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.
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.
NHAI 1 under-construction
Work in progress on Karnal-Ambala-Karnal stretch
Work in progress on Karnal-Ambala-Karnal stretch
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.
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.
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
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
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
First of all thanks for the advice. Actually my plan was to go forward but I couldn’t make it.
Tell me also how to fix profile photo in my post
Sunil
Sunil , For putting the profile pic. Here is the link – http://www.gravatar.com. Just sign up there and upload your pic.
This pic will be seen as your profile pic and will also be shown along with your comments.
Sahil
Sahil, thanks for advise.
Sunil
nice trip…. long live maruti 800!!
Avoid traveling in night unless it is un-avoidable. Maruti rocks.
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 >>>>
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Very interesting, Please share more.