People of Seemandhra are continuing with their demand to keep Andhra Pradesh unified but in case the State was bifurcated, Visakhapatnam must be made capital of AP and Hyderabad can be made the second capital of the nation, APCC general secretary S.A. Rahman said here on Wednesday. Employees, students and all sections had gone beyond their limits to continue the people’s agitation and political leaders were giving an impression that some miracle would happen to keep the State unified, but he found it necessary to put forth the case of Visakhapatnam as State capital and the needs of Uttarandhra since demands were being made for funds, etc. from Rayalaseema and other regions in case the State was bifurcated, the former MLA and chairman of the VUDA said at a press conference.
“North coastal Andhra, if Visakhapatnam is set apart, is the most backward area in the State, more backward than Telangana. Now is the time for the people to discuss the future of our region. URