[bongSENse]

Prologue: Being born in Kolkata and having spent my formative years in the City of Joy, I have somehow come to believe (by lieu of the events mentioned henceforth) that I share an inexplicably special bond with our neighboring state - Odisha. My first stint was right after completing school, when a meek and timid 17 year old set foot in the city of Bhubaneswar to pursue engineering. Moving from the hustle bustle of a Metropolitan city to a Tier 2 city had its own share of cultural shocks (back in 2011, Bhubaneswar was still at the cusp of modernization and was developing rapidly - there is a massive difference between the city's outlook then versus now). 4 years hence, I came back to Kolkata after landing an offer to work at one of the bigger IT giants in India. After spending nearly 3 years working, I decided to further my career aspirations and move out for my MBA to you-guessed-it-right: Odisha again!! It was almost a coincidence that for the next 2 years my home would be a quaint little town called Burla near Sambalpur in the western part of Odisha. I have always had an allusion that my tryst with Odisha is an invisible force which has always held me close and called me its own whenever I needed a moment of reckoning.

It was early January 2020 and no one had any freaking idea about the danger that loomed around and was to befall humanity a couple of months later. Back then, us B-School 'fachhas' were preparing for the commencement of the most dreaded period in two years of our MBA - The Placement season. Hearts brimming with joy and wonder, we overcame the litmus test of 2 years with flying colours and before we knew, it was time to bid farewell to the faces with whom we shared countless occasions of ebullience as well as our deepest moments of despair. We promised to meet each other during Convocation scheduled to be held in the first week of April and left the campus with a heavy heart. Fellow batch-mates like myself, who stayed relatively closer to Sambalpur (Kolkata to Sambalpur is an 13-hour train journey/80-minutes air travel) decided to leave most of our belongings in the hostel because we planned on collecting our luggage when we would visit the institute during the Convocation ceremony. Oh what a folly that I would come to realize soon!!

Humanity, meet the sinister COVID-19: Came March and the whole world fell silent at the onslaught of the Coronavirus pandemic. The virus wrecked havoc and turned everything upside down: the country went into total lockdown, offices shut down, people lost jobs, fresh graduates ended up with rescinded campus offers, migrants started moving back to their native - an absolute mayhem followed in almost all the spheres of our lives. Inevitably, the MHRD/Regulatory authorities took necessary steps and issued guidelines for the deferral/cancellation of Convocation at almost all B Schools, much to the chagrin of MBA junta like me.

Argh, I need a vacation please!: It was just a matter of time before I received the ominous news of my on-campus offer getting deferred. Dejected at seeing all my post-MBA plans getting quashed left to right, motivation to be productive was hard to come by. Locked up at home, Netflix, Amazon Prime, TV series started giving more strain than relief and even hobbies felt long in the tooth. I somehow mustered courage and started running and cycling which served as a new streak of motivation in such gloomy times. At the same time, the itch to drive and go out on a vacation was growing strong with each passing day. I consulted my parents and decided to wait out before planning a road trip to satiate our appetite to hit the road after a long hiatus. A couple of months passed, and in August, news started pouring in that interstate travel was returning to normalcy. Soon enough, came the directive from the government that people could now cross state borders without the requirement of e-passes and mandatory institutional quarantine. Therefore, we spotted the perfect window of opportunity to plan a visit to Sambalpur in the month of September to collect my belongings from the hostel. However, since this was going to be a vacation like no other, there was a pressing need to take umpteen precautions in the light of the pandemic. A few key points we all had in mind were:

1. Minimal stoppages along the way; carry lots of snacks and dry fruits to avoid stopping at highway dhabas.
2. Try and avoid staying at a hotel since Sambalpur has a handful of good hotels (not even 4 star standard), so there was a general apprehension regarding hotels practicing proper sanitisation protocol.
3. Go in and come out - make the trip as short and quick as possible!

We figured out that, a drive from Kolkata to Sambalpur is close to 700 odd kms which would take us roughly 16 hours. Well, driving 16 hours straight and then starting for another strenuous 16 hours without a halt did not sound feasible to us, so we decided to spend a couple of nights at a hotel in Sambalpur.

Vehicle and Route considered: After speaking to a few sources, we got a brief that the best route to travel to Sambalpur was via Jharkhand (Kolkata-Kharagpur-Ghatshila-Chaibasa-Manoharpur-Rourkela-Sundergarh-Jharsuguda-Sambalpur):

Got heads up that the above route mostly consists of good roads through forests/hillocks with occasional bad stretches near Noamundi and parts of interior Jharkhand. Also, since my entire belongings would be a tight fit in the boot of the Baleno, we decided to make the trip in the Duster AWD. Excess luggage? No problem, Bring it on. Bad roads? Hell Yeah, Bring it on!!

We made an initial outline of the trip:

Day 1 (25th September): Travel from Kolkata to Sambalpur; start early and plan to reach Sambalpur by 8 PM. Crash at a hotel.
Day 2 (26th September): Visit the institute hostel in the morning to collect my belongings. Post formalities, visit the Hirakud dam (largest earthen dam in the world) which is around 5 kms from the institute. Stay the night at the hotel.
Day 3 (27th September): Leave Sambalpur at dawn and plan to each Kolkata by evening.


Day 1: Kolkata to Sambalpur

We decided to travel light and packed essentials such as hotel sanitization kit, surface disinfectants, hand sanitizers, dry food, tea/coffee pouches and a crate of mineral water. Since it was a 3 day trip, we would be on the road for a better part of the journey and figured that we needed to save luggage space to pack all my belongings from the hostel. The car was sent to the service center the previous day and underwent a thorough health checkup. Woke up at 4 in the morning and started out by 5 AM after a full tank re-fueling.

Roads were more or less empty as expected barring early tempo and truckers and we hit the highway soon enough. Stopped near Kolaghat to catch up on a quick sip of black coffee complemented by home-made breakfast spread consisting of toast and omelette. And we were on our way on our much needed vacation!

The Duster is an excellent mile-muncher and we drove on the Mumbai-Kolkata highway effortlessly for 4 hours before crossing the border into Jharkhand (Dudhkunri). We were stopped shortly alongside a makeshift booth where travelers were required to fill out their details for the issuance of an E-Pass (Movement Registration slip) on the JH Government website. Even JH registered vehicles traveling from WB had to undergo the same process; looked like the state government is still very cautious notwithstanding the unlock guidelines all over the country. The process took around 15 mins and we continued on our way before taking a short recess upon reaching the Galudih barrage/dam. A few shots taken at the dam:

Dusty resting amidst verdant trees and shrubs:




Loved this view while approaching the Galudih barrage:




Photographers with OCD like me would appreciate the 'vanishing point'!




This was atop the barrage where one could take a deep breath and soak into the vastness of the scenery:




Came across this sight and was annoyed beyond my wits! When will we start taking responsibility for our actions?

Took a few photographs at the barrage and continued our journey through the Hata-Musabani road. The route was pretty scenic and given the sparse population on the road even by weekday standards (except at busy junctions), we could easily cruise along and maintain speeds in excess of 80kmph.

Crossed some mesmerizing 'Kash-bons' as we call it in Bengali. Ask a Bong and he can lecture you about the significance of 'Kash Phool' in this part of the country; considered to be a harbinger of the fun and frolic filled 'Durga Pujo' - not to mention the mystic smell of these flowers!

This is probably my favourite photograph from the entire trip:

We realized that in order to reach Sambalpur by 8 PM, we'd have to keep a steady pace. Without further ado, we continued on our way and drove through the scenic greenery and hinterlands of Jharkhand: we heaved a sigh of relief at witnessing such a lush ambiance after staying put at home for months.

Buttery smooth roads! But, you'd have to be careful while driving since it's a common sight to spot prancing goats and chickens on the roads!

Soon enough, we crossed the border into Odisha after passing through a thick forested area near Noamundi. The soil also made it evident by a gradual metamorphosis into a reddish texture. We spotted hundreds of jawans who were passing through the area along with us on motorcycles (mostly TVS Apaches) which looked like a perfunctory drill of sorts.

As we descended from the dense forests onto the Kolebira-Hat Gamharia Road, the condition of the road deteriorated; add to that, scores of trucks parked on the left side of the road blocked our path and one could barely see 10 meters away due to the excessive dust. It looked like an industrial belt because I remember spotting a factory in the vicinity - couldn't notice details though.

