Andhra Pradesh chooses Visakhapatnam over Amaravati as new state capital

BENGALURU The southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh has chosen the coastal city of Visakhapatnam to be its new capital, effectively shelving the development of Amaravati, a city that was to be built from scratch by Singapore developers.

- Rohini Mohan India Correspondent

"Here I am, to invite you to Visakhapatnam, which is going to be our capital in the days to come," Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy said on Tuesday, announcing a global investor summit scheduled for March 3 and 4.

Mr Reddy did not offer a timeline, but added: "I myself will be shifting over to Visakhapatnam in the months to come." He currently resides in Amaravati, which has a secretariat, court, half-constructed government buildings and roads. Mr Reddy decided in 2019 to stop the development of the proposed capital city a pet project of the previous state government - shortly after coming to power.

Amaravati has been at the centre of political wrangling in the southern state for nine years.

Singapore had been involved in the Amaravati project since 2014, when Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated and lost its erstwhile capital city Hyderabad to the newly created state of Telangana.

A new city was planned on the banks of the river Krishna, starting with the construction of a 684ha start-up area on the site of what was villages and farmland.