Just wanted to update this thread about my last weekend trip to Manthralayam from Bangalore
Route taken ITPL->Whitefield->Old Madras Road->Devanahalli(BLORE-HYD NH7)->Chikaballapur->Anantapur->Gooty(Exit from HN7)-Pattikonda->Adoni->Yemmiganur->Manthralayam.
Onward
Timings :
Start - 07:00 AM from Bangalore near ITPL.
07:50 AM - Devanahalli.
Breakfast break from 08:20AM to 08:50 AM in Kamat Upachar(BPCL COCO-Ghar Dhaba) after Chikballapur.
10:45 AM - Gooty (exit from NH 7)
12:20 AM Adoni
01:30 AM Manthalayam.
Total Time taken - 06:30 mins - includes two 10 mins break near Gooty and Yemmiganur.
Toll Amount Paid - 230 Rs (60+90+80).
Odo reading - 393 Km.
Max speed - 150kph.
Average speed 100-120kph.
Road Conditions - Perfect from Devanahalli to Gooty - a pure driving bliss - roads are pure "arrowhead straights" allowing to test your car.
From Gooty its a two laned state highway with around 5 very small stretches, with literally no roads and speed drops down less than 10kph(almost crawling),
but no complaints, since the rest of the roads even though they are SH, are really a bliss with lot of greeneries around.
Lot of villages crop up between Gooty to Manthralayam. Whenever you see a zebra crossing on the road, slowdown, since, for sure, there is a speed breaker which follows it.
Bad stretches mentioned above are
just after Gooty town till a Railway Crossing,
in the "under construction" bye pass for Pattikonda
and just after Yemmiganur.
These bad stretches are only for a few 100 meters.
Points to note -
Literally no decent eating joint to stop (especially while travelling with family and kids) after Kamat Upachar in the NH 7 highway.
Gooty town is a bit crowded, so you will have to drive at less than 20kph for about 5 km inside the town.
THe exit to gooty town comes just right after the third toll plaza.
Landmarks are - you will suddenly see a lot of fuelling stations on both sides of the highway including a BPCL COCO Ghar Dhaba on your right.
In Gooty, cross the first major junction(with a Gandhi statue) and take the left in the next major junction.
The byepass to Pattikonda town has to be carefully noted. There is only a small sign board. The exit of the byepass towards Adoni is still under construction.
You dont need to get into Adoni town too. There is right turn before Adoni town going towards Yemmiganur, right after a Bheemas Hotel on the left and a Orphanage on the right.
There is also another route from Adoni to Manthralayam by not touching Yemmiganur.
So, once you are nearing Adoni, ask directions to Yemmiganur in case if you missed the above said right turn.
Manthralayam has too many lodges for stay. But my personal advice, stay away from the middlemen who approach you as soon as you reach there and also avoid private lodges(very poorly maintained).
While coming from Yemmiganur, there is a junction where you will see Guru Raghavendra's statue on all the four sides.
Just after the junction, there is a Central Reception office run by the mutt, which provides accomodation. Contact them directly.
There is also a Punnami Hotel run by APTDC and a Karnataka Bhavan run by KSTDC in case if you want any other accomodation.
Food joints are also that hygenic. So, if you are cleanliness freak, better pack a lot of breads, biscuits, fruits and juices with you not only for stay during Manthralayam, but for the entire trip.
Also try to carry some bed spreads, pillow covers.
Return trip
Started at 08:30 AM from Manthralayam after breakfast.
Two 10 mins stoppages at Gooty and somewhere between Anantapur and CHikaballapur. Reached ITPL at 02:30 sharp.
Total Odo reading for the trip 787 Kms.
Sincerely hope this would be helpful for anyone planning to visit Manthralayam.