3395km road trip: Hyderabad to Kolkata & back in my Mahindra XUV500

Having explored routes to the north, south, and even down to Kerala, this eastern route felt like uncharted territory.

BHPian samratmajumder recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Hyderabad to Bheemilipatnam (Part 1):

As someone who’s done a fair share of road trips across India, this drive from Hyderabad to Kolkata had been a long-standing entry on my bucket list. I am from Kolkata and have spent the first half of my life in and around Kolkata but having spent the last 20 years in Hyderabad it was always a flight to my hometown. Having explored routes to the north, south, and even down to Kerala, this eastern route felt like uncharted territory. While I had driven up to Vizag back in 2019 and had fallen in love with both the city and the journey, this time my plan extended further. I decided to stop over at Bheemilipatnam, just 30 km north of Vizag, as a relaxing midpoint.

The Preparations:

A week before the trip, I made sure “The Beast”—my 2017 XUV500 W10 Sportz model in white—was in top shape. It’s my pride and joy, and I’ve always trusted it to deliver on long road trips. As part of the preparation, I finally decided to upgrade its headlights. I’d been procrastinating on this for a while, but highway driving had made me realize that the stock halogens were insufficient, especially for long night drives. So, I opted for Osram LED lights, installed at Karmic Performance in Narsingi. It was an upgrade that made all the difference on this trip. More on that later

The Journey Begins:

The beast is all set:

On the morning of October 4, 2024, we started our journey at 6:30 AM. Hyderabad had put on its best face—a lovely morning with cool, crisp air. As we cruised along the Outer Ring Road (ORR) with some calming morning tunes, I mentally prepared for the expected traffic on NH65, the Hyderabad-Vijayawada stretch. To my pleasant surprise, the traffic was lighter than expected.

Hyderabad to Vijayawada:

The road to Vijayawada is decent but in need of an expansion. While parts of it are already 6 lanes, some pockets still remain narrow and heavily trafficked, making it necessary for future upgrades. We reached Vijayawada around 12 noon, covering 300 km. A nice clean Dhaba (Apple Highway Dhaba Restaurant) just after the city served us a simple but delicious lunch.

As we crossed the Krishna Bridge, the traffic in Vijayawada became a hassle, but the newly constructed bypass highway NH163G made up for it. The road, though under construction, offered a stretch of empty tarmac—a sheer delight for driving enthusiasts like me. It’s one of those rare stretches in India where you feel the true joy of open-road driving, and once completed, it will allow travelers to bypass Vijayawada completely.

Vijayawada to Bheemilipatnam:

Post-lunch, we embarked on the second leg of the journey towards Bhimlipatnam. This part of the route was nothing short of a dream. Most of the roads were six-laned, reminiscent of American highways, and I was able to set the cruise control at 100 km/h for long stretches. The road surface was superb, offering a smooth, uninterrupted drive with occasional bursts of speed for overtaking.

After crossing the Godavari River, the road quality slightly deteriorated, passing through several towns. The highway narrowed to four lanes in some areas, but I noticed ongoing work to expand it further. Despite these minor setbacks, the drive remained enjoyable.

We finally reached Bheemilipatnam at 4:45 PM, completing the first leg in about 10 hours, including two short and two long breaks. Total Distance covered: 681 KM

The Stay at Bheemilipatnam:

I had booked a room at Hotel Casa Grand, a new property by the beach. The hotel was quite impressive, with rooms designed in a suite-like layout, featuring separate seating and sleeping areas, and a large balcony with a view of the ocean. The only hiccup was the language barrier; while most of the staff understood English, a couple of them only spoke Telugu, and my limited Telugu vocabulary was put to the test. My travel buddies: Wife and Son loved the place and were up early next morning just to experience sunrise from the balcony

Just a stone's throw from the hotel was B ZAG, a beach club that felt like something straight out of Goa. Although they didn’t serve alcohol yet due to licensing, the food more than made up for it—delicious, fresh, and full of flavor. The Bhimlipatnam beach itself was a serene beauty, untouched by commercial tourism. With only a few tourists in sight, it had a sense of untouched charm, offering an almost private experience.

BZag Night Vibes:

Sunrise Views from the Resort:

After a refreshing night's stay at Bhimlipatnam, we woke up early at 5:30 AM to witness the sunrise—a grand sight by the ocean that was well worth the early start. By 7:30 AM, we had checked out and were back on the road, starting the second leg of our journey toward Kolkata.