Managed to take a couple of shots in the middle of the forest near Barbil:

As we were driving on these hillocks, came across this sudden road obstruction by a dead tree trunk just before a corner; looked scary because as easy as it was to spot it during the day, the same would have been quite horrendous during the night. The lack of lighting on these roads could well be a recipe for disaster with a last minute swerve by a driver to avoid collision. Couldn't spot a single highway patrol unit so that I could alert them about this. My fantasy got the better of me and I had a premonition that this could well pass off as a contraption employed by dacoits to stop oncoming vehicles during late nights/evenings! Surely we have often come across such fantasy-filled stories of highway robbery in remote tribal areas. I shuddered at the slightest thought and scurried along.

As it was getting dark, we picked up pace and covered good ground. There was a long 100 kms stretch before entering the Rourkela highway which was through a thick forest accompanied by ghat roads. All of our mobile networks went kaput, but luckily, Duster's archaic satellite navigation system came to our rescue and I could enjoy a little spirited drive on the curves. The Duster is a very planted vehicle and inspires confidence while taking corners at decent speeds. The 1.5 L oil burner packs enough punch to not let the Duster's massive weight hamper its handling. You have a strong mid range that can pickup from as low as 2500 RPM so that you don't have to downshift frequently while taking corners. Impressive as always!

Here are a couple of videos before hitting the ghat roads (excuse the background noise):

https://youtu.be/o8uuK-eZpRc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLjf_2LKnEk

Soon we were cruising on the 4-lane Biju Expressway and managed to reach Jharsuguda by 7 PM. We decided to stay at Jharsuguda instead of Sambalpur since we would not be able to collect my belongings from the hostel before 11 AM. We checked into 'The Mohini Royale', got our temperatures checked, followed hotel sanitisation protocols, changed our bedsheets, and sanitised our rooms. Since we were exhausted after traveling for ~14 hours, decided to freshen up and eat indoors instead of going out and undergoing the whole ordeal of sanitisation again. We feasted on piping hot soup, delicious paneer kulchas, butter naans, paneer makhani, chana masala and called it a day.


Day 2: Jharsuguda to Sambalpur (and a regrettable change in plan!)

We woke up at 7 AM and freshened up. The clock was about to strike 9 and breakfast was being served in the room. Over breakfast, dad came up with a plan (which we would come to regret later). A small transcript of the ensuing conversation between us:

Dad: Hey, I was wondering how soon can we pick up your luggage from the hostel.

Me: Ummm, the drive to Sambalpur would take an hour give or take, packing my stuff and completing formalities would take another hour, so all in all, it shouldn't take more than 2 hours max.

Dad: Alright, so we'll go to Hirakud/Dyke after that? Spend some time over there - maybe and hour and half. So by my calculations we'll be done by 1 PM max. Now, instead of coming back to the hotel and wasting the entire day doing nothing, why don't we leave for home right after Hirakud?

Me (shocked): Well...Umm...I'm not sure if that would be a good idea.

Dad: Why not? If we start by 1 PM, we can have lunch in the car and with minimal stops, we'll reach home by 4 AM tops and take rest on Sunday.

Me: Yes, we can. In that case, I don't think going via the route we came would be preferable while driving at night (I was perturbed by the thought of getting robbed in the middle of a forest). We would have to take a different route to avoid secluded forest sections and should be able to tread on proper National Highways.

Dad: Fine. Let's do that. Which route do you want us to take?

Me (after a little bit of tinkering with G-Maps): I think if we take the Sambalpur-Cuttack highway (NH-55) and then join NH-16 to continue via Balasore and Kharagpur, it should be a safe route to drive at night. The ETA is also around 16 hours and similar to our initial route considering lower average speeds due to night driving.

Dad: Okay, let's do it then.

So, the revised itinerary now read:

Day 2: Jharsuguda to Sambalpur to Kolkata

Dad dials the hotel reception to inform them of our premature check-out in half and hour and orders lunch items to be packed. At that moment I wish I knew that fate was smirking from somewhere, waiting for us to land up on NH-55 and realize what a terrible mistake I (we) had made by deciding to travel through this route! (More on this later)

So at 9:30 AM on Day 2, we packed up and left for my college hostel. Before starting, I dialed the hostel warden and he mentioned to reach after a couple of hours. So we planned on going to Hirakud and the Dyke and then collect my belongings from the hostel and leave for home.

It took us an hour to reach Sambalpur from Jharsuguda, and another 20 mins to reach Burla. Once we reached Hirakud, we were informed by the guards at the checkpost that the dam was closed to visitors. So we clicked a few photos of the dam from a distance and then headed to our regular chill out zones during MBA: Zero Point and the Right Dyke.

The first glimpse of Zero Point:




The serene skyline meets the water in an almost indistinguishable hue:




This was the place where we used to chill out whenever we used to have a light curriculum. A blissful experience to hear the splashing of water against the banks:




Dusty looking gorgeous amidst the peaceful surroundings:




The marvelous view upon entering the Right Dyke Road. The type of place where you could probably have deep meaningful conversations about life with your close buddies!!




The thick green backdrop is a photographer's delight:




The Bargarh Main Canal view from the top:




Up close:




Here's a video of the same:

https://youtu.be/SxI4fCdfCxk

After lazing around for an hour and half, we decided to now visit my college hostel. As we drove into the institute campus, nostalgia hit me hard. Here was a place which we left a few months back in the hope of coming back and experiencing the boisterous campus life one last time. But alas! None of us knew what was in store and how treacherous times would get. Had never observed such a deafening silence in our campus during the last 20 odd months of my stay here. The hostel blocks looked unsettling without our usual cacophony and pandemonium. I'm thankful to my stars that I could somehow complete my studies in time and did not have to face the torture of sitting infront of a screen for 18 hours as is the norm with virtual classes now!!

The first view upon entry into our hostel block. I consider myself extremely lucky to have spent my last two years at such a beautiful place. For once in my life, I did not miss the city life I grew up in.




This was the view from my room that I was greeted with every morning when I woke up. Beautiful, isn't it?






A few shots of the wild vegetation near the campus:

Sambalpur to Kolkata: After collecting my luggage and belongings, visited the academic block and bid farewell to the staff before we started out on our journey back home. Once we exited Sambalpur city and entered NH-55, we realized how bad a National Highway could get: pathetic would be an understatement. The entire stretch of ~300kms from Sambalpur to Cuttack was filled with potholes and broken tarmac which took us a total of 8 hours to cover!! If someone is planning to travel via this route, one word: PLEASE AVOID. Road construction is in swing along the entire column and the route would not be travel-worthy till a minimum of another 2-3 years. Fortunately we brought the Duster along which not only gulped all my belongings comfortably, but was also a saving grace over the merciless NH-55 road; had it been the little Baleno, it surely would have required a major suspension overhaul. We later realized upon reaching home that since we had quite a few checkpoints planned on that day, it led to a hasty decision about the route without verifying the road condition from someone who was acquainted and knowledgeable about these roads.

After the terrible 300 kms on NH-55, we merged onto NH-16 at 9 PM and were delighted to finally touch base with smooth tarmac again. But, as luck would have it, our joy was short-lived. There was construction work going on for ~150 kms till Balasore which resulted in frequent diversions into single lanes. Taking it in our stride, we chugged along with tea and coffee recesses to keep us energized throughout the night drive. Crossed WB borders and observed the sky slowly turning faint as we sped past Kharagpur. By the time we reached home, it was nearly 7:30 AM. Thus ended our epic trip of 50 hours, out of which 35+ hours were spent on the road - the longest I have ever driven and in the shortest duration of time. The onward journey took 14 hours (Kolkata to Jharsuguda) while the return journey (Sambalpur-Kolkata) took around 18 hours - a 3 hour premium! It is one story to drive for long hours, and completely another to drive over bad roads for long hours - I couldn't stop cursing myself throughout the trip for the capricious decision that took away the pleasure of driving from the return journey.


Epilogue: Well it might seem that I'm all grouchy about our drive back, but honestly, I really enjoyed getting back on the road after a long time (discounting the 300 kms on NH-55). For someone like me who considers the journey more important than the destination, this ~1400 kms trip in just over 2 days, culminated in imparting some very thoughtful lessons that I would cherish for the times to come:

1. NEVER make abrupt route changes without any serious compulsion.
2. NEVER trust G-Maps blindly when you are not aware of the actual road conditions. It is always best to consult someone who has traveled the particular route or has latest information regarding road conditions.
3. NEVER stretch your driving under any circumstance. Night driving does not suit everyone. In case you are not used to driving at night, please make sure that you take ample breaks. Drowsy driving is a silent killer.

Needless to mention, in case if you're still pondering whether it is the right time to feed your driving itch, my advice: don't delay it! But be careful enough to take necessary precautions when you head out!

[aah78]

Note from Support: Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Travelogues section. Thanks for sharing!

[yesyeswe]

It's always a joy to drive on good roads with a beautiful scenery all round, feels to me like meditation (only when the traffic is less) and with a car like duster, it must have been a joyful journey.

