Fixing HSRP in a new Hyundai Creta at the dealership

Fixing HSRP in a new Hyundai Creta at the dealership. 

 

That's how Bengal Hyundai riveted the rear HSRP to a spanking new Creta car before Indian Roadie Nikhiles

Pune to Hampi - Indian Roadie Preferred Route/ Motoring Route

Indian Roadie Preferred Route/ Motoring Route/ Driving Route for 

Pune to Hampi 

(Pune to Hampi): 

Pune (Hadapsar) - Indapur - Solapur - Bijapur - Hampi. 

4 Lane highway all throughout. Road condition very good in November 2022. 

Drive time: 8.5 hrs. 

Mumbai to Hampi - Indian Roadie Preferred Route/ Motoring Route

Indian Roadie Preferred Route/ Motoring Route/ Driving Route for 

Mumbai to Hampi 

(Mumbai_Hampi): 

Kolhapur, Hubli Dharwad

Did a 1200 km trip in mid November 2022, between Bangalore-Hubli-Karwar-Mangalore-Charmadi-Bangalore, in my EV6, spread over 3 days.

Bangalore-Hubli is pretty straightforward, nothing to comment, except one huge pothole on the Tumkur bypass flyover that can take out a car's suspension. Please be careful here.

Hubli-Karwar: 

Hubli bypass- kalghatgi- 22km 35 min. More or less perfect roads. Odd pothole here and there, can be avoided easily. 

Kalghatgi-Yellapur- 43 kms 55 min. Same road conditions, frequency of pothole gradually increases as one approaches Yellapur. 

Yellapur - Ankola - Ghats are actually in quite decent shape. Potholes and undulations at the sharp corners but can avoid easily.

Post the ghats, road is not good, with potholes every 100-200 mtrs. But can still average 50 kmph. Lots of truck traffic.

Ankola to Karwar has some sudden deviations which one has to watch out in the night. 

Departed Hubli bypass at 6.30 and reached Karwar by 9.30

Karwar to Mangalore is again pretty straightforward. Few deviations   where the 4 laning is pending, but quite easy to navigate in the day.

Mangalore-Bangalore via Charmadi ghats:

Departed Mangalore by 6 pm. Light to moderate traffic till Bantwal.

Roads significantly narrowed down at Punjalkatte and there was heavy traffic till Ujjire. Lots of cars were being very aggressive and making crazy overtakes in this narrow stretch to make up ground.

Ujjire/ Ujire - Charmadi - Kottigehara: The traffic reduced significantly but the narrow turns in the dark made for careful driving. Reached Kottigehara by 8.30 pm. Took a break here for some tea and snacks. Departed by 8.45pm.

Kottigehara - Mudigere - Belur - Shantigrama: Road was perfect all the way till Belur, post which there were potholes and broken roads till Hassan ring road. Reached Shantigrama by 10 pm, where we had dinner at Sri Krishna Nalapaka/Hotel Skybird, where there is a Zeon charger. The car charged up while we had dinner. 

Shantigrama - Bangalore: Straight route, smooth 4 laned roads all the way barring a few diversions for flyover construction till CR Patna. Departed by 11pm and reached Bangalore by 1am. 

Courtesy: Akhil Venkateshwaran

My mother accidentally fell and fractured her hips on 2022-11-27

I am terribly disturbed. I might not be as prompt in managing Indian Roadie and the associated forums for the next couple of days. 

Ma accidentally fell down just outside the main gate of our house in Behala in South Kolkata on Sunday 2022-11-27 at 1 pm.  Although I was down with excruciating lower back pain since yesterday evening 18 kms away near Salt Lake Stadium, I had to rush to Behala, and that too by scooter because car is in the workshop. 

By the time I reached, my younger brother had Ma admitted to Narayan Memorial Hospital in Manton in Behala, about 1.2 kms from our house. 

X-ray has revealed that there's a hipbone fracture. 

Met the Orthopedic surgeon at 7 pm. He is expected to operate on Ma on Tuesday 2022-11-29 morning if all the preoperative test results are satisfactory. 

Ma is 83. I can only pray that she gets back on her feet at the earliest 🙏 🙏 🙏 

I have no clues about the findings in the X-ray. Attaching the images for doctors in my list of friends to tell me what exactly has happened. 

