Planning a road trip from Mumbai to Delhi and back

[only32owner]

Dear Moderator Sirs,
for me this trip is like a fresh air activity, I want to do it as an adventure, its not a compulsion on me.
If you find this post not suitable, I respect your decission.

Hi friends,
after alot of perssuation to my better half, finally got the permission that I can take them to Delhi by car. Delhi is my wife's home city and Mumbai is mine.I am very passionate about long route drives and bought a Ford Endevour Thunder + for that.

I plan to take Mumbai - Ahmedabad - Jaipur - Delhi, route . I don't want any other driver apart from me for obvious reasons.There will be me, her and our 6 year old son.

Since in IFG, we have so many friends from these reagions, kindly suggest about the roads to take/ avoid, halts etc.
Last but not the least, safety precautions on highways etc. We have decided not to travel after dark ( i.e. in night).

Hoping for kind suggestions

Regards.
PS. Hoping to write a travelogue also, God knows may be I can become contender for poster of the month

[airgun_novice]

Good Luck for the trip and for the award. Have a safe one. That route's on my planner too - but every time I mention it, my better half turns into my bitter half.

[only32owner]

I agree with you AGN Sir,
With all due respect, those who say MHA, Politicians,Police etc take decission on their whimps and fancies, there is one more in the list.

Now on a serious note, if you have some info. on this route kindly share.

Regards.

[Amit357]

Hi 32,its a nice run to do,we have done it a cpl of times,scenically the run Via-Rajasthan, Gujrat { Vapi} is better,a cpl of things,travel in the day.your wife and kid are with you so stay on the main road and dont go on the ROAD LESS TRAVELED,hope you have a weapon,if a 32,try and get some Hollow Points ,be a lil careful in M.P ,we guys had a lil issue over there,truckers are a big help,carry an electronic air pump for the tyres,always fuel up at big cities,the rural fuel outlets are real bad,safe trip.Do carry a Digicam and take some photos for the blog .Best Amit

[only32owner]

Thanks Amit,
now hollow points and electric pump are a must have in my list.
bro. I am not taking the MP route, I travelled once by that route. Luckily didn't have to face any bad situation, but the roads were very bad, with lots of ghats and single roads (with no diveders).

Regards.

[airgun_novice]

Amit357 has pretty much said it all. Follow the NH system (ideally NH 8 ought to see you to Jaipur and then on to Delhi). Plan out and make a point to reach your intermediate hotels before much dark - say 6PM; so you get ample time to scoot around and look it up in case required. If not, presuming you are the only driver, get that "extra" sleep. Stay hydrated (with water ) at all times since you are driving in the day with high temperatures around. Do not be tempted to visit any unplanned sites simply because "a quick detour can do it" or "phir kab aayenge iss route par..." or even "darling this is so beautiful scene; let us spend a few 15-30 minutes here" - you *will* lag on your schedule and your prime objective is also to avoid travel in dark. Above all, avoid road rage and remember *** gaon kaa log will always gang up against saheri babu *** - so irrespective of whose fault it is or right of way etc. etc. stay away from all altercations on the road. These are universally applied across India. Good luck and be safe and above all let the journey be enjoyable. After all, it's the journey that matters not just the destination.

BTW one request, AGN/ airgun_novice should do just fine - please don't *knight* me.

[perfectionist1]

Hi @only32owner ,

Long route road trips are and adventure, but prepare yourself for a safe journey.

I have driven a lot on long route trips in England, Middle East and India, some times to other country borders, it sure is fun.

My 2 cents:

1. Get your car serviced and coolent, lube oil, spare tyre & necessary tools to change tyre checked in advance. "A stitch in time saves nine"
2. Since it is summer time, plan to start as early as possible, load your stuff in the boot night before. Maybe plan to start at 4 -5 am. This is will give you longer sunshine.

3. You need to drive for approx. 20-24 hours one side. Distance approx. 1400 Kms one side.

4. preferrably have two drivers, lots of music CDs. No matter how many creadit and debit cards you have carry some CASH.

5. If you are travelling with Kids, have plenty of water and food stuff. Caution: Kids tend to get uneasy after 7-8 hours, be mentally prepared to handle them.

6. Do not stop for more than half an hour for "food break"

7. You can plan a breakfast-1 break at Malegaon. Lunch-1 at Indore and then dinner and stay at Dewas. You would have covered approx. half the journey.