I wish we have a complete ban on plastics, it's ruining everything, our grandparents lived without plastics, so can we.

[omzworld]

Beautifully written and beautifully captured. Coincidentally I just did a round trip to Kolkata from Rourkela last weekend.
Beautiful roads, lush green monsoon landscape and Hexa for company, thoroughly enjoyed it. The stupid navigation system in Hexa courtesy Map my India was pushing me to take the dreaded Balasore route, good I avoided.
Further coincidence, used to goto Burla 5 times a year as a kid as my Grandfather was posted in Burla engineering college. Your pics driving nostalgia, will plan to visit while returning to Bangalore.
Few pics from the travel (I am sure you will remember the last one, in the middle of jungle wall of Saranda) :

[Abhinav V]

Hi bongSENse,
It's a well written travelogue .
Wish I had my college with such beautiful mountain views around. Though I was ready to live in a different city away from home and family, the thought of staying away from car and driving did not encourage me to go out .
It is always annoying to have bad roads while doing the return journey. All the positivity and that feeling of returning fresh and energized washes off.
You have narrated the whole experience very eloquently.
Keep coming up with many more travelogues.
Cheers.
Abhinav.

[nischaltopno]

Originally Posted by bongSENse

There was construction work going on for ~150 kms till Balasore which resulted in frequent diversions into single lanes.

Thank you for the route update. This will surely help me in my upcoming Vizag-Jamshedpur trip.

[bongSENse]

Originally Posted by yesyeswe

It's always a joy to drive on good roads with a beautiful scenery all round, feels to me like meditation (only when the traffic is less) and with a car like duster, it must have been a joyful journey.

I wish we have a complete ban on plastics, it's ruining everything, our grandparents lived without plastics, so can we.

Yes you are absolutely right yesyeswe. If you have a capable car, you can enjoy the journey knowing well that you can come out of sticky situations with ease!

As for the plastics bit, I feel that a basic sense of awareness is lacking amongst the society. You and I who have been exposed to subjects such as Environmental Education as a part of our educational curriculum, would appreciate the imminent need to preserve nature and its bounties. Unfortunately, a bigger part of our society have not yet realized the perils associated with their nonchalant and careless attitude towards the environment. Hopefully, one day we can ban/greatly reduce the usage of plastics.

Originally Posted by omzworld

Beautiful roads, lush green monsoon landscape and Hexa for company, thoroughly enjoyed it. The stupid navigation system in Hexa courtesy Map my India was pushing me to take the dreaded Balasore route, good I avoided.:

Thank you omzworld. The Hexa is a very capable vehicle and I'm sure you must have had one hell of a trip driving down these scenic roads! It was a good thing that you avoided that route; it nearly marred our return journey back home. G-Maps/Navigation systems still has a lot of ground to cover before being considered to be fit for usage in our Indian conditions.

Feels great looking at the same areas through someone else's lens!

Your pics driving nostalgia, will plan to visit while returning to Bangalore.

Yes please do. I am assuming that by Burla Engineering college you're implying VSSUT? We used to savor a good deal of lip-smacking evening snacks everyday from the eateries nearby VSSUT (which explains those extra kilos!).

Originally Posted by Abhinav V

Hi bongSENse,
It's a well written travelogue .
Wish I had my college with such beautiful mountain views around.

Thank you Abhinav V for the appreciation. It was a great experience living away from the city life and exploring a peaceful place like Burla/Sambalpur. I think I could nearly detox my lungs from all the pollution that went into my system for ~27 years!

Though I was ready to live in a different city away from home and family, the thought of staying away from car and driving did not encourage me to go out .

That is quite some resolution to be honest!! Wish you loads of happiness with your car(s) and passion for driving!

[jbpanda]

Hi bongSENse, lovely travelogue and great pictures. In fact, my father passed his Engineering from Burla Engineering College and has great stories to share about the fresh fish that is available from the Dam. I hail from the western part of Orissa and had an occasion to drive from Sundargarh to Kolkata with my mother on my Ritz VDi in 2010. In those days, the road was meant only for trucks, buses and SUVs (mostly Boleros) and those were also finding it difficult considering the pathetic condition of the roads until one reached Kharagpur. We were the only ones possibly in a hatchback. I distinctly remember this trip because of the road condition which made me sick tired. It was about 680 odd kilometers which we had covered in about 15 hours.

