Kolkata-Jamshedpur-Kolkata Travelouge: Will remember all my life....

[anisghos]

Tarak, I suggest if you can avoid driving to Jamshedpur, please do that for the sake of your car and yourself. On the return leg I tried a different route avoiding NH33 completely. This route uses local roads through the Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary and then the Mukutmanipur dam area which are kind of ghat roads and then to Bankura through places called Bandoan, Ranibandh & Khatra.

The car breaker roads were a lot less on this route but the route is very scenic. Another important thing is it passes through the heart of Maoist country so forget about taking it during night. About 10 kms of totally non existent roads, 20-30 km of semi-broken roads where you need to slow down intermittently and the rest of the roads in average to good condition. After you cross Bankura you can drive without batting an eyelid. I will post a mini-travelogue covering this route but I have promised myself that this was my first and last road trip to Jamshedpur.

Do you think this route in any sense is somewhat better than the Baharagora or Chandil route?

 

[Chandranath]

Guys, Driving to Jamshedpur from Kolkata next week with family.

Any route suggestions please. I understand Bahargora is out of bounds. So Durgapur - Purulia or Dhanbad - Chas?

Thanks for your help.

 

[samarjitdhar]

You can try the Dhanbad - Chas route too as I have heard its good but a bit busy. You can take the Durgapur-Bankura-Purulia-Chandil route instead and you will only get around 20 kms of some broken roads between JH-WB border till Chandil. The rest of the route is very good and has very less traffic. I heard even the Chandil-Jamshedpur road has been repaired and is very driveable now. Will you be driving from Kolkata? What car would you be driving?

 

[Chandranath]

You can try the Dhanbad - Chas route too as I have heard its good but a bit busy. You can take the Durgapur-Bankura-Purulia-Chandil route instead and you will only get around 20 kms of some broken roads between JH-WB border till Chandil. The rest of the route is very good and has very less traffic. I heard even the Chandil-Jamshedpur road has been repaired and is very driveable now. Will you be driving from Kolkata? What car would you be driving?

Thanx for your response.

I will be driving from Kolkata. I will drive the Xylo.

 

[samarjitdhar]

Thanx for your response.

I will be driving from Kolkata. I will drive the Xylo.

The Xylo then will do just fine in the conventional route that is Durgapur-Bankura-Purulia. You can use it both for your onward and return journey. Avoid the Baharagora route unless you drive your own truck because on that route even Safaris have been known to scrape their bottoms

 

[Chandranath]

The Xylo then will do just fine in the conventional route that is Durgapur-Bankura-Purulia. You can use it both for your onward and return journey. Avoid the Baharagora route unless you drive your own truck because on that route even Safaris have been known to scrape their bottoms

Thanx for your suggestion. Was sceptical on the road post entering Jharkhand and more importantly once it merges with NH 33 near Chandil. That 45 km is a pain I understand for your experience.

Just wanted to be sure on the route through Dimna and Ranibandh. Is that a security threat which is at best avoidable?

 

[ToughGuy]

@Anisghos: buddy hats off to you and your Manza lovely narration with good pics.