Asansol Energy (IOC filling station), NH2, Asansol organised a Sit & Draw Competition on 2017-02-11

Sit & Draw Competition organised by Asansol Energy (IOC filling station), NH2, Asansol on 2017-02-11.
It marked the week long 2nd anniversary celebration of the fast growing retail outlet of IndianOil under the jurisdiction of the company's Durgapur Divisional Office.

A 'customer connect' programme and an excellent marketing initiative by Sandip Samanta, the dynamic mentor of Asansol Energy.

Glimpses of Bodh Gaya (Courtesy - Prof. Arunava Das) for a weekend roadtrip

Bodh Gaya is a easy 6 hours drive via NH2 from Kolkata and 4.5 hrs from Varanasi. This calm Buddhist centre of peace can be a good roadtrip destination during weekends.

Glimpses of Bodh Gaya (Courtesy - Prof. Arunava Das)

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

1969 North India drive in a Standard10 car with Baba Ma

In 1969 (hopefully, I'm getting the year right), when I was barely 7 years old, my parents took me out on a 3000+ kms drive from my hometown Barakar (near Asansol) to Allahabad, Agra, Faridabad, N.Delhi, Haridwar, DehraDun, Mussoorie, Nainital, Lucknow, Varanasi and back to Barakar in September/ October (during the Durga Puja vacation) in this miniature Standard 10 car that you get to see in the pic.
There was no Golden Quadrilateral and NH2 (popularly, known as the GT Road) had more potholes than bitumen on the road surface. I fail to fathom how 5 adults and 2 kids including my younger brother and me fitted into this matchbox
Thank you baba and ma for making me the Indian Roadie that I am today and for whatever professional success I've achieved in life.