[DriveTrain]

Hi bongSENse , Thanks a ton for the excellent write up and route description. I visited Kanha and Bandhavgarh recently and for my onward leg to Kanha , followed the route to Sambalpur as described by you. It was an extremely sceneic route , thanks for sharing the details here.

I had a good look at the uprooted tree , it is still there. However it is completely natural and not man made , though it comes up suddenly , Mother Nature's intention was not to waylay unsuspecting travelers !

Incidentally I was traveling in a Duster as well

[bongSENse]

Originally Posted by jbpanda

Hi bongSENse, lovely travelogue and great pictures. In fact, my father passed his Engineering from Burla Engineering College and has great stories to share about the fresh fish that is available from the Dam. I hail from the western part of Orissa.....

Thank you jbpanda. Burla is a wonderful place I must say! In case you are from a nearby area, I can only imagine what a peaceful childhood you must have had amidst Mother Nature.

....had an occasion to drive from Sundargarh to Kolkata with my mother on my Ritz VDi in 2010. In those days, the road was meant only for trucks, buses and SUVs (mostly Boleros) and those were also finding it difficult considering the pathetic condition of the roads until one reached Kharagpur. We were the only ones possibly in a hatchback. I distinctly remember this trip because of the road condition which made me sick tired. It was about 680 odd kilometers which we had covered in about 15 hours.

Say no more. The road condition was nightmare-ish and I can't even think of how bad it would have been 10 years back. If you've retained the Ritz, surely it is doing duty on it's second suspension setup!

Originally Posted by DriveTrain

Hi bongSENse , Thanks a ton for the excellent write up and route description. I visited Kanha and Bandhavgarh recently and for my onward leg to Kanha , followed the route to Sambalpur as described by you. It was an extremely sceneic route , thanks for sharing the details here.

Thank you DriveTrain. Glad that this article was of some help to you while planning your travel.

I had a good look at the uprooted tree , it is still there. However it is completely natural and not man made , though it comes up suddenly , Mother Nature's intention was not to waylay unsuspecting travelers !

Haha. Well, then it is indeed a natural element at play here, however, can't help but underscore the danger it poses for cars plying on this route. Probably the local authorities should have done a better job at removing this obstruction, given that the log is right before a corner and also on a road which doesn't have sufficient illumination.

Incidentally I was traveling in a Duster as well

Must have been real fun chucking the Duster around the corners in that forested and hilly stretch before entering Rourkela!

[jbpanda]

Originally Posted by bongSENse

Thank you jbpanda. Burla is a wonderful place I must say! In case you are from a nearby area, I can only imagine what a peaceful childhood you must have had amidst Mother Nature.

Yes, it is. I do hail from the western part of Orissa, though my schooling has been in Cuttack/ Bhubaneswar, but I have spent considerable time with my grand parents and relatives during my vacations in this part of the State and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Say no more. The road condition was nightmare-ish and I can't even think of how bad it would have been 10 years back. If you've retained the Ritz, surely it is doing duty on it's second suspension setup!

One of the worst roads that I subjected my Ritz to. Fortunately, the suspension lasted until I sold the car in 2018.

[Cessna182]

Great shots of the IIM campus and the surroundings. It must have been special to wake up with that view and the clean air. I have always heard about Sambalpur but I never visited it. Your report makes me want to visit but I'll go by train when they resume services.

[rkw]

Planning to drive from Sambalpur to Jaigaon. Will be driving only during the day say 5 am to 7 pm. Trip planned in October 2021 last week or November 2021 1st week. Request help on the following from members.

Option 1: Sambalpur - Kolkata - Jaigaon

Phase A: Sambalpur to Kolkata
Route 1: Sambalpur - Sundargarh - Kutra - Simdega - Kolebira - Torpa - Khunti - Jamshedpur - Kharagpur - Kolkata
Remarks: Have taken this route to Ranchi (it is same till Khunti). Need advise on the road & traffic condition from Khunti to Kolkata.

Route 2: Sambalpur - Deogarh - Keonhjar - Kharagpur - Kolkata
Remarks: Had taken this route till Keonjhar at night which was a nightmare due to road construction & trucks stopping in the middle of the highway for rest. Pls suggest if this route is good for travel during day.

Request suggestion on following Route 1 or Route 2.

Phase B: Kolkata to Jaigaon
Have no idea about this phase. Any advise will be of great help.

