th, but I do hope they allow inter-state travel officially through specific options as it was before the current guidelines were set.

[condor]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Any visibility if this caveat applies to railways too? We were planning to shift in May to Bangalore but pushed it given the cases and the lockdown. .

Railways and Civil aviation are under Central govt agencies. For transport by road, states rule. This includes inter-state busses since each state issues it's permits. I hope you get the distinction/logic for the restriction imposed by KA state govt. Their intention is to reduce intra-state movement.

You can travel by Train to KA. And take a cab from the station to your destsination.