P.S: Ma had a hipbone replacement after she had slipped inside the kitchen of our house in June 2018. I have been made to understand that the fracture today is at a different place.

IR GTG 2022-11-25 @ Mio Amore - Mrigaraj Barua

I am thrilled after 3 consecutive days of days of back to back Indian Roadie GTG in same spot in Kolkata on Wednesday 2022-11-23, Thursday 2022-11-24, Friday 2022-11-25. 

On 25th, met Mrigaraj Baruah who's driving his 5 yrs old maroon petrol Honda City absolutely solo from Guwahati to Bangalore via Kolkata. 

He had left his residence in Guwahati at 5.45 am on 24th. After driving via Fulbari - Ghoshpukur - Islampur, at around 2.30 pm he crossed Dalkhola. At 7.00 pm he was on Farakka Barrage over the Ganga River. At 9.15 pm he had checked in at a hotel in Baharampore, Murshidabad after traversing a whopping 870 kms. 

Mrigaraj left Baharampore at 7.15 am on 25th and reached his hotel at Rabi Thakurer More at 1.45 pm via Krishnanagar, Mogra, Delhi Road, Dankuni. 

Although I had suggested that he follows the Guwahati - Siliguri - Purnea - Darbhanga - Muzaffarpur - Patna - Patna - Aurangabad - Sasaram - Rewa - Jabalpur - Nagpur - Hyderabad - Bangalore route, he was insistent that he would drive via Kolkata exclusively to meet me. Thank you so much, Mrigaraj 👍 

Mrigaraj, Adv Abhijit Sarkar and I (Deep Banerjee) met up at our regular #IndianRoadieAddaJoint at Mio Amore, IA265, Salt Lake, Kolkata for the filling Chicken 65 rolls and steaming coffee at Sweet N Sour next door at 7.45 pm and bid good bye at 9.45 pm. Besides the unmissable photo session, we discussed innumerable topics of mutual interest. 

The meet would have continued had he not have to leave Kolkata early on 26th towards Vizag. 

P.S: Friends in Kolkata must have surely started wondering where on earth is Rabi Thakurer More in 'culturally rich' WB. 

Guess, guess. Keep guessing 🤭 

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* Indian Roadie Stickers 

* Indian Roadie GTG 

* Indian Roadie Adda Joint 

IR GTG 2022-11-23 @ Mio Amore - Debdan Ray

Indian Roadie Debdan Ray drove his Renault Triber all the way from Mumbai/ Thane to Kolkata with wife, son and two Labrador daughters aged 4 and 9 in October 2022 just after Diwali. 

Debdan's route from Mumbai to Kolkata (Mumbai_Kolkata) was as follows: Thane - Pune - Solapur - Zaheerabad - Hyderabad (ORR) - Vijayawada - Elluru - Rajahmundry (4th Godavari River Bridge) - Annavaram - Vizag - Srikakulam - Girsola - Brahmapur - Barkul - Khurda - Bhubaneswar - Cuttack - Bhadrak - Balasore - Jaleswar - Kharagpur - Kolkata. 

He wanted to celebrate his own birthday with his aged parents and also had a marriage ceremony to attend which concluded recently. He is expected to work from home in Kolkata till the end of December 2022 or early January 2023. 

Although he had ordered for his own set of Indian Roadie Stickers way back in August 2022, he had specifically told me that he will personally collect those from me in Kolkata. 

On Wednesday 2022-11-23 evening we met up at our regular Indian Roadie Adda Joint in Salt Lake, Kolkata. I had the privilege of handing over the envelope of stickers and fixing a sticker on the rear windshield. 

The Chicken 65 Rolls, Fish Mustard Roll, Chicken Patties, Chocolate Crunch pastries at Mio Amore and multiple cups of coffee nearby while engaging ourselves in variety of subjects upto 10.15 pm made the hurriedly called Indian Roadie GTG truly fulfilling. 

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* Indian Roadie Stickers 

* Indian Roadie GTG 

* Indian Roadie Adda Joint 

Stay clear of the SBSTC bus WB39B6877 with expired fitness and insurance

Stay away from this SBSTC bus on Kolkata to Bardhaman route. If this bus crashes into your car/ bike or if something untowards happen while you are a passenger, simply forget any compensation whatsoever. The mandatory insurance, PUC and fitness has expired. Nobody is bothered. Check mParivahan. 