Bhimlipatnam to Bhubaneshwar:

The stretch from Vizag to Bhubaneshwar on NH16 is a driver’s dream. The highway is mostly six-laned, with smooth road surfaces and minimal traffic. The scenic beauty along this stretch, with glimpses of the coastline and lush greenery, only adds to the pleasure. As we crossed into Odisha around 11 AM, the views got even better. Chilika Lake, with its shimmering waters, made an appearance on the right, and the open, wide highway beckoned.

I had heard mixed reviews about Odisha’s 80 km/h speed limit—some sources suggested it had been raised to 100 km/h—so I began cautiously. However, it didn’t take long to notice that most cars were comfortably cruising well into triple digits. The speed cameras were easy to spot, with gantries well-marked and visible from a distance, so it was easy to adjust speed in time. As the saying goes, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do," and soon enough, we were cruising along, enjoying the perfect road conditions.

Bhubaneshwar and Decision to Push for Kolkata:

We reached Bhubaneshwar around 1 PM. After much persistence from my son, we stopped at Pizza Hut for a quick lunch. There, we made a spontaneous decision to skip the night’s stay in Bhubaneshwar and push through to Kolkata. Not knowing what lay ahead on the road, we made a quick pit stop at KFC to pack a light dinner, just in case.

Bhubaneshwar to West Bengal:

The stretch near Balasore was where the road quality took a sharp dive. The smooth roads gave way to broken patches of tarmac, and construction diversions sent us onto bumpy side lanes. This part of the road was clearly in need of serious repair, and I was thankful to be in “The Beast.” Driving a rugged SUV made it easier to handle these conditions, but I felt for the sedans and hatchbacks navigating the same path, forced to carefully avoid bottoming out.

By the time we reached the West Bengal border around 5:30 PM, the road quality improved slightly, but the weather turned against us. A steady drizzle began, making the roads slick and requiring a more cautious driving approach.

Dantan to Kolaghat:

The stretch from Dantan to Kolaghat was smoother, with six lanes, but there was a new challenge—random and sudden potholes. They appeared without warning and required constant attention to avoid. Despite the drizzle, I had to maintain a sharp focus to dodge these hazards, making the drive more taxing than I had anticipated.

Kolaghat to Kolkata:

After crossing Kolaghat around 7 PM, the traffic grew heavier. The driving style in this part of the country can only be described as "Need for Speed," with everyone rushing despite the drizzle, mud, and potholes. I had hoped to reach my home in South Kolkata (Garia) by 9 PM, but the reality on the ground had other plans. The traffic leading into Kolkata was bumper-to-bumper, and it soon became clear that the highway infrastructure here lacked the flyovers and bypasses needed to efficiently manage the flow of vehicles into the city. Every small town we passed became a bottleneck, slowing us down.

The Final Hurdle - Kolkata Traffic:

Just before entering Kolkata, Google Maps alerted me to a massive traffic jam on the Kona Expressway, showing a 44-minute delay. It suggested an alternate route via the Andul Bypass. Trusting the app, I took the bypass, but this turned out to be a regrettable decision. The service road leading to Andul was one of the worst I’ve encountered—narrow, potholed, and packed with every conceivable road obstacle, from trucks to dogs to bicycles. The rain had turned the road into a muddy mess, and after carefully following the movements of the car in front, “The Beast” scraped its undercarriage twice.

What should have been a quick 2 km detour turned into an hour-long ordeal. Once on the Andul Bypass, the road quality improved, and traffic thinned out, but by this time, it was well past 9 PM. We finally reached home at 10:30 PM, thoroughly exhausted but glad to have completed the journey.

Nightmare road:

The Return Journey:

We started our return journey at 9 AM on the 13th of October, which coincided with Bijoya Dashami. As it was also a Sunday, Kolkata roads were unusually empty. Instead of taking the EM Bypass, we passed through the city center, crossed the iconic Second Hooghly Bridge, and hit the Kona Expressway. Surprisingly, the expressway was almost deserted, allowing us to maintain a steady pace until the Dantan border. While the highway’s downside seemed to have fewer potholes than the upside, it was also easier to spot them thanks to the bright sunlight.

