Dhone

Dhone or Dronachalam is a town in Nandyal district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipality located in Dhone mandal, and it is the head quarters of Dhone revenue division.

History
Dhone was formerly known as Dronachalam. Dhone is the second biggest municipality in Nandyal district after Nandyal Municipality. According to local tradition, the name of the village is derived from the name of the tutor Dronacharya, a character in Mahabharata, who meditated on the hill in village. There is now a Hanuman temple, Dargah and church on the hill. Dhone has large deposits of high quality limestone, and it was previously the site of an active quarry. The quarry is no longer in operation. The oldest temple in Dhone is Sri Vasavi Temple, which was constructed in 1916. The Vasavi Temple celebrated 100 at the year 2017.

Geography
Dhone is surrounded by hills on its south. Geographically it is located on Erramala hills.

Demographics
According to 2011 census, Dhone had population of 59,272 of which 29,470 were male and 29,802 were female.

Population of children aged of 0-6 was 7,118, which is 12.01% of the total population of Dhone. The female sex ratio is of 1011 against state average of 993. Moreover, the child sex ratio in Dhone is around 954 compared to Andhra Pradesh state average of 939. Literacy rate of Dhone city is 72.33% higher than state average of 67.02%. In Dhone, male literacy is around 81.88% while female literacy rate is 62.96%.

Economy
Dhone has large deposits of high quality limestone. It also have good size of Granite and Polish slab Factories. Dhone is Industrially developing town.

Civic administration
Dhone is a Municipality in district of Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh. The Dhone city is divided into 32 wards for which elections are held every five years.

The municipality was established in the year 2005 and has an extent of 9.85 km2. During 2010–2011 period, total expenditure per annum was inr 4310000000, while the total income generated per annum was inr 5150000000. The municipality provided 798 public taps, 186 bore-wells, length of 106.28 km roads, 1551 street lights, a park, public market, elementary and secondary schools etc.

Revenue Division
Dhone Revenue Division have six mandals:
 * 1) Dhone
 * 2) Peapully
 * 3) Bethamcherla
 * 4) Banaganapalle
 * 5) Owk
 * 6) Koilakuntla.

Politics
Dhone is represented by Dhone (Assembly constituency) for Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Buggana Rajendranath Reddy is the present MLA of the constituency representing YSRCP. Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy elected as CM for Andhra Pradesh represented Dhone constituency.

Railways
Dhone Junction railway station is located in Guntakal railway division of the South Central Railway zone. This junction is one of the oldest railway junctions in India.Guntur - Hubli line and Secunderabad - Bengaluru line meet in the Dhone Junction Railway station. Dhone railway station is the biggest railway station in Nandyal district.

Roadways
The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation operates bus services from Dhone bus station. Dhone has bus station situated near National Highway 44, which is called North - South corridor.

Distance to major towns and cities

 * 1) Kurnool = 52 km
 * 2) Nandyal = 82 km
 * 3) Adoni = 100 km
 * 4) Bethamcherla = 36 km
 * 5) Banaganapalle = 47 km
 * 6) Gooty = 43 km
 * 7) Anantapuram = 95 km
 * 8) Kadapa = 180 km
 * 9) Tirupati = 316 km
 * 10) Bellary = 130 km
 * 11) Hyderabad = 263 km
 * 12) Bengaluru = 310 km
 * 13) Vijayawada = 395 km
 * 14) Visakhapatnam = 745 km
 * 15) Guntur        = 357 km

Villages

 * Chanugondla
 * Ungaranigundla