I was really very interested to tell you all about this Highway. Actually for all those who donot know Ballabgarh is just a place ahead of Faridabad , and Sohna is just near to Gurgaon.This road is MDR-125 ie. Major District Road 125. It is basically a link road between NH-8 and NH-2.
I know about this highway because my College was situated on this highway from where I did my Enginnering. And guess what these were the worst 4yrs of my life. Not because of the college , but because of the route. My college was 70 Km from my house , and to your surprise I used to daily up and down thus travelling a distance of 140 Km daily.
Condition of the road
Ballabgarh to Sohna is about 45 Km . And this highway straight connects between the two places. There are 2 routes to go from Ballabgarh to Sohna –
Ist Route -> Ballabgarh – Nagla – Pali – Dhauj -Sirohi – Lala Khedli – Nibot – Harchandpur – Sohna.
2nd route -> Ballabgarh – Badkal Chowk – Pakhal – Pali – Dhauj – Alampur – Sohna
We used to take the first one. The whole route covers small villages. I used to catch my clg bus fro ISBT Delhi. It was not that the first route was good. To tell u both the routes are horrible.
The most bad thing is that everytime I went to this route , my liitle cars belly used to collide with the Surface. That feeling I can never forget , my poor car..
THE HIGHWAY
The highway is sorrounded by the Aravalli Ranges throughout. The view is very good. As on the whole route there are villages so the whole route is sorrounded by farms. But the condition of the highway is horrible. I will describe the condition later . The highway is full of greenery and u get a look of the Typical India.
This time the car is moving. See the speed - 3km/hr
DHAUJ
Dhauj is a village in Faridabad District of Haryana. Situated in the Aravalli range of mountains, the place provides a canvass for adventure sports of all kinds. Dhauj is a worthwhile stop for visiting rock climbers.
Huge pit holes with stones
Also in Dhauj there is the Dhauj Crushing Zone. Where the rocks of the Aravalli ranges are exploded and these rocks are then broken down into smaller pieces. Dhauj is the main place of this Highway.
CONDITION OF THE ROAD
To start telling you about all this in one word the condition of the whole stretch is Worse. It is not poor but worse. I have never seen such a horrible highway. It is evident from the fact that just to cover 40 Km it takes a time of 2:15 hrs that too on a highway.
The tar quality is extremely poor. The whole road is broken and full of pitholes. It becomes a hell there in rainy season when these pit holes get filled with water. The average speed of driving there is about 8 Km/hr. Yes you read it write . Max it could be just 10 Km/hr. It is difficult to know whether the holes are in the roads or the road is in the hole.
These pit holes were so large that even our college bus ( which was a huge tourist bus). Its back part used to collide down with the road. You can easily think what a car will face. Ask me.
I took my car many times in my exams to the college and guess what it was the worst blunder I could have ever done in my life. The car used to easily collide with the road from down at many places.
Even while sitting at the last seat of the bus , sometimes our head used to collide with the top of the bus as the roads were so bumpy.
Also the dust is so much that even for one moment you cannot remove your hankerchief from your month. Only beacuse of intaking this dust daily for 4 yrs i suffered from Kidney stone problem.
CAUSE OF SUCH A BAD CONDITION OF ROAD
As I told You earlier there was the Dhauj Crushing Zone. There used to occur Landmine blasts . Now these pieces of rocks were laid on the heavy Dumpers which carried the stones to the Crushing Zone where they were broken down further. This highway is full of these stone laiden dumpers which run the whole day.
These heavy Dumpers are the main reason for the breaking down of the road. Even the road is constructed many times , but it breaks down in a few days. This is also highly affecting the Aravali range as the hills are now completely shrunken.
Even the court had put stay order on this work . But again the same work has started. Also these dumpers are really dangerous. They have claimed the lives of 5 of our colg students.
I wonder why the govt doesnt takes some specific action as this work is also scaring our Natural resource.
This highway was proposed to become a 4- lane Highway in 2005. And the work had to be completed by 2008. But it is really bad to see that the work remained on paper. And the project was not started only till now. Then how could it be Finished.
After so many years now in 2010 The project has been started by Reliance Infrastructure. Hope this time this highway will become a 4 lane road in next 2-3 yrs.
It was not that highway is bad . I think the Haryana Govt should have seriously thought about improving the condition of this highway and took some action on these Killer Dumpers who operate there day and Night.. Hope This would happen some day…
Same thing happened to me for first two years of my college life.
When i used to return my home i was all messed up with dirt.
One thing i know that good road bring good Fortune to the place while bad roads results in downfall.
very well said Abhishek…same used to happen with me…
yeah, I also heard that the new highway is now approved.
