When we go out on a road trip, we always make sure that the route has enough fuel station as well as other convenience facilities to ease our travel. The convenience services on highways generally exist to provide essential amenities like fuel, food, clean restrooms, and rest areas for travelers. After continuous driving for long duration we all need a break and these convenience points helps us to get rid of our fatigue. These services transform highways from simple transit routes into supported corridors for safe, convenient, and economically viable travel. However, what if we do not get any of the services and find ourself in middle of nowhere, with long stretch road in front of us.
This is a real life experience which left leave a scary experience to me. On my last trip to Amritsar, we took a highway that connect Gurgaon to Northern parts of India. Having a newly built highway and the best shortest route. We began our travel in the afternoon. We wanted to take our meals in between the trip. It all vegan with smooth ride. The road was wide and there were 0 traffic. We were cruising nicely, listening to music and gossiping on different topics. We are unaware that the trip going to be quite long. It was a 138 KM national highway. Finding no traffic we were enjoying drive. But it does not take long to notice that there are only empty roads in front and there are no other facilities nearby. It does send a chill down to spine.
It was strange for all of us. Generally we find many stall , kiosks, fuel station in short intervals. But this long stretch of notional highway has nothing. On both sides we can see vast areas on farming fields followed by some remotely located home. But there are very few diversion to connect to such places. In India, National highway were built with many convenience stop in between. But this is one of those which does not find anything nearby. Driving on such routes is quite risky, as if the fuel tank gets empty, there are no alternative to tow away the vehicle. It was a completely deserted stretch that make us quite in no time. Thankfully, we began our journey with full tank of fuel. Having missed that we might face a lot of trouble.
There were few marking on the road, and few un-operational toilet. Road trip was never been scary before. The convenience facilities along the national highway provides a good employment generation for local people. But on this stretch, we cant locate even a bird. No human being and an isolated stretch. Honestly, if the travel was occurred at night we might unable to compete it. I am sure it would be a darker ride of life. Anyway, through out the trip, we kept praying for our well being with the hope to get some option either for convenience or any fuel station. What began a fund road trip soon transform into a silent trip. We were just hoping to find something in our route. It was only after 4hrs, that we took a sigh of relief after finding a market and then a fuel station. Those 4hrs were the longest hour of our life that simply took our breath away.
It was later learnt that the highway was newly built and the civic amenities were not yet started. It will take some more time to get everything in place. The highway is not at all suitable for night traveler's. It is risky in case breakdown or any mishappening. As the stretch neither has any facilities nor traffic nor any residential occupancy nearby. The trip taught us to make full enquiry before hitting the road.
In good faith - Peace!!
