[MileCruncher]

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

Guys,
Any pointers on where to halt enroute to bangalore from hyderabad for breakfast/food and refuelling. I would like to refuel before entering Karnataka as supposedly fuel is costly in Karnataka.

If you start at 4 from Hyderabad, you should be in Kurnool by 7 AM. There are quite a few small dhaba's and Ghar Dhaba. You can take a pick amongst them. For fuel I suggest you fill-up just after Gooty at BPCL COCO which has a Ghar Dhaba as well. This is the last good fuel pump before entering Karnataka.

[raghu230506]

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

If you start at 4 from Hyderabad, you should be in Kurnool by 7 AM. There are quite a few small dhaba's and Ghar Dhaba. You can take a pick amongst them. For fuel I suggest you fill-up just after Gooty at BPCL COCO which has a Ghar Dhaba as well. This is the last good fuel pump before entering Karnataka.

I had stopped here for breakfast on my way from Bangalore to Hyderabad, taste was good as far the ones which I ordered (dosa and idly).

Don't know about lunch/Dinner.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

If you start at 4 from Hyderabad, you should be in Kurnool by 7 AM. There are quite a few small dhaba's and Ghar Dhaba. You can take a pick amongst them. For fuel I suggest you fill-up just after Gooty at BPCL COCO which has a Ghar Dhaba as well. This is the last good fuel pump before entering Karnataka.

Theres a good HP pump at Anantpur as well,the only one that accepts cards on this stretch,as for the Ghars,forget about the washrooms,their claim is that they are not getting people to wash the washrooms...phew..quite a tall excuse.

[gajadonga]

I had been to Banglore 3 days back.From Kurnool to Penukonda is almost complete.The bypass to Anathapur and Penukonda is going on.Still I feel Gooty Ghar dhaba is the only good option to stop by and refuel.

[GTO]

Received this email from ivnsraju (Thanks for sharing!):

The drive from Hyderabad to Bangalore is 80% pleasant. the 20% is due to that portion of 4 laning work that is yet to be completed. Once this is completed you can drive on this at 90 kmph and reach the total distance of 550 KM within 6 to 7 hours. the Rail Over Bridges at couple of places and some stretches of 4-Laning is yet to be completed.

Unfortunately the signage is not yet complete and hence you need to watch closely the flow of traffic and then take diversions. At some places the diversions are not certain meaning whether to take a diversion or not is doubtful. You would not find any one to seek help - particularly during day time. then see the tyre marks and proceed. I had to travel two KM and return to take a diversion. The barricading is also not properly done. Hence night driving must be very cautious. ON the whole the drive is excellent. I took the route from Kukatpally via Mehdipatnam and on to PVNR flyover as I got down from this long flyover, I was welcome by NH7. I drove straight on that and reached Jadcherla with a very pleasant driving experience. The signage on the roads is of international standard. you would have around 130 KM drive without any blockage. Later on the road gets several diversions most of them are on the other side of the 4-Lane meaning using only single lane and at three places you need to get on to the good old 2-lane road where you find a board - roads speak of our culture!!!

Again after Kurnool you would have some more diversions and after than once you cross Penukonda and Done, you would have another stretch of 200+ KM very good 4-lane leading you to touch B'lore. As you see the B-Trac board watch your speed and maintain it below 80 KMPH so that you are not penalised by the traffic police. Since I need to go to Jalahalli (HMT Colony) I took the Tumkur road (by not plying in the flyover and turn right to touch the Outer Ring Road going to Tumkur- the continuation of NH7. Within 15-20 mts I reached my sister's quarter in the HMT Colony.

I took 10 hours with a break of one hour or so to reach Bangalore.

Another caution is the very bad speed breaks at rail crossings on the old 2 lane NH7. you must come to 10 KMPH speed to cross them safely. There are 3 such railway crossings.

the care you must take:
Ensure that you have good supply of water, food. You would not find any good motel on the way. The route is yet to be populated by day time driving. You would find very long stretches with barren lands on both the sides, a bit unpleasant one to look at. Probably the best time is sept - Janurary on this road so that you can see some greenary.

since the NH7 does not touch big towns you are saved from the madness of traffic. There are no worth seeing places enroute.
Hope as the 4 laning work gets completed (mostly by June or july this year (2010) ), you would have a very nice road to drive between Hyderabad and Bangalore.

[9tMax]

There is one more place for food just slightly after the Gooty BPCL COCO outlet, when you are going from Hyd, it's on your left side. Its called Hotel Ravi Teja - food was ok, just the type you get in any standard road-side dhaba. In fact I have never been able to get any food in that BPCL Ghar dhaba - whenever we tried it was closed.
As for the fuel price, I also thought that it will be much more costly in KA than in AP, but was pleasantly surprised to find the difference of only a few paise.

