National Highway 59 - crazy for a cyclist?

Hi!

I am a Swedish cyclist. I went from Sweden through Europe, Turkey, Iran and Dubai. After a flight and train trip from Mumbai I have now reached Dwarka in Gujarat. From here I will cross India all the way to the border of Bangladesh.

I am route planning and from Dwarka I will first go to Ahmedabad. From there, the best for me would be to go from Ahmedabad to Indore on the National Highway 59. I just wonder if anyone has any experience of this highway? Would it be very dangerous for me. If so, what could be an alternative route?

I would be so thankful for all tips.

Thanks in advance,
Viktor

NH59 - from Ahmedabad goes through Godhra, Dahod, Jhabua and Dhar. Normally a badly-maintained road after you cross into Madhya Pradesh State. A 2-lane road all the way. Can be dangerous at night around the Gujarat-MP border (Dahod-Jhabua). Sparsely populated after you cross into MP, not great on scenery.

This is the direct route to Indore from A'Bad, the only alternative road would be to go via Dungarpur (Rajasthan), but that is too long and not any better.

If the road is to dangerous, would it be an alternative to go south of the highway 57? I can see that I could follow some smaller roads that eventually will lead to Nagpur. For example I would cross small towns as Chandpur, Dharmapun, Khandwa, Paratwada.

I would be happy for any suggestions of how I could go east from Ahmedabad.

I would NOT RECOMMEND this route for a solo traveler. I have done this on bike and its a hellhole (was in 2005) full of craters where the gujarat border ends. I would normally recommend you to stay on around Dahod. Then next day you can carry on through Jhabua.

Be prepared for villagers blocking the road asking for donation. Be prepared to be stared at like you are carrion among vultures. If you have company, its okay. I'd feel unsafe on a cycle!

You can take the southern route via Chota Udepur - Dhamnod etc - village routes but was much better in 05 but no one knows!

OP, its true the roads in Madhya Pradesh are not the best. I was told by locals that the roads in Maharashtra are good. They weren't bad anyway but i just crossing through it fairly quickly from north to south, not west to east.

I have been in Dhar and Khargone. I came from North to South in 2007. There were some shocking roads. I always prefer to ride on the smallest roads. These are the nicest for me. I don't enjoy the highways even when they are in good condition.

This year I am coming from the other direction. Would you be heading northwards after Nagpur? or continuing directly east? How long do you expect it will take you?

I wouldn't worry too much about people asking you for money. Don't give anyone begging money please. I believe it can increase the incidence of begging which is very annoying, and may even make it less safe for travellers. Best not to flaunt your wealth, keep it vague. Yesterday I read a blog story about an indian guy who was cycling in Gujurat who was robbed of his bicycle and all his gear after letting his guard down with a guy who cycled along with him for the day. They were going in the same direction and slept the night in the same spot. He did not lock up his gear. Of course he probably got into this situation because of the common language but he talked about how shocked the man was to learn the price of his sunscreen - two days wages!

Generally people are pretty good but it pays to be vigilant always.

Sorry I can't see on my map the numbers of the highways so I am not sure which is 57 and I can't locate the towns you mention except Khandwha.

I should have added that on my trip early next year I will be travelling through Madhya Pradhesh from East to West. I wanted to go to Maheshwar again so I will go through there and continue on towards Vadodara but I will look for small roads if possible.

Maheshwar is a nice town.

Hello newislander ! Are you who I think you are ?

Very big thank you for all the answers. I am a solo traveller so I will need all the advices as I can considering route planning.

After what you guys have written, I will not go on the national highway 57 - and maybe it would be better for me to completely avoid Madya Pradesh. The shortest for me would then be to go through Maharastra, for example, Vadodara - Dhule - Amravati - Nagpur. How does that sound?

Good roads all along. Wise decision. Several towns also en route and good facilities. No safety issues.

Kabaary, No i am the cookie monster. :-)

This is good route but will be very longer then Ahmedabad - Godhara - Dahod - Jhambuva route.