This monster Ashok Leyland Viking CNG BSIV bus bearing registration number WB39B6877 is of SBSTC Bardhaman Depot. 

Stay away from impending Mishap And Calamity. Indian Roadie believes in Safety First.

Stay clear of the SBSTC bus WB39B9075 with expired fitness and insurance

Don't board this SBSTC bus (WB39B9075) on Barasat to Midnapore route in Queen's Republic of Bangla even by mistake. 

If something untowards happen, hapless passengers will not be entitled to any insurance payout. If you are driving or riding yourself, stay clear. If this monster comes crashing into you, you won't receive any compensation whatsoever. 

Check mParivahan. Insurance and Fitness has expired but plies on roads. 

Stay away from impending Mishap And Calamity. Indian Roadie believes in 'Safety First'.

IR GTG 2022-11-24 @ Mio Amore - Shasvat Kumar, Arnab Ch

Indian Roadie Shasvat Kumar had reached Kolkata on Saturday 2022-11-19 driving his Jeep Compass absolutely solo from Bangalore to Kolkata. He had put up with fellow Indian Roadie Arnab Chowdhury and had expressed desire to meet me (Deep Banerjee). Shasvat has been in Indian Roadie since October 2016. 

All three of us with our erratic work schedule were finding it difficult to meet up. 

The desire for an Indian Roadie GTG thankfully matured on Thursday 2022-11-24 evening.  We met at our very convenient Indian Roadie Adda Joint at Mio Amore, IA265, Salt Lake for a hearty chat on cars, bikes, food, road travel, issues related to electronics and electricals in modern day cars, etc, etc. The steaming cups of coffee at Sweet N Sour a stone's throw away added to the charm of the meet which continued well past 10.15 pm before we bid 'good night'. 

While I returned home, they left for authentic Chinese dinner to China Town for Shasvat to have a 'darshan' of popular food joints in Kolkata. During a telecon on 25th morning I was informed by Arnab that all the eateries in China Town had downed shutters by the time they reached there around 10.45 pm. They had to remain content with dinner ordered at home via one of the food delivery apps 😊 

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* Indian Roadie Stickers 

* Indian Roadie GTG 

* Indian Roadie Adda Joint 

Arunachal Pradesh - Inner Line Permit (ILP)

1. AR ILPs have to be applied for online. Approval process can take time, depending on which office processes it. Note that local reference is important, else application will be rejected immediately. 

2. You can get ILP physically only at Bhalukhpong Check Post, but if you are going via Mangaldoi, you will enter via the Balemu Check Post, which accepts only online ILP. 

3. The new ILP site of AR Govt is very good. Overall, ILP processing is very smooth online. If all documents are in order, the ILP might be approved within a few hours on weekdays. 

Fond recollections of my visit to Delhi for ASIAD 1982, exactly 40 years ago

ASIAD 1982 (9th Asian Games 1982) was unveiled on the afternoon of 19th November 1982 at the spanking new Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. 33 Asian countries participated in 21 sports. 

It's unbelievable that on yesterday, 40 years have gone past since 1982-11-19.
It was on that date 40 years ago that Baba, Na Kaku (uncle) and me reached New Delhi from Asansol by 81Up Airconditioned Express (renamed, Purva Express years later) to spend a fortnight of fun, masti, stadium hopping and food with Sejo Kaku (another uncle of mine), kakima (auntie), cousins Tito (Arnab) who was still in school and Tina (Tulika) who was a kid then, at their place in Rajouri Garden.
Almost a month prior to the Opening Ceremony, train tickets for the onwards and return journeys were booked. Tickets for every event of the Asian Games were in huge demand. I used to stand for hours in long queues outside SBI branches in Asansol and Kolkata to procure as many games tickets as possible. My uncle who was employed with CPWD in Delhi also managed to procure quite a few tickets. Unfortunately, we couldn't procure even a single ticket for the opening and closing ceremonies 😩.
Typical of the Congressi era, tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies vanished within 2 hours of commencement of sale. Almost immediately thereafter, the same tickets were sold in the black market at a huge premium. 