[Fordmanchau]

Looks like the drive to Bangalore will be good. I am only skeptical about the rest room facilities enroute at the Ghar Dhabas of BPCL and other Dhaba as my wife will also be there.
Thanks for all the update to
Anirudh, ranjit,gajadonga, raghu,9tmax and GTO.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by 9tMax

There is one more place for food just slightly after the Gooty BPCL COCO outlet, when you are going from Hyd, it's on your left side. Its called Hotel Ravi Teja - food was ok, just the type you get in any standard road-side dhaba.

Hotel Ravi Teja is 7 kms from Gooty towards Bangalore.

[sriturl]

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

Looks like the drive to Bangalore will be good. I am only skeptical about the rest room facilities enroute at the Ghar Dhabas of BPCL and other Dhaba as my wife will also be there.
Thanks for all the update to
Anirudh, ranjit,gajadonga, raghu,9tmax and GTO.

Rest room facilities are generally fine at all BP COCO outlets on this way. I normally stop there. There used to be a few Reliance outlets which have good rest rooms, if they are re-opened, they are also good options. I normally travel with my wife and daughter, and these places are fairly neat places to stop.

[9tMax]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Hotel Ravi Teja is 7 kms from Gooty towards Bangalore.

Forgot to mention in my previous post that there is one more hotel Ravi Teja inside Gooty proper, just after the bifurcation for Tadipatri, and this one also is on your left side. Both of them are owned by the same person. But don't even think of stopping at this one - it's an absolutely lousy place. I came to know all these in a very hard way - when we were forced to spend one night in that place during last september's kurnool flood.

[gajadonga]

While travelling from Hyderabad after crossing the Karnataka border till you reach Devanahalli there were quite huge speedbreakers at intersections I was careful this time not to fly on these speed breakers, all these have been removed when I traveled last week.

[ranjitp1]

Just completed a BLR-HYD trip,must admit,NH7 has become a delight to drive on,the roads are in supreme condition.

Left Hebbal @ 0400,Anantpur @ 0630,Kurnool @ 0900,Mehdipatnam @1115.Total Drive time 7.5hrs,no breaks taken except a 10minute break for refuelling at Kurnool BP Ghar.Total Toll paid INR INR 134.

The only stretch where one would lose time is between Kurnool & A'pur as 4 laning is still in progress,so lane changing is very frequent,but tarmac conditions are excellent.Did not find any unpainted speedbreakers on the stretch,

No facilities whatsoever on the entire stretch.BP Ghars are a shame and it would be better off if they discontinue it,the washrooms are pathetic.

[Fordmanchau]

Drove to Bangalore on 2nd April and came back on 5th April 2010.
NH 7 as everybody has experienced has really become a delight.
Hyd-Kurnool is a fun run, covered 220kms in around 150minutes. Truckers occupied left lane and gave space to overtake.Started at 3:30 a.m and reached Devanahalli at 11:30 a.m with 40 minutes break at Reliance A1 Dhaba. From devanahalli to C V Raman Nagar, off old madras road took me around 45 minutes. So by 12:30p.m was comfortably sipping tea. Total 577 kms of travel.

Return journey on 5th April:Started at 10a.m from C V Raman Nagar, took around an hour to cross Devanahalli, drove continously till Gooty, then stopped for lunch @ hotel Raviteja at around 3p.m. Started and drove straight to hyderabad and reached home at 6:30 p.m. Total 580 kms approximately.

The diversions between Kurnool till Ananthpur can get dangerous sometimes. So, the stretch should be driven with caution, but can easily maintain speeds of 90-100kmph.
Saw some serious accidents enroute.
I filled petrol at BP pump before kurnool that accepted credit card. I feel there are many good pumps enroute that accepts credit card. so no major hassles for fuel.

[ampere]

Any places to visit on this section? Not aware of any. Only place I know is Puttaparthi and nothing else.

[smsrini]

Originally Posted by ampere

Any places to visit on this section? Not aware of any. Only place I know is Puttaparthi and nothing else.

- Lepakshi near Hindupur.

- Kumbhakarana statue near Penukonda. rest stop off the highway. good fun for kids..

- Belum caves off Ananthapur - Stalacite and Stalagmite / limestone caves.

- Timbaktu ( serious, there's a place with this name, not sure what's there )

- Puttaparthi

- beechupalle during /after monsoons - to bathe in the Krishna river.

cheers!
Srini