Sahibganj (JH) to Manihari (BR) 22.68 kms - Indian Roadie Infrastructure Projects

22.68 km long Sahibganj (Jharkhand) to Manihari (Bihar) NH project is being developed at Rs 1900 cr. The project includes the construction of a 6 km long bridge over river Ganga. 

This Area of Santhal Pargana is rich in coal and crusher material and the commercial vehicles carrying these minerals are now crossing the river on ship as there is no road connectivity right now. 

The project will benefit the freight movement of minerals from Santhal Pargana to Bihar, North-east and West Bengal among other states. It will also ease trade to Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh and further ease road connectivity for the public at large. 

Source: Facebook page of Nitin Gadkari, MORTH  
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* Pragati Ka Highway 
* Indian Roadie Infrastructure Projects 

Stay away from 'pedas' in Deoghar

When in Deoghar, Jharkhand, please stay away from:

- Pedas which are made from 15 days old camel milk which comes from Rajasthan and is full of germs and insects. Camel milk doesn't curdle before a month because of high salt content.

- Pandas who are always ready to rip off Bongs.

(Source: Copied from a traveller's warning on Facebook who has stayed in Deoghar for 5 yrs and by his own admission has a complete idea about the place/ happenings)

I can't resist stuffing myself with a few 'pedas' whenever I see those being made/ sold. The revelation has made me extremely apprehensive.

Road trip to Bhatinda Falls, near Dhanbad, Jharkhand

Bhatinda falls is one of the better known water falls in Jharkhand. Surrounded by lush greenery all around, it lies on the River Katri in Moonidih area. Monsoon is the best time to drive to Bhatinda falls. The location of the falls is not easily accessible and requires a personal vehicle. It is 14 kms from Dhanbad Railway Station.
Roadies are warned not to step into the enticing water. The uneven stones can result in deep cuts. Accidental deaths have been reported. There are no lifeguards, divers in the vicinity.
It's really sad to note visitors throwing trash all around.

Kolkata to Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and back roadtrip by Scorpio in December 2015

Summarized travelogue of a drive by an erstwhile Indian Roadie member with family in his 2011 Mahindra Scorpio from Kolkata to Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and back to Kolkata during the extended X’mas 2015 vacation.

Started on the 24th December 2015 from Kolkata.

24.12.2015 Kolkata To Rewa. Total distance – 950 kms.
Route taken: Kolkata - Durgapur – Asansol – Barhi – Aurangabad – upto Ramnagar crossing, a little beyond Mughalsarai and exited NH19 – left turn and drove on NH7 to Mirzapur – Narayanpur – Adlahat – Jamui – Bakiabad – Mirzapur – Lalganj – Hanumana - Rewa.
Total Toll – Rs.735
Start – 12.05am. End - 7.30pm.


25.12.2015 Rewa to Jabalpur. Total Distance - 250 kms.
Route Taken: Rewa (Bypass) – Bela – Maihar – Katni – Jabalpur.
Total Toll – Rs.20
Start – 9.30 am. End 1.30 pm. Break - 30 minutes.


26.12.2015 Jabalpur – Bhedaghat (sightseeing) – Panchmarhi. Total Distance - 270 kms including Ghat roads - 22 kms.
Route Taken: Jabalpur – Bhedaghat – Narsingpur – Gadarwara – Bankhedi – Pipariya – Matkuli – Panchmarhi.
Sightseeing included - Dhumadhar Falls, Rock garden, Marble Rocks boating.
Total Toll – Rs.146
Start – 8.20 am. End 5.40 pm. Break - 30 minutes for lunch.


27.12.2015 Panchmarhi sightseeing. Total Distance – 50 kms.
Sightseeing Includes - Bison lodge, Mahadev, Gupto Mahadev, Pandava Caves, Bee Falls, Richgarh, Dhupgarh.
Most of the roads are Ghat section ... especially around Dhupgarh.


