[Sommos]

Originally Posted by Blow Horn Ok

Which route you are planning to take?

I'll be coming to Bokaro from Durgapur, via Dhanbad (NH 2) after the pujas.
However, it all depends on my leave.

Last time (2010 Dec.) I went via Rourkela, Ranchi. This portion of NH 23 was pathetic. I think the Ranchi, Gumla, Pathalgaon (NH 78), Raigarh route is much better, but naxal infested.

[Blow Horn Ok]

Roads till Dhanbad should be good. Road from Dhanbad to Bokaro is in bad shape but its still derivable. It is the stretch from Naya More (bus stand of Bokaro) to Jainamore (Towards Ranchi) (approximately 18kms) that is in worst state.

[anujmishra]

Thanks for pictures //M.

This section was always pathetic in past and I traveled many times in this road. This road was frequented by dumpers, trucks from nearby coalmines of Ramgarh, Soundha D, Giddhi etc. coaliery.

Lots of my relatives were staying at Soundha D, Giddhi etc. I used frequently this road on Jeep to visit Ranchi. However most preferable roads were via Ramgarh. (I still remember there was hoarding in Ramgarh in which it is written "Are Oh Samba, Kahin ye Basanti ka Ramgarh to nahi hai?")

This area was always beautiful due to dam and NTPC thermal power corporation.

Those who are staying in far south may be stating this long forgotten place. It may be for you but not for us. Most part of Jharkhand is covered by beautiful forests.

If some of you want to experience pristine hill station then visit "Netherhat" in Jharkhand's Gumla district.

http://bstdc.bih.nic.in/netarhat.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netarhat

[//M]

The roads around Ranchi have improved and how. The Patratu road begs a motorcyclist to scrap his knees. The Ranchi-Ramgarh-Barkakhana-Patratu-Ranchi section is just awesome. NH-33 is under construction in many places as road widening process is being carried on. The road from Barhi-Ranchi is now 4-lane in most sections and the Ranchi-Jamshedpur-Baharagora will be a 4-lane as well very soon.

Btw few more pics of the roads in Patratu:

[Sutripta]

OT- How is the Purulia - Ranchi road nowadays? Condition and safety.

Regards
Sutripta

[//M]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

OT- How is the Purulia - Ranchi road nowadays? Condition and safety.

Regards
Sutripta

The road from Ranchi to Muri is good and totally safe. But Ranchi-Tatisilwai sees a lot of traffic, beyond which it is comparatively much better to drive. I am not sure about the road condition from Muri to Purulia but its certainly safer than most other roads around Ranchi.

[//M]

The lovely hairpin bends.

[samarjitdhar]

Originally Posted by //M

The roads around Ranchi have improved and how. The Patratu road begs a motorcyclist to scrap his knees. The Ranchi-Ramgarh-Barkakhana-Patratu-Ranchi section is just awesome. NH-33 is under construction in many places as road widening process is being carried on. The road from Barhi-Ranchi is now 4-lane in most sections and the Ranchi-Jamshedpur-Baharagora will be a 4-lane as well very soon.

Btw few more pics of the roads in Patratu:

Simply awesome pictures. It seems your travelogue about Patratu somewhere midway turned into a love letter for the road itself . Quite deservedly so if I may say. This is probably the best piece of tarmac I have ever seen in Jharkhand apart from the roads inside Jamshedpur where I did my schooling. My wife is from Ranchi and about a decade back we did go around some of the places in and around Ranchi but not much because of lack of proper roads.

The sad part is most of Jharkhand suffers from terrible roads. While NH33 I think is now much improved after being four laned from Barhi through Hazaribagh upto Ranchi the rest of it is in shambles I heard. Recently I heard they were four laning the Ranchi - Jamshedpur section but do not know its current status. When I had traveled that sector in February this year it was close to a car breaker. The lesser said the better about the condition of NH33 from Jamshedpur to Bahargora. That section is a truck breaker. In fact back then I was contemplating hiring a flatbed and towing my car from Jamshedpur to Baharagora and then continuing on NH6. Finally I took a more complex route which reduced my road use within Jharkhand. I do hope the 4 laning of NH33 between Baharagora and Jamshedpur is completed soon though I have my doubts. The same goes for all the other roads in Jharkhand. Last time around I was cursing Madhu Koda and his mega scam for the condition of roads in Jharkhand.

[//M]

Originally Posted by samarjitdhar

Simply awesome pictures. It seems your travelogue about Patratu somewhere midway turned into a love letter for the road itself . Quite deservedly so if I may say.

Totally. Actually there isn't anything about Patratu to write about. It is one such place where the journey matters more than the destination.

Originally Posted by samarjitdhar

The sad part is most of Jharkhand suffers from terrible roads.

+1 but seeing the lovely tarmac on the Ring Road, I am just hoping that the NH-33 between Ranchi and Jamshedpur will be quite similar. If it happens so, then I would say it will be worth the wait. On my recent visit to Jamshedpur in July, the entire stretch was fine and there were very few potholes or undulations on the road.

Hopefully the road network in Jharkhand will improve, even though the traffic conditions will be pathetic.

[RevvMusic]

It makes me so nostalgic seeing this thread. I hail from Ranchi, and seeing the pictures of these wonderful country roads of Jharkhand, sure makes me feel proud. Still remember the days when our bicycles where our best mate, and there wasn't even a single road/place within a 20Km radius of Ranchi, that we hadn't covered on our bicycles.

Thanks for the enlightenment on these wonderful roads to Patratu. I'll be visiting Ranchi in the next couple of months, and this time I'll make it a point to go for an early morning spin to Patratu Dam in our Alto K10 that we have there. However, I would prefer to take my Palio S10 for one helluva ride, but sadly, that's with me here in Bangalore, but a plan to drive down to Ranchi in the S10 is shortly on the cards

I'm attaching a pic of the Dhurwa Dam that I had taken when I visited Ranchi last summer.

[Sheel]

Goodness gracious, the road & the curves are to die for. Had this been somewhere close to my place, it would be a haunted place by me

If I ever go that side, it would be on the *Must Visit* list for me.

[//M]

Few pics of the Dam and the Verna 1.6 SX (petrol).

[m.shekhar]

Wow! Amazing pics!

Looks like on my next visit home (Patna), I'll finally have to make the long pending trip to Ranchi to visit these awesome roads.

Also, @Sheel and @//M what say we have a Team-BHP Jharkhand and Bihar meet.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by //M

Muri to Purulia but its certainly safer than most other roads around Ranchi.

From point of view of safety, it is Muri to Purulia that I'm worried about.

Johna (and Hudru): spruced up?

Regards
Sutripta

[//M]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

From point of view of safety, it is Muri to Purulia that I'm worried about.

Johna (and Hudru): spruced up?

Regards
Sutripta

I have not been to Jonha or Hundru recently, but I will try to get any valuable info about it as soon as possible.