[yogesh.janghel]

I was going to Jamshedpur from Bangalore. Everybody suggested me to do Baripada to Jamshedpur ( Baripada -> jharpokhria -> baharagora->jamshedpur ) during day time. Well, I got little late and started Baripada at around 4 pm, reached jamshedpur by 8 pm.
Nothing untoward incident happened, but it was pitch dark and there was very less traffic in the road. This region is also infested by Naxals.
Moreover, the road was like hell from Balasore to jamshedpur. Big pot holes.
I suggest best thing would be to avoid this route during night.

[hvkumar]

Lots of disquieting noises heard about safety - thanks to Naxal episodes - in the region around Kharagpur (NH6,NH5, NH33) - is there any problem really? I find that most of the towns where there are problems (like Lalgarh) are off the main highways, but I also hear of recommendations to avoid this route, which is also the main road from Bombay to Calcutta.

Any feedback, views?

[yogesh.janghel]

Hello HV Sir - My home town is Jamshedpur and I know lot of people who do Jamshedpur - Kolkatta, Jamshedpur - Ranchi ( NH 33 ) on daily basis. Even when I am Jamshedpur, I roam around quote often in NH33 and NH32, just to enjoy the beautiful and rich greenery.
But lately, there are few problems out there.

I think Naxals in general doesn't bother or create nuisance with the common man going around in the highway. Just to give you an example, my parents were coming from Ranchi ( July 2008 ) during day time at around 3 PM. Highway was blocked near Tamar. Few people were standing with guns and red flags on the road. My father was asked to stop the car and wait for some time. There was a long queue of vehicle. After half an hour Naxals allowed my parents to leave. After around 2 Km, my parents saw a police jeep blasted and burning in the middle of the road.

Another incident, i think this also happened in late 2007 or early 2008, a man from my city got caught in between Naxal and Police firing somewhere near Ranchi and he got a bullet and died ( he was coming from hazaribagh after fixing his son's marriage ).

I know of these 2 incidents first hand, because first involved my parent and in the second case the deceased was from my neighborhood ( really sorry for him ).

These two are really chilling incidents.

I haven't heard of anything lately. But I strongly recommend people to avoid this route during night time. Also, if you are traveling in this route, be informed. Read local news papers or listen to local radio channels. Spend some time in highways petrol bunks, to get a feel what is happening ahead.

I cannot comment about Kharagpur area, I have not been there lately but as per region in and around Baharagora ( in NH33 ) is considered, I can only say, people should avoid travelling during night time. More than one problem - Real Bad Roads, Safety Issues and Naxals.

Saying all these, my town Jamshedpur is one of the best cities in India ( I can bet on that but sadly surroundings are now becoming dangerous ).

[ampere]

I dont prefer any driving as well. Most start early morning. Most I hope folks (read muggers/buggers) may not be at work early morning. Is it true?

Have folks gone through incidents, where they were mugged in the early morning hours?

[pkumar]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Lots of disquieting noises heard about safety - thanks to Naxal episodes - in the region around Kharagpur (NH6,NH5, NH33) - is there any problem really? I find that most of the towns where there are problems (like Lalgarh) are off the main highways, but I also hear of recommendations to avoid this route, which is also the main road from Bombay to Calcutta.

Any feedback, views?

I was in my hometown Bokaro a week back, incidentally the time when Maoists had called for 4-day bandh. In the same period and and times before, ppl in cars, buses, trucks were very activelly travelling on Nh33 between Barhi, hazaribagh, ranchi and jamshedpur. All they talked about was how road condition was not good in some patches. No Naxal related concern at all. The only incident i remember is few years back a police Jeep was targeted.
Thus my belief about Nh33 is that it is completely safe and all the worry is unjustified.

Havent travelled on Nh6 much so cant comment.

My experience on Nh5 - bahargora to Balasore (day-time) has been good. The road does not pass through any dense vegetation area. Thoughout the stretch one can see wide open agricultural fields. And the road is very good 2-lane surface.

[pkumar]

Originally Posted by yogesh.janghel

Hello HV Sir - My home town is Jamshedpur and I know lot of people who do Jamshedpur - Kolkatta, Jamshedpur - Ranchi ( NH 33 ) on daily basis. Even when I am Jamshedpur, I roam around quote often in NH33 and NH32, just to enjoy the beautiful and rich greenery.
But lately, there are few problems out there.

I think Naxals in general doesn't bother or create nuisance with the common man going around in the highway. Just to give you an example, my parents were coming from Ranchi ( July 2008 ) during day time at around 3 PM. Highway was blocked near Tamar. Few people were standing with guns and red flags on the road. My father was asked to stop the car and wait for some time. There was a long queue of vehicle. After half an hour Naxals allowed my parents to leave. After around 2 Km, my parents saw a police jeep blasted and burning in the middle of the road.

Another incident, i think this also happened in late 2007 or early 2008, a man from my city got caught in between Naxal and Police firing somewhere near Ranchi and he got a bullet and died ( he was coming from hazaribagh after fixing his son's marriage ).