Specially Dahod - Jhambuva - Indor route is danger even for solo - bikers. (Once you are crossing Dahod - Jhambuva then it is okay then you can take Indor - Jabalpur route which is good and safe). But after Jabapur either you have to go towards North Ranchi or Bit south in Orrisa. Total of 2100 KMs Journey.

Even in Vadodara - Dhule - Nagpur (You will faced problem in Dang-Saputara region) and After crossing Nagpur again you will faced problem in Maharashtra - MP border, story is not finished yet, you will again faced problem in MP - Jharkhand border (Very popular Naxalist problem.). Total Of 2100 KMs Journey.

Also think about one more alternative route (Gujarat) Ahmedabad - Modhera - Mehsana - (Rajasthan) Udaipur - Chitorgadh - Kota - Jhansi - (Uttar Pradesh) Allahbad - Varansi - (Bihar)Dhanbad - Gaya - Kolkata. Total of 2250 KMs journey.

I dont have expierence on this route but seems good, safe and more scenaric. You can visit lot of places like Ahmedabad - AdalajVav, Modhera Sun Temple, Rajasthan - Kota (Ranthambhor National Park), Kota - Jhansi via Khajuraho, Allahbad - Varansi A Pilgrim Route, Gaya (Bodh Gaya, born place of Lord Buddha).

And most of time, you will traveling through NH8 - NH76 - NH25 - NH2

Best of Luck....

Regards
Rushi

rushijoshi. Can you clarify what sort of problems you are referring to. I see you mention the naxalites but surely you don't mean this every time you mention the word problems. All sorts of problems are possible. Can you please be explicit.

In the Dahod-Jhabua stretch, there is danger of dacoity.

The best way to reach the East Coast (and Kolkata) is to go on NH6. That would mean avoiding Indore and going on the Ahmedabad-Vadodara-Surat-Dhulia-Jalgaon-Khamgaon-Akola-Amaravati-Nagpur-Bhandara-Raj Nangaon-Raipur-Sambalpur-Keonjhar-Jashpur-Kharagpur-Kolkata. On this route, you have to fear dacoity only in a small stretch approaching Kharagpur. For the rest, the roads are good and safe.

The Indore route would take you through some of the worst roads in Central India without any significant benefits. I did this route 3 years ago, and the route I took was as follows:

Bhuj-Ahmedabad-Vadodara (the faster way on the expressway instead of NH59 till Godhra)-Godhra-Dahod-Jhabua-Dhar-Indore-Dewas-Bhopal-Obaidullahganj-Bedeghat-Jabalpur-Amarkantak-Shahdol-Ambikapur-Jaspurnagar-Gumla-Ranchi-Ramgarh-Dhanbad-Asansol-Durgapur-Kolkata.

In the above route, roads will be bad in the Dahod-Jhabua-Dhar, Bhopal-Jabalpur-Shahdol-Ranchi strectches. You must be careful in the Jaspurnagar-Gumla area which has lots of Naxal activity. My personal experience with Naxals is that they mean no harm to tourists and passerbys and their only problem is with the establishment (Govt, police, etc). I myself have been stopped by Naxals who, on ascertaining my identity, ushered me on. Even for a foreigner, I don't think there is any different treatment.

You can see the detailed route profile from my log book in the following link:

http://groups.google.com/group/hvkum...-to-coast-2005

That sounds like really good info about the Naxalites if that is still the case. But it does agree with what I was told by another foreign cyclist who also met with Naxalites on the road. This is of major concern to me also as I am a woman travelling alone through Orissa and Chhatissgarh and i prefer not to right on highways of any description if possible. But I shall take the roads as I find them.

Dacoits are bandits, not naxalites right? You are making a point of difference I think and hope.

Yes, you are right about dacoits, they simply waylay and steal. Naxals are "outlaws" who are fighting the establishment in pursuit of their ideological goals. Dacoity is almost non-existent in Indian highways except in some specific sections. Even in dacoity-prone sections, there are often police patrol cars.