[himadrimondal]

Originally Posted by gearhead_mait

Thanks a lot, Samba and Himadri! That was very useful.

Himadri - There is some mismatch between the route shared by you and gmap. May be the gmap is wrong. Could you please verify the following points.

As per gmap:
1) Melli falls in the rangpo route.
2) Namchi is way-off from the Jorethang-Pelling route.

The map is correct. Google has messed up the East Sikkim map; west, north and south are good.
As you travel on NH 31A, melli falls on the left. You have to cross a bridge on Tista whose entry is on the right of the road. Crossing the bridge is the Sikkim chekpost. From this point onwards the entire west and south Sikkim opens up. There is a road from Jorethang to Namchi too which is not on the map for a good 30kms. So don't always go by the map.
The other entry to west sikkim is via Rongpo, Singtam and then left to the bridge over Tista. You can go to Rabongla or Damthang as per your destination. The road to Rabongla is good, from there you go to Pelling and further west.

[himadrimondal]

Originally Posted by Samba

According to him till Siliguri taking the is still the best option as Maldar to Dalkhola is still a mess.

Malda to Dalkhola is fine, infact very fine. Just the approach and exit to Malda is a bit broken. From Malda to beherampur is fantastic, has tolls(started from 18th may 2014) too. The roads from beherampur to krishnanagar is still the old but partially repaired road.
Both routes from kolkata now taje around 12 hrs. Only difference is you can take the Malda route any time of the day or night, very safe.

[gearhead_mait]

Thanks for the info.

Originally Posted by himadrimondal

Malda to Dalkhola is fine, infact very fine. Just the approach and exit to Malda is a bit broken. From Malda to beherampur is fantastic, has tolls(started from 18th may 2014) too. The roads from beherampur to krishnanagar is still the old but partially repaired road.
Both routes from kolkata now taje around 12 hrs. Only difference is you can take the Malda route any time of the day or night, very safe.

I recently made a trip through Malda till Itahar(Uttar Dinajpur).
I took SH7 from Burdwan till moregram. From Moregram the NH34 was superb till Farakka. But then things got worse for 30 kms till malda(broken roads mainly).
Next day I went to a relatives place to Itahar and again the NH34 was superb, barring a few diversions.
I came to know from localites that the road from Raiganj till Dalkhola is a mess with large potholes. But you are suggesting otherwise. It will be great to know from a recent traveller. Please confirm.

[himadrimondal]

Originally Posted by gearhead_mait

I came to know from localites that the road from Raiganj till Dalkhola is a mess with large potholes. But you are suggesting otherwise. It will be great to know from a recent traveller. Please confirm.

I just came back from Sikkim last month end i.e. may 26th may 2014. Will be again going again this month end. I will take the malda dalkhola route while going as I will leave kolkata at night, means less traffic. While coming back I take the bagalpur road as there is less traffic during the day on this route. Travel at day, Bhagalpur route. Travel night, malda route.