8. I would not recommend night driving with family. So make merry and stay at good & SAFE hotel.

9. Repeat the routine in the next morning and drive to Delhi, you will reach Delhi within 10 pm, since from Agra to Delhi (approx 4 hours via Mathura, Ballabhgarh, Faridabad highway) which is one way and good & illuminated toll road, there driving can be done but not past midnight. You will find great dhaba's enroute.

Impt: All above points of journey are as per me, you can plan to choose alternates which are best suited to you.


10. Dont forget to get your arm license extended for Delhi (from "By Road") journey till your stay in Delhi.

Bon Voyage.....

[Hammerhead]

Pictures , pictures and more pictures - Haji

[xl_target]

Look forward to your report on this trip. My family did make some road trips when I was growing up, some were short like Bangalore-Mercara, Bangalore-Ooty, Chandigarh-Simla but some were longer like Udhampur-Shrinagar-Pahalgam. Never had any problems but that was in the 1970's before any of the BS in Kashmir started. While growing up in India, I have traveled the length and breadth of the subcontinent but mostly by train. It was very safe back then, even for a 16/17 year old travelling alone. I'm not sure how much things have changed now.

You will be seeing the true heart of India when travelling that route and we would very much like to come along with you (at least in spirit) on the trip so please post lots of photos. I hope you and your family have a safe and untroubled trip.

[Bhargav]

Hi @only32owner ,

10. Dont forget to get your arm license extended for Delhi (from "By Road") journey till your stay in Delhi.

Bon Voyage.....

Can you extend the license to other states if you are traveling?

[goodboy_mentor]

Yes you can get a license to cover other states if you are on journey in or through any part of India. It will be done on Form VII. May refer to point number 5. in SCHEDULE-II of Arms Rules 1962. It can be read here http://www.abhijeetsingh.com/arms/india ... le_II.html

[roopeshkeloth]

Hai, limit the vehicle speed 70 km/hr on hot roads espically after 12 pm to 3 pm. There is a high chance to puncture the wheels while long driving on hot roads. Wish you a plesent journy

[xl_target]

Hai, limit the vehicle speed 70 km/hr on hot roads espically after 12 pm to 3 pm. There is a high chance to puncture the wheels while long driving on hot roads. Wish you a plesent journy

Is that really so much of an issue anymore? I'm not making fun of you Roopesh, I am just surprised that it would be an issue in this day and age. Even when I was in Africa in the '70's we didn't have any issues with tires and hot roads. Is the tire quality so poor in India that they would get damaged by heat? I've been in places where the tar is literally melting on the roads but never had tire issues from heat.

Another thing; what are the current speed limits on the National highways? Are there any Highway Patrols watching for speeders on these roads?

[mundaire]

I've frequently seen speed traps on GT Karnal Road (NH1), Mathura Road (NH2) and Jaipur Road (NH8). On NH2 they usually set up between Faridabad & Palwal (exact location varies), on NH8 they usually set up on the Jaipur bypass (city cops) and between Behror & Manesar (location varies). Speed limit is supposedly 80 KMPH on these two highways, but it varies from stretch to stretch and more often than not the signage informing you of the lower speed limit is obfuscated/ located where you are bound to miss it/ missing altogether. Wherever there is a populated area the limit drops to 40-60 KMPH, if there are road works going on the limit can be as low as 20 KMPH (popular locations for speed traps on NH1/ GT Karnal Road).

I've been fined for doing 80 KMPH on the Jaipur by-pass (NH8). I was also pulled over once on NH2 at a similar speed, but did not get fined as the radar registered the speed on the truck in an adjoining lane (IIRC he was doing 40 KMPH) - the cop couldn't figure out the erroneous reading so he (with an unhappy expression) had to let me off

HTH

Cheers!
Abhijeet

[perfectionist1]

Abhijit is right.......I got 2 times into the speed trap near Palwal, there is small patch of road which abruptly is a reduced speed patch (small) where police has set up cameras and mobile monitoring. Once I was going to Lucknow by car on vacation with family, they got me driving at 90 kmph I guess, God, there was a big queue of cars lined up by police and each driver was taken police inspector in gypsy, she was a very strict inspector, and every one there was making funny excuses for speeding. I pleaded etc and then was let go then I swear every one tried to speed a little on the road but was cautious for camera or police vehicles for atlear 50 kms, then life was back to normal at 120 )


Friends this is the moment that comes back rolling into mind when my wife teases on my speeding, even now.


Cheers....safe driving.