After crossing Balasore, we stopped for lunch at Kanak Highway Restaurant, a dhaba along the highway, and were pleasantly surprised by the excellent food. Having more time on our hands, we had pre-planned to spend the night in Puri and visit its famous beach and the Jagannath Temple, with a second night halt scheduled in Vizag.

Crossing Bhubaneshwar by 3 PM, we faced heavy traffic en route to Puri, as it seemed like half of Bhubaneshwar had decided to take a Sunday drive there. We arrived in Puri by 5 PM, only to be greeted with an overbooking issue at our hotel, KP Hotel. After some back and forth, we secured a last-minute booking at The Chariot, an older but well-maintained property with a prime location on the beach. Although the room was pricier due to the last-minute nature of the booking, the semi-private beach and stunning sea view from our room made up for it.

That evening, we visited the Jagannath Temple. Despite some minor navigation issues, thanks to helpful locals and the guidance of local police, we found the e-rickshaw parking lot and had a smooth visit. Dinner was at Cafe Conki, a charming seaside cafe made from stacked shipping containers, offering a chill ambiance and delicious continental food.

Images from Puri:

The next morning, we enjoyed some peaceful time at the beach, witnessing a serene sunrise, and by 9 AM, we were on the road again, headed to Vizag. The drive from Puri through Sukala and Rameswar, though along a narrow state highway, was breathtaking with lush greenery and a canopy of trees arching overhead. This part of the journey was a delight.

Once back on NH16, the road remained smooth and scenic, and with my wife logged into her office from the car, we experienced a relaxed drive. The increasing 5G network availability along the highway was a pleasant surprise—nearly 90% of the drive had 5G coverage, with the rest being 4G.

We reached Sheraton Four Points at Vizag’s upper Waltair by 4 PM, where they kindly upgraded us to a suite after hearing about our road trip. It was a pampered experience, complete with a complimentary cake to wish us well for the remainder of the trip. We visited the newly opened Sea Harrier Museum, along with the existing Tupolev and Submarine Museums. Although RK Beach Road was teeming with tourists, we managed to find parking in one of the side lanes.

On our final morning, weather alerts warned of brewing storms, and the sky was overcast with light rain. Exiting Vizag took longer than expected, with traffic compounded by the rain. However, the road improved once we crossed the Godavari River, and from there, it was smooth sailing to Vijayawada, where the highway allowed us to cruise at a relaxed pace.

The most challenging part of the return was the last 50 kilometers before Hyderabad. The NH65 was packed with heavy truck traffic, and ongoing flyover construction created poor road conditions. The aggressive driving styles, coupled with frequent slowdowns, made this stretch of road particularly stressful, especially near Ramoji Film City, where we saw several accidents.

Finally, we hit the Outer Ring Road, where I set my cruise control to 120 kmph and enjoyed a smooth final stretch. Back in Hyderabad, I couldn't help but smile—Even on a short hiatus, I had missed this city!

• Total Distance Travelled: 3395 KMs (including the Drives in Kolkata)
• Average Fuel Efficiency: About 12.5 KMPL
• Total Toll paid: Rs 5420

5 key takeaways for fellow travellers:

• Plan for Puri in Advance: Puri can get extremely crowded, especially during weekends and festivals. Always confirm hotel reservations ahead of time to avoid last-minute overbooking issues, and be prepared for heavy traffic on the Bhubaneshwar-Puri route.
• Road Conditions : NH16 in Orissa and Andhra Pradesh offers a smooth and relaxed drive, but be cautious of occasional potholes, especially near the Dantan border. Also, state highways (like the one from Puri to NH16) may be narrow but are often scenic and worth taking. Do not solely rely on Google maps before deciding to take an alternate route especially if it's a service road in WB. On hindsight should have stopped and consulted with someone
• Staying Connected with 5G Coverage: The improved mobile network along major highways ensures you stay connected throughout your journey. 5G coverage is surprisingly available for about 90% of the drive, making it easier for passengers to work or stay in touch.
• Manage City Traffic on Return Leg: Exiting busy cities like Vizag can take extra time, especially in rainy weather, so plan your departure accordingly. The last stretch into Hyderabad on NH65 is challenging due to heavy truck traffic and ongoing construction, so patience is key.
• Book Unique Stays: Look for unique experiences like Cafe Conki in Puri, which offers a charming ambiance, or pampering hotel stays like Sheraton in Vizag, where upgrades or special gestures can make your road trip even more memorable.

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