28.12.2015 Panchmarhi To Kanha national Park. Total Distance – 350 kms.
Route Taken : Panchmarhi – Matakkali – Jhipra – Tamia – Parasia Bypass – Chhindwara – Seoni bypass – Nainpur – Mocha – Kanha.
Total Toll – 0.
Start – 9.20 am. End 3.10 pm. Break - 20 minutes.


29.12.2015 Kanha Jungle Safari To Amarkantak. Total Distance – 250 kms.
Route Taken : Kanha – Bamhani – Mandala – Baghi – Dindori – Amarkantak.
Total Toll – 0.
Start – 11.45 am. End 4.10 pm. Break - 20 minutes.


30.12.2015 Amarkantak To Ranchi. Total Distance – 550 kms.
Route Taken : Amarkantak – Gaurella – Pendra – Marwahi – Manendragarh – Baikuthpur (stopped for lunch) – Surajpur – Ambikapur – Bagicha – Jashpurnagar – Gumla – Ranchi.
Total Toll – 0.
Start – 9.30 am. End 9.10 pm. Break - 1 hr 30 minutes.


31.12.2015 Ranchi and surroundings. Total Distance – 200 kms.
Sightseeing location included – Patratu Dam, Kanke Lake, Rock garden, Sun Temple, Dasam Falls.


01.01.2016: Ranchi – Hundru Waterfalls – Kolkata. Total Distance – 475 kms.
Route Taken – Ranchi – Hundru Waterfalls – Gola – Muri – Jhalda- Purulia Bypass – Gurguria – Raghunathpur – Gobag – Niyamatpur – Durgapur – Panagarh – Kolkata.
Total Toll – Rs.197
Start – 12.00 noon. End 7.30 pm. Break - 1 hr 30 minutes.


Total distance covered from 2015-12-24 to 2016-01-01 = 3360 kms.
Fuel consumed - 260 Ltrs of Diesel.
Average mileage (fuel economy) - 12.92 kmpl.


Special remarks:
Ambikapur to Ranchi stretch of the road can be divided into 3 parts:
1. Ambikapur to Bagicha ... Nice double lane road, but at some places are really narrow. Road work was going on. Very little traffic. One will encounter some ghat roads.
2. Bagicha to Jashpur Nagar bypass ... upto Jharkhand border. Roads are really bad. Moderate traffic. It is advisable not to drive after sunset.
3. Jharkhand border to Ranchi ... Very smooth road. Heavy truck traffic after Gumla, but it's manageable after sunset.
4. Ranchi to Kolkata ... Smooth road throughout. Tolls only at Palsit and Dankuni on NH2.
Minor local traffic in Jhalda for 2 to 3 kms. 

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* MadhyaPradesh_Trails

NH6 between Chichira and Jamsola on 2015-04-30

Road update on 2015-04-30 by Kishalay Haldar driving a 2005 M&M Scorpio CRDe with wife and minor daughter enroute to Mumbai from Kolkata:

"NH6 between Chichira and Jamsola is just pure horror. The road is full of craters. Some are so deep that even my Scorpio could not negotiate them. I heard light scrapes and thuds in underbody. At places the entire width of the road is that deep and full of water. I had no choice but get into the crater without knowing how deep it is. The sides were worn out and slushy.
We reached Bahargora, the border chekpost between Jharkhand and Orissa, through that kind of road. As expected the place is madness. It is just a big field with 100s of huge trucks moving in all directions. We got an unsolicited advice from a local to take a bypass through the market and merge with NH6 at Jamsola. Looking at the chaos, we took that advice.
The bypass essentially is narrow village road, some 10km, but much better surface. After merging with NH6 the horror continued till the ghat section. Then onwards till Ghuntur (Near Keonjhar), we found road to be free of any major nuisance.
NH6 soon becomes two-way road and was marked as NH49".

Kishalaya Haldar left Kolkata at 5am and reached Sambalpur at 6pm.
He is thrilled that he could show his little daughter what an Indian village looks like.