Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu inspecting the Amaravati capital region. (File photo)
| Photo Credit: G.N. RAO
The Andhra Pradesh government has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that it has ‘firmly concluded’ Amaravati as the State capital and is accordingly taking up development activity as per the extant master plan, with a target to complete it in three years.
Chief Secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad said in the affidavit that taking into account the current situation with regard to the promises made to people, especially the stakeholders of the Land Pooling Scheme (LPS), the government decided to fulfil its statutory and contractual obligations thereof, and to comply with a High Court judgment of March 3, 2022.
The officer mentioned that the government would, as per the development agreement, continue with and complete the construction of a single capital located at Amaravati having offices of the State’s three civic wings in terms of the master plan that was notified on February 26, 2016.
As far as the remaining aspects of LPS are concerned, the officer submitted that the State and the AP Capital Region Development Authority (AP – CRDA) would complete the process of development and infrastructure in the Amaravati Capital City and Region within three years instead of one month as ordered by the HC, as the set timelines have been overtaken by the past events (abandonment of development works in the wake of formation of the new government in May 2019).
The development will be in line with nine thematic cities in a phased manner till the year 2050 depending on the needs and opportunities that would arise.
By undertaking to comply with any directions from the apex court, Mr. Prasad prayed for disposal of the special leave petitions filed in the matter.
Amaravati was envisioned not only as an administrative city but also an economic hub consisting of 27 townships of 1,000 acres each within the capital city and the Central Business District at the Krishna riverfront was planned to house important corporate and financial establishments.
Senior Advocate Unnam Muralidhar Rao, who appeared for the farmers, told The Hindu that the petitions – State of AP vs. Rajadhani Rythu Parirakshana Samithi, Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi vs. Union of India and Mandava Ramesh – are scheduled to be heard by Justice Sanjay Kumar on December 12.
He said taking up the larger cause of protection of the ‘people’s capital’ on a pro bono basis on behalf of the Telugu people gave him immense pleasure.
Published – December 11, 2024 12:14 pm IST
