Konark to Siliguri: Recommended traffic-free routes & places to stay

On the other side of the bridge, you are in Kalyani now, there are plenty of night halt options are available on the main road.

BHPian NaXal recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

My personal opinion, take the NH12 (Kharagpur section) but you can easily avoid Kolkata.

Konarak Temple is best viewed at dusk or dawn. I may suggest you to either arrive at Konarak temple region by noon, check in to your night halt at later during afternoon, visit the temple.

In case you miss the slot, and your arrival is delayed at Konarak, you can plan for early morning visit at from 6AM next day. During the summer months, heat and humidity is unbearable after 10/10:30AM

In both cases, you are starting from Konarak either really early in the morning (if you have completed the temple visit previous evening) or you are starting late by 11AM.

For scenario one, where you are starting late by 11AM, take the Konarak - Bhubaneswar road and join NH16. Proceed towards Kolkata but your night halt is to be at around Kolaghat. Considering your cut off time of 7PM.

Sher-e-Punjab or Prantik Retreat ( https://maps.app.goo.gl/zHKpyi3MCkUb3zjN7 ) could be your night stay around Kolaghat, both are on the main highway.

Pushing beyond that point wont do much help since at evening, traffic would waste your time after this and next best halt is at Kalyani, which would be much beyond your cut off time.

For scenario two, where you have visited the temple previous evening, you are going to have a 4 to 6 hours of head start on this same route. I would suggest pushing on in this case till "Kalyani" while bypassing Kolkata all together.

There are two tricky parts (route map) here. First the diversion to old Delhi road before Dankuni (expect heavy traffic at this point). Second one is before Kalyani to cross the single lane bridge. Both are under construction section, so diversions make them tricky to navigate.

You are going to continue on NH16 but dont take any Kolkata exits. Merge with NH19 (AH1), old name NH2 (Kolkata - Delhi Road, Durgapur Expressway)

But you are going to divert right after taking this NH19. Just before Dankuni, this junction would come up. Divert to old Delhi Road towards "Mogra".

Old Delhi road is double lane almost all the way till the next diversion. Here too, it is under construction. You need to take the Flyover to exit this road towards Kalyani and cross the single lane (cash toll Rs. 10/-) bridge towards Kalyani. Beware, this bridge has strict height restriction (Bus type vehicle can't cross). Ask locals for direction torwads "Kalyani", in case you feel confused or lost.

On the other side of the bridge, you are in Kalyani now, there are plenty of night halt options are available on the main road. Call it a day (with your 7PM cut off) here.

Onwards to Siliguri

In above plan, either you are starting from Kolaghat or you have a good head start from Kalyani.

In case you are starting from Kolaghat, start really early and follow the same route map to reach Kalyani then Kalyani Expressway and divert to Kanchrapara - Haringhata Road towards Barajaguli to join NH12.

Google Maps should take over after this first diversion point with good precision. This first diversion point is called "Kampa More". Even if you miss it or have trouble finding this route, don't worry, there are many connections from Kalyani to NH12 visible in Google Maps. We take this route as it is very wide and relatively easy.

Siliguri or Raiganj or Islampur?

Since you have a cut off time of 7PM, starting from Kalyani, even with some traffic issues, should be doable. You can expect Siliguri (Bagdogra AirPort region) before 7PM.

However, if you are starting from Kolaghat, you may have to consider Raiganj Tourist Lodge (WB Govt Tourism Hotel) as your night halt. https://maps.app.goo.gl/fgwpNhJQ2ca9hmyT8 May be you can push on little further? Depending on traffic and yourself cut off time, you can decide.

In case you are stopping for night before Siliguri, then you can bypass Siliguri city next morning and easily push ahead towards Bengal Assam border.

For Siliguri night halt, I may suggest staying on the highway at around Bagdogra to avoid entering the city at all.

Options are there but none of them are premium like this one -> https://maps.app.goo.gl/j2S53GZM6cVKRcan6

Congestion:

There are no city traffic or out of ordinary congestion to be found in this suggested route plan with suggest crossing timings. Yes, after Kolaghat, during evening and late evening hours there are heavy truck & local traffic at times. But traffic wont get stuck. Just irritating at most.

Secondly, bypassing Kolkata for NH12 (Kolkata - Siliguri) via Kalyani would ensure to skip most of the Kolkata City congestion. Yes there are few places like Malda (At Kaliachawk) or Farakka Barrage, but that is nothing to worry about.

Food / Toilet:

1. Krishnanagar -> Kozee Kuteer https://maps.app.goo.gl/ty6tQcH3y63aZnWf9 or Mother's Hut https://maps.app.goo.gl/ty6tQcH3y63aZnWf9

2. Berhampore -> Berhampore Byepass Dhaba https://maps.app.goo.gl/CR5weiExwHmPD4wt9 or at Pappu Da Dhaba https://maps.app.goo.gl/5SqkPd4cERSBdW5p7

3. Malda -> Pardesi Dhaba https://maps.app.goo.gl/cSEcBSkJwfEQ6zRP9

Some of the well-known names for Kolkata Siliguri route

Thanks.

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