Option 2: Sambalpur - Ranchi - Giridih - Bhagalpur - Purnia - Siliguri - Jalpaiguri - Jaigaon
Google shows this route.

Kindly suggest between Options 1 & 2.

Also, grateful if good overnight halt locations are indicated.
Overnight halt plan: If Option 1, then at Kolkata.
If Option 2, suggestions welcome.
2nd overnight halt at Siliguri if required.

Thanks in advance!

[rkw]

[QUOTE Once we exited Sambalpur city and entered NH-55, we realized how bad a National Highway could get: pathetic would be an understatement.

After the terrible 300 kms on NH-55, we merged onto NH-16 at 9 PM and were delighted to finally touch base with smooth tarmac again.

1. NEVER make abrupt route changes without any serious compulsion.
2. NEVER trust G-Maps blindly when you are not aware of the actual road conditions. It is always best to consult someone who has traveled the particular route or has latest information regarding road conditions.
3. NEVER stretch your driving under any circumstance. Night driving does not suit everyone. In case you are not used to driving at night, please make sure that you take ample breaks. Drowsy driving is a silent killer.
[/quote]

Just came across your post. Great travelogue & learning as well! I frequently do Sambalpur-Bhubaneswar/Cuttack by road since last 2 years. The 4 lane highway is slowly coming up. But few stretches are really bad. Saving grace is the Scorpio & being driven by a good driver. For those familiar with the place, there are better alternatives like taking a diversion after Rairakhol or taking the old highway after Angul.

[bongSENse]

Originally Posted by rkw

Planning to drive from Sambalpur to Jaigaon. Will be driving only during the day say 5 am to 7 pm. Trip planned in October 2021 last week or November 2021 1st week. Request help on the following from members.

Option 1: Sambalpur - Kolkata - Jaigaon

Phase A: Sambalpur to Kolkata
Route 1: Sambalpur - Sundargarh - Kutra - Simdega - Kolebira - Torpa - Khunti - Jamshedpur - Kharagpur - Kolkata
Remarks: Have taken this route to Ranchi (it is same till Khunti). Need advise on the road & traffic condition from Khunti to Kolkata.

Route 2: Sambalpur - Deogarh - Keonhjar - Kharagpur - Kolkata
Remarks: Had taken this route till Keonjhar at night which was a nightmare due to road construction & trucks stopping in the middle of the highway for rest. Pls suggest if this route is good for travel during day.

Request suggestion on following Route 1 or Route 2.

Phase B: Kolkata to Jaigaon
Have no idea about this phase. Any advise will be of great help.

Option 2: Sambalpur - Ranchi - Giridih - Bhagalpur - Purnia - Siliguri - Jalpaiguri - Jaigaon
Google shows this route.

Kindly suggest between Options 1 & 2.

Also, grateful if good overnight halt locations are indicated.
Overnight halt plan: If Option 1, then at Kolkata.
If Option 2, suggestions welcome.
2nd overnight halt at Siliguri if required.

Thanks in advance!

Hi rkw, I might not be in the capacity of suggesting the best possible route from Sambalpur to Jaigaon, since I haven't driven to North Bengal yet - but can provide my 2 cents based on my experience.

I think the Option 2 would be your best bet as I don't really see a point of travelling to Kolkata if you don't have any engagements planned there. This is because portions of the routes that connect Kolkata with North Bengal are not in the best of shapes (road conditions/traffic snarls) and therefore, does not warrant additional harassment if you already have a shorter route to North Bengal from your source location (Sambalpur). Plus, if you decide to opt for Option 2, taking a break at Deoghar will be a wise option as it will be exactly half way from Sambalpur to Jaigaon with a travel time of ~12 hours.

However, if you plan your transit through Kolkata using Option 1 Phase A Route 1, the roads are by and large in a good condition with some stretches being patched up - you can read more about it in my travelogue from Kolkata to Ranchi (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...jharkhand.html (Of Long Drives and Jingle Bells at Jharkhand!)). Goes without saying that I took the trip in December '20, so I'm not aware of the latest road conditions now; but net-net, it's a good route to tread on if you're traversing in an SUV.

I'm curious though - if you're travelling from Sambalpur to Kolkata, why isn't the route through Sambalpur - Jharsuguda - Rourkela - Manoharpur - Chaibasa preferable? It was the route that I took on my onward journey and has quite a few scenic glances with the road conditions being pretty good all throughout. Has the route conditions changed lately?

Hope more members chime in with their bit and you have a great trip ahead!