This connection (NH8 and NH2) would greatly help folks living around NH8 and want to avoid Delhi, on their way to Agra and beyond. In the past some of the Ghumakkars wanted to know about this route so I am guessing that it would be useful for them.
Thanks for sharing.
Welcome Mr. Nandan….I would really appreciate if this post will help other people .
Hi sahil,
2 yrs ago I had gone to Alwar , I took the first route via Badkal – Bhankri village – Alampur – Sohna – Alwar , and that time also the condition of the road was horrible. But after reading ur post it sems that the road has not improved till yet.
Dear Mr. Rajeev,
The road condition has not improved from past 2yrs rather it has been deteorated further.
Sahil
Hii Sahil,
I live in Gurgaon but i had never used this highway. Thnks to u i will further always avoid going to this highway. Nice Informative post.
Sanjeev
Thanks Sanjeev for liking the post.
Sahil
This is the high way… i guess is the worst road near ggn..i also live in fbd and my college is on this road only…
I will suggest people not to take this road and i dont find any adventure also on this route…
Yes Tarun , its really true…it is the worst road and people shuld avoid it.
Sahil
Sahil,
Though I travel many times from Gurgaon to Faridabad I never use this link road. I too had heard about its bad condition but your post really proved it wright. Thnks for your input. I really liked it.
Aman
Thanks Aman for liking the post.
Sahil
Sorry ,it is not been made to a 4 lane , only 2 lane,10 metre wide
Yes Chandan , You are right. I still visit this road every week. The new roa d construction will be still a 2 lane road just because of less space on both side. But hope , the condition of road will become better.
Sahil
So to reach the Rahaka village on this road from New Delhi, it’s better to approach from Sohna (through Gurgaon) than Ballabhgarh?
Tom , Rahaka village is about 12 Km from Sohna on the Sohna – Ballabgarh Road . So it is surely better to go there from Sohna.
Sahil
Thanks Sahil for the valuable info.
Both of’em suck big time.
i am living in indri village i am doing daily up down from my home such a bad condition of road grom 8yrs.but now all busses coming from Shirmathala road also better than dhouj and short.you canreached easilywith no any problem.but the new way from harchandpur and dhohla is very bad big timing.so avoid this route
Hi Gautam , thanks for updating the route. I had no idea of the Shrimathala road .
Sahil
am living in bhadshpur thther village i am doing daily up down from my home such a bad condition of road grom 10yrs.but now all busses coming from Shirmathala road also better than dhouj and short.you canreached easilywith no any timing.so avoid this route
Reply
Hi,
I am planning to go to kanpur next week. I will be starting Gurgaon.
Please let me know if I should got via gurgaon- sohna palwal route or gurgaon faridabad palwal route?? which one is shorter n best?
Thanks,
Ajay
Ajay, From Gurgaon you can take the Sohna Ballabgarh road. This route is shorter. Earlier the condition of this road was very bad, but now the road is drivable. You can take this road and then proceed further to Palwal via NH-2.
Sahil
Thanks..
So, should I go from Gurgaon to Sohna and then to Palwal to take NH2??
Then which one is sohna ballabhgarh road?
Ajay
Hi,
thanks for replying..
there would be 2 routes I can take –
1. Gurgaon — sohna — palwal – nh2
2. gurgaon -faridabad via pahadi wala rasta — nh2
which one are you referring to??
Aay
Current Status – The road is now excellent. In 2011 , earlier the road was under construction, but now it is fully complete with brilliant tar quality, looks like a National highway but it has speed breakers at regular intervals.
Which route should I take to Agra from Gurgaon?
1. Gurgaon sohna palwal nh2
2. gurgaon -faridabad via pahadi wala rasta nh
Thank you
Anurag
Anurag,
Take the Sohna Ballabgarh road and then NH-2 till Agra.
The road is now a perfect toll road and will save a lot of your time.
Regards
Anurag,
The best route will be through Sohna – Palwal – NH2. The road is nice and also will be short as compared to the faridabad pahari wala rasta.
Gud Luck.
AJ
Came here just by chance..n got smthng to tell..
U must be talking about BSAITM…guess what!! m too facing worst 4 yrs of my lyf…not because of route..bt bcoz of college…lol. :p
Too strict..jst lyk school :/
Anyways, the MDR now is very well built..its basically a toll road now…
From ballabhgarh to village Nangla Gujran..u will face traffic, jams at peak hours n beyond that…good road..fun to drive…one can find jam at toll plaza too…bt thats restricted to peak hours only. :D
The truck drivers can b seen racing here.. :p
So one can imagine the type of road now ;)