bike trip J&K. safety and bike rental in Jammu

panzas

Hi everybody!

I am planning to do a bike trip in J&K starting 15th august til 31st August. The idea is to do the circle Jammu-Srinagar-Leh-Manali. My plan is to fly from Pune to Jammu and meanwhile send my bike by train so I do not loose time. I have choosen Jammu as starting point since it is the northest city in my route which has direct train from Pune. However I have a friend that wants to join me but does not have bike so we were wondering if it is possible to rent a bike (enfield if possible) in Jammu. Someone knows?

At the same time I´ve read that J&K policital situation is quite unstable. Do you think that risks are lesser for someone like me that rides by his own in his bike?

Any other tip is welome!

Thanks!

Hymz

Hello Panzas,

You can check the user profile of himansyadav who is also starting from Bombay around the same date. He is also doing the journey on bullet. Check him out.

Have not heard too many encouraging reports about the conditions in J&K. (jammu -srinagar) Read somewhere that elections are coming up and so a lot of disturbances are taking place. Read it out on some of the forums here.

Cheers
Hymz

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A journey is transportation of the mind ---> If you can transport your mind ---> the location does not matter !!

vistet

Today´s Tribune is not encouraging, I´m sorry to say :

"More than 60 vehicles were damaged at several places on the highway and 12 persons were injured. Since morning hundreds of activists who were staging a dharna on the national highway did not allowed any vehicle to proceed further.

The Udhampur unit of the Sangharh Samiti took out a procession from Dabbar Chowk. Within minutes hundreds of people joined the protest and moved towards Jekhani where they sat on dharna on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway.

Protestors especially blocked the vehicles carrying essential commodities towards the Kashmir valley. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded as protestors blocked even the by-pass road. Although there was heavy deployment of force in the area, the protestors outnumbered the cops and resorted to pelting stones on vehicles proceeding towards the valley, injuring some people. Some youths carrying rods and wooden sticks damaged vehicles."

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high road to ..

himansyadav

Hi panzas,
what mr. vistet is saying is very true till october its not advisible to go jammu and srinager as there are elections in few months.
Even i am also worried about the same, because my plan was to book the bullet from mumbai in a transport up to jammu and catch jammu tawi and start my trip for leh from jammu-srinager-kargil-leh-pangong tso-tsomoriri-kelong-manali-delhi.
But because of the above problems in jammu i have changed my plan
Day1 29-08-08 mumbai to delhi ( Rajdhyani express)
Day2 30-08-08 arive delhi, collect my bullet from transport.
Day3 31-08-08 early in the morning start from delhi-manali-leh.
while returning i will use the same route avoiding srinager and jammu.
if you likes to come with me please let me know, as i am going solo from mumbai.

Indizen

Drive to Leh from Manali or fly there from Delhi, but confine your trip to Ladakh.
The situation in Jammu is extremely tense right now. The entire highway NH 1 has seen protestors converging there every day, causing blockades. Yesterday some private cars and commercial trucks were stoned as well.
Kashmir is likely to turn volatile any time soon, given the state of politics in the state right now.
Avoid traveling to J&K until after the elections are over.

panzas

Many thanks for reccomendations! it seems as you say you all say it is not the best time to go to jammu... I think I will change plans and do simla-leh and come back... however I wanted to know if is it possible to do this trip by 2 different routes? I mean... I know the road simla-leh is amazing but once I have done it I would like to return (at least partially) through a different road. I see that through east (kinnaur) or ouest (chamba) there are some roads but not sure if possible doing them on bike... someone knows? any reccomendations? is it worth?

Thanks!

PS: Himansyadav, I´ll inform you final plans once I´ve decided. cheers

himansyadav

sure panzas i will waite for your reply,
bye the way i am loading my bullet on 21st augest in xps cargo.

yodli

Hello Panzas,

Me and another friend of mine had a similar plan(similar dates) to leh via jammu srinagar kargil leh manali. i guess the situation is so screwed up we may have to take the manali route. my concern is since essential commodities supply to srinagar has stopped due to the protests in the highway, will there be any petrol in Leh when we get there?

panzas

thats a good question!I had not think about it...lets see if someone can help us...

yodli

I had mailed the leh district govt. website, below is the reply:


"There is absolutely no probem in Ladakh region . As since you are planning to visit Leh via Manali then no need to worry. Srinagar is at a distance of 434 Kms from Leh and coming from Manali is of different route .

Leh use to get supply via Manlai as well.

jamyang namgial
leh

----- Original Message -----
From: Tarun Shetty <tobiastarun@yahoo.com>
Date: Wednesday, August 6, 2008 10:55 am
Subject: Situation in Leh.
To: leh@nic.in


> Dear Sir/Madam,

> In the coming weeks of August myself and a friend have planned a motorbike trip from Chandigarh to Leh via Manali. We plan to visit Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso Lake and Zanskar Valley(if possible).

> Now, due to the recent disturbances in the Jammu and Kashmir valley we would like to know if it is safe to continue with our plan to Leh?
> Since the Jammu-Srinagar border is closed and barred from any rations/essential commodities supply, is there a pertol shortage in Leh as this would effect our trip?

> We shall leave Bangalore to Delhi on August 13th by flight. It would be great if we get a reply from you regarding the current status of the Ladakh district.

> Thanks and Regards,
> Tarun Shetty."

himansyadav

Thanks yodli,
you have done a wonderful job,
I was also tens up about the fuel as i am going leh on my bullet and it need extra fuel for nubra & pangongtso.
Thanks once again.

himansyadav

i think panzas has started his trip,
goodluck for your trip,
post us the current sitiuation of J&k.