First Road Trip to Chandigarh

First Road Trip to Chandigarh

Hi to all Ghumakkars who are interested in exploring the various attractive and beautiful places, which provides immense pleasure to ones soul and relaxes mind. I also got inspired by one of my friend who keeps on going to long road trips to different places in Northern India during weekends.

I started making my plan since I came to know that there are holidays coming on alternative days. I planed to move to The Beautiful City in the north called as Chandigarh. My plan was to go forward also but due to some challenges it ended to Delhi – Chandigarh – Delhi.

Tour Description

1.                  Date of Journey      :      15th April 2011

2.                  Time Started      :      19:30 hrs

3.                  Vehicle Used      :      Maruti 800 (STD)

4.                  No. of PAX      :      04 (Myself as a sole driver, wife and 2 Kids)

5.                  Petrol Used      :      26.74 Liters (Tank Full)

6.                  Total Distance      :      534 KMs

Driving Conditions to and from Chandigarh

I started from Delhi and found one bottleneck through which driving is like a hell it is on the outer ring road of delhi near wazirabad where a flyover is under construction. I would prefer everyone should avoid this particular route during peak hours. Over here the max speed of the vehicle is 10 km per hour. It took me half an hour to 45 mins to get out of this traffic jam. After reaching the NH1 I refuled my car before exiting delhi near Narela. The beauty of this NH1 is that it is four laned newly built road will insist you to drive it on higher speed I went till 90 to 100 km per hour some times its 110 also. Over here I would like to mention that my sweety pie (Maruti 800 STD) is 12 years old and one of its axel is also faulty making noise. There are 3 toll plazas one at Panipat (Rs. 20/-) second at Ambala Cantt (Rs. 81/-) and other near Zirakhpur (Rs. 26/-) and vis-a-versa.

Start over from Reaching Sonepat

After crossing Karnal and uptill Ambala this full stretch is marked with diversions as the NHAI is constructing the NH1. Max speed on this stretch is not more than 50 to 60 kms per hour. Moreover in nights its very risky to travel on this stretch as it lacks the lighting. This is one of my suggestion to all ghumakkars to avoid night driving on this stretch. Ifound great difficulty in seeing the patholes but managed to drive through.

Diversions started from Karnal

NHAI 1 under-construction

Work in progress on Karnal-Ambala-Karnal stretch

This is for all travelers who are traveling by their own vehicle try to drive slow and day driving only to avoid any type of mis-happening to self or to vehicle.

Cloudy Skyline as Sun setting down

Moving at a speed of 100km/hr

As soon as i found a smooth stretch on the under-construction stretch my 12 year old sweaty pie starts cruising at 100 to 110 kms per hour. This was the very first trip form my kids and they had lot of fun during the drive and in Chandigarh. You can make out with their faces filled with enthusiasm and joy.

Their first long Journey

As we were moving forward it started drizzling and night progressed due to which darkness engulfed the entire route. We were on the outer of Karnal where the construction of flyover was in progressed and it was water logged due to heavy rains lashed. Heavy traffic jam started from that place, as we progressed further through the jam an Alto met with an accident and toppled over on the divider which added to the chaos.
Stuckup in a massive trafic jam due to rain and Accident
Reaching Chandigarh (A City Beautiful)
We reached Chandigarh at 0030hrs in night after crossing all hurdles. In night the climatic conditions were soothing and I told my kids to roll down all the glasses of the car and let the fresh cool air which was breezing through the green trees on the either side of the roads. I stayed at my brothers’ residence which is 7 kilometers after exiting from the highway NH21. Entring Chandigarh NH21 becomes Dakshin Marg but on the road side dear travelers you will find glowing sign boards of NH21 also. Next day I got up late as I was the soul driver for the entire route. I didn’t got much time but in the evening I went to the Sector – 17 market which is much much bigger than the South Ex and GK M Block market. if we combine the three markets of GK m block, South Ex and GK m Block part II, then one Sector 17 market is formed. Every round about  in Chandigarh has illuminated fountains. I also noticed that their were disco thicks after 5 to 6 branded showrooms.
On Sunday I was planned to go to the very famous Rock Garden and Sukhna Lake but couldn’t make it.
I am sorry to say over here that I forgot to take pictures of the beautiful city what I mentioned here and my inner heart every day keeps me on my nerves I have been to Chandigarh and didn’t saw the man made heavens on Earth.
But I unambiguously assure that in the next trip anywhere I will keep my camera handy and take as many pictures as I can.
Thanks to my 12 year old Sweaty Pie. Total average of my car came to 20 km/liters with a faulty axle with accurate tire pressure.

11 Comments

  • Vibha says:
    April 30, 2011 at 11:49 am

    Hello Sunil, Welcome to Ghumakkar and thanks for the detailed post.

    The flyover at wazirabad has been under construction for a long time now. It still does not seem to be even remotely near completion.

    Your details about the ongoing constructions on the highways will be really helpful for any fellow ghumakkars who plan to drive on this route.

    Keep travelling and keep writing.

    -Vibha

    Reply
  • Sahil says:
    April 30, 2011 at 4:31 pm

    Sunil , Great to see that people still manage to pull of nice road trips on Maruti 800.
    Congratulations for your first road trip.

    I also do long road trips on My M800. Last month also I was on NH-1 towards Shimla. We too visited Rock Garden, Sukhna Lake. But our main destination was Himachal.

    Sahil

    Reply
    • Sahil says:
      April 30, 2011 at 4:48 pm

      Sunil , one advice that whenever you are doing a road trip with your family avoid travelling at night. Rather you start early morning. That way it would be much safer even in case of the car breakdown.

      Till now I have also taken my M800 to Punjab(till Amritsar) , Himachal , Uttarakhand , Rajasthan. But I also prefer leaving early morning.

      Sahil

      Reply
  • Onil Gandhi says:
    May 4, 2011 at 10:02 am

    nice trip…. long live maruti 800!!

    Reply
  • Nandan says:
    May 4, 2011 at 6:49 pm

    Avoid traveling in night unless it is un-avoidable. Maruti rocks.

    Reply
  • Rushabh says:
    January 8, 2012 at 10:29 am

    Your Article has increased my confidence in my Lovely Maruti 800. I have done frequent roadtrip, but I must say it never gives me Breakdown.

    Thanks.Keep writing >>>>

    Reply
  • SHIV BATRA says:
    May 26, 2014 at 1:37 am

    It was gr8 to read comments about chandigarh, I wish to help the traveller and inform if you wish to hire very well furnished Three BR (6 to 8 persons may stay too easily at nominal charges) Flat very near to chandigarh for enjoying family hoildays at chandigarh or around chandigarh which is surely the best city of our country.contact me at 09716589509

    Reply
  • Freddy Joe says:
    August 25, 2022 at 10:42 am

    Very interesting, Please share more.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *