Andhra Pradesh Set To Resume Construction Projects In Amaravati Capital City Soon

The Andhra Pradesh (AP) government is going to restart the halted construction works for the state capital Amaravati. It has enlisted a team to determine the structural integrity of the unfinished constructions.

This decision follows the halting of all building works in recent years due to policy changes and shifting priorities under the previous government, which left many projects incomplete.

The abrupt halt has led to considerable damage: foundations are inundated, and steel reinforcements, left exposed, have deteriorated. Consequently, project sites have become overgrown, resembling "jungles".

Recently, the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) initiated jungle clearance efforts to address this.

Andhra Pradesh Urban Development Minister Ponguru Narayana announced that the AP government would conduct a study with IIT engineers to assess the structural integrity of the halted constructions in Amaravati.

A team from IIT Chennai will evaluate the foundation strength of the iconic buildings, while IIT Hyderabad's team will ensure the stability of buildings designated for public representatives, officers, and employees.

"We will proceed to restart the construction based on the reports provided by the IITs," the minister added, reports Deccan Chronicle.

According to Narayana, the previously devised capital development master plan would be executed in three phases. The first phase of city development works will cost Rs 48,000 crore, while the second phase will focus on building metro rail infrastructure and establishing a mass public transport system.

"In the next two and a half years, we will complete the development of the state capital, Amaravati," Narayana stated last month.

He also noted that visits to Singapore, China, Japan, Russia, Malaysia, and other countries were undertaken to design the best plans for Amaravati.

Tenders worth Rs 48,000 crore were previously called to ensure comprehensive amenities across the capital, with Rs 9,000 crore already paid out.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu declared Amaravati as the capital of Andhra Pradesh in 2015. Most government offices, including the secretariat, were moved to Amaravati. Naidu’s vision included transforming Amaravati into a world-class capital, that would represent people’s vision and aspiration of a happy, liveable and sustainable city.

Amaravati was selected as the new capital city of Andhra Pradesh due to its strategic location which lies between the two nodal urban centres of Vijayawada and Guntur in the capital region (8,600 sq/km).

The Telugu Desam Party's ambitious plans faced challenges when the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party, led by Jagan Mohan Reddy, came to power in 2019 and proposed a three-capital model for decentralised administration.