I know of these 2 incidents first hand, because first involved my parent and in the second case the deceased was from my neighborhood ( really sorry for him ).

These two are really chilling incidents.

I haven't heard of anything lately. But I strongly recommend people to avoid this route during night time. Also, if you are traveling in this route, be informed. Read local news papers or listen to local radio channels. Spend some time in highways petrol bunks, to get a feel what is happening ahead.

I cannot comment about Kharagpur area, I have not been there lately but as per region in and around Baharagora ( in NH33 ) is considered, I can only say, people should avoid travelling during night time. More than one problem - Real Bad Roads, Safety Issues and Naxals.

Saying all these, my town Jamshedpur is one of the best cities in India ( I can bet on that but sadly surroundings are now becoming dangerous ).

It seems in the particular incident that you mention, cars were stopped by naxals to ensure the Police Jeep target did not involve any common civilian.
The point is Naxals never harm any tourist, even unintentionally.

I have lived in Guwahati for 4 years. There the ULFA was also assumed to have similar belief : target government and not civilians. But off late they started random bomb attacks. But till now i havent heard Naxals doing random attack.

[yogesh.janghel]

It seems in the particular incident that you mention, cars were stopped by naxals to ensure the Police Jeep target did not involve any common civilian.
The point is Naxals never harm any tourist, even unintentionally.
- This is what my father felt.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by yogesh.janghel

It seems in the particular incident that you mention, cars were stopped by naxals to ensure the Police Jeep target did not involve any common civilian.
The point is Naxals never harm any tourist, even unintentionally.
- This is what my father felt.

I agree entirely. Naxals and other secessionists - whether in Chattisgarh, Assam or Kashmir - have never targeted tourists and ordinary civilians, their focus is always on the establishment. I have travelled to some of the worst-affected regions in India, encountered Naxals and secessionists, but never been to any harm or felt unsafe. Of course, one has to be tactful, generous with money if one is asked for donations and mindful of the fact that we have no business to be taking sides in these conflicts.

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

... and mindful of the fact that we have no business to be taking sides in these conflicts.

Yes, making political statements to them should be last thing to do. It is wiser to remain apolitical.

[hvkumar]

I think the biggest source of problems on the highways are the cops, not Naxals, secessionists or dacoits, who are out to extort money and harass motorists, and nowadays I've started ranking highways as unsafe wherever there is a cop menace.

Examples:

Jaleswar, NH60, on the WB-OR border, where the OR cops extort money - Rs 800! - in the guise of permit fees.

Dharmapuri Bypass, NH7, on the Bangalore-Salem road, where the TN cops stop vehicles and extort money on some pretext or the other

Even the few random instances of highway robbery - like what is happening on the Bombay-Pune expressway, are perhaps being blessed by the local cops.

Even in J&K, the only trouble I had was with cops, not the freedom-fighters or terrorists.

An out-of-state vehicle is seen as fair game.

[yogesh.janghel]

Do the cops harass private vehicles also? Trucks for sure, I have seen it. I have seen truck drivers getting beaten by cops in Andhra - Orissa border ( in Ichanagar ). But they just let me go ( may be i was lucky ).

Also, this thread can be really useful if all the information can be summarized, state wise and put into. I be on holidays during mid march and I volunteer to do it. May, be i will send the summary to HVK sir he can put his final comment and post it Or may be there is some better way to do it. Suggestions ??
But we should not loose the information present in the thread. These are really useful to a Newbie like me.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by yogesh.janghel

Do the cops harass private vehicles also? Trucks for sure, I have seen it. I have seen truck drivers getting beaten by cops in Andhra - Orissa border ( in Ichanagar ). But they just let me go ( may be i was lucky ).

Unfortunately, yes. However, the primary target for cops is SUVs and out-of-state vehicles. Typical techniques are - you need NOC, your headlamp does not have yellow sticker, and any other frivolous excuse that they get for the moment.

[hvkumar]

Harassment by cops is turning to be the biggest "safety" problem on Indian highways.

I must mention 2 problem areas:
- WB-OR border near Jaleswar on NH60 (Kharagpur-Baleshwar, en route Bhubaneswar-Madras), the IR cops stop private vehicles and extort Rs 800 from them under the pretext of "NOC" charges, which is absolutely illegal. My friend who went by last week picked up a ruckus with them - I had pre-warned him - and they got worried seeing his attitude, his army fatigues and his Boxer dog. He also threatened them with press exposure and they quietly let him go

- Today, I have just received news from a friend who drove from Pune to Calcutta, who complained that he had a similar experience in JH-WB border, where the JH cops made similar demands for Rs 1000! My friend refused, and simply moved on!

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Unfortunately, yes. However, the primary target for cops is SUVs and out-of-state vehicles.

Why target SUVs specifically? Is it because SUV owners are considered to be rich, with lots of spare money?

I am worried now, as I am considering a SUV as my next vehicle.

[ampere]

@HVK sir,

You said cop issues exists even on Karnataka TN Border on NH7? At least I have not felt it. May be I would have been lucky? Did you mean a third state's vehicle is caught while crossing the border of 2 other states?