Capital gain

With Chandrababu Naidu back at the helm, the Amaravati project gets going again

- RAHUL DEVULAPALLI

HOURS AFTER THE results of the Andhra Pradesh assembly polls were announced, a number of heavy vehicles made their way to Amaravati, part of the state’s proposed capital region. Much to the surprise of local people, the city once again become a hive of activity.

The following days saw as many as 100 earth movers clearing overgrown vegetation near streets and under-construction government buildings intended for bureaucrats. Long lengths of pipes appeared along major roads. Amaravati was being dusted and cleaned like a showpiece.

After the alliance led by Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party, which includes the BJP and the JanaSena Party, won 164 of 175 assembly seats, Naidu wasted no time in getting down to business. He has revived his dream project of building a capital from scratch; it had been paused by the YSR Congress Party government for the past five years.

The project, backed by big names like movie director S.S. Rajamouli and renowned architect Hafeez Contractor, has two layers—the Amaravati capital city with an extent of 217sqkm and the surrounding Amaravati capital region, spread across 8,000sqkm near Vijayawada. The project is a new playing field for Naidu, who is credited with transforming Hyderabad into an IT powerhouse when he was chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh from 1995 to 2004.

Naidu hails from Naravaripalli village in the erstwhile Chittoor district. He was a Congress MLA before he joined the TDP after marrying Bhuvaneswari, daughter of legendary actor and TDP founder N.T. Rama Rao.