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* Timeless fond recollections 

* Indian Roadie Recollections 

* Recollections

My WB38A0582 has rolled on roads far and wide between 1991 and 2022

My LML Vespa 150 NV on 2 wheels only. 

Registered in July 1991 from Asansol (WB). 

My faithful vahan must have rolled 2.25+ lakh kms between July 1991 upto this day, viz. 2022-11-22. 

Fuel economy: 31 - 33 kmpl (within Kolkata city even after 31 years. 

Engine overhauling: Yes (a couple of times). 

Cluth plate replacement: Yes (a couple of times). 

Tyre replacement: Each of the tyres of the three wheels (including stepney) must have been changed 5 - 6 times. Most of the times (not always), MRF has been the tyre of my choice. 

Starting from Kolkata, my faithful has been to Bardhaman, Durgapur, Asansol, Barakar (WB), Chittaranian, Purulia, Bankura, Bishnupur, Bolpur, Suri, Rampurhat, Baharampore, Chakdaha, Ranaghat, Krishnanagar, Farakka, Malda, Arambagh, Kharagpur, Baripada (OD), Balasore, Baripada, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Puri, Brahmapur (OD), Srikakulam, Vizianagram, Vizag (AP), Dhenkanal, Angul, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Bolangir (OD), Deogarh, Keonjhar, Saraipalli, Raipur (then MP, now CG), Dhanbad, Jharia, Bokaro Steel City, Dumka (then BR, now JH). I might have missed out mentioning a host of more locations. These trips on my LML Vespa were invariably solo rides undertaken mostly  between 1991 and 1996. 

All these towns are in the same place where it used to be 35 - 40 years ago. I was taught where these places are when I was in school and came to know about a lot more when I roamed around India during my years with Castrol India more than 30 years ago. 

Now you know why I don't need to stare at some moving dot or an arrow on a dumb online navigation map while driving or riding. I do stare at it if I need to move from Patparganj to Mahipalpur in Delhi or Churchgate to Oberoi Mall in Mumbai. 

Photos clicked at Madurdaha in East Kolkata on Tuesday, 2022-11-22 at around 12.30 pm.  

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* My WB38A0582 

* Castrol Made Me A Roadie

Denting and painting is the only way out to remove deep scratches

There's no way that a roadie can remove the scratches (as seen in the attached picture) irrespective of whether there's a dent or not. 

The surface colour has gone for good. No amount of toothpaste, body soap, talcum powder, 33M, hot water, deodorant, etc can help to remove the ugly marks. 

The only way out to remove the ugly scratches is to repaint the entire door at a competent paints workshop. Getting the rectification done from the company Authorised Workshop doesn't imply that the finish/ workmanship will be great. 

P.S: Never forget to tell the workshop that minimum coating of putty should be used during the process of repainting. 

Forget or trash my advice only to repent later. 

If I would have had to get such a dented body part rectified and repainted, I would have remained seated in the heat and dust of the workshop and kept a hawk's eye on what is being done in my car. 

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* Indian Roadie Knowledge Hub 

* Denting and Painting 

Meeting Indian Roadie Sushant Bhartia of Bangalore in Kolkata on 2022-11-09

It was a pleasure meeting fellow Indian Roadie Sushant Bhartiya of Bangalore who after completing his professional assignment in Jamshedpur made it a point to take a night train to reach Kolkata with the sole objective of meeting me before flying back to Bangalore in the evening on 9th November 2022. 

We met up for a delightful buffet lunch at Haka in City Centre 1, Salt Lake. The food was simply too too too good. 

We discussed cars, road travel, future plans for Indian Roadie and Indian Roadie eGranth, human behavior, degeneration of Kolkata and West Bengal, flight of capital/ business/ manpower from WB to other cities, the reluctance by people of WB to embrace digital payment modes, a perceivably low happiness quotient which is telltale visible in people's face, non-maintenance of existing infrastructure, the farcical No Refusal taxis, the terribly ill maintained public buses, etc, etc, etc. 

The analysis by Sushant about WB was bang on target. It was evident that a professional like him will never get carried away by barely 12 - 15 kms of gaudily painted roads and a row of skyscrapers dotting Kolkata. When he said that the sorrow, professional uncertainties and rot inside is clearly visible once one starts talking to people here in Kolkata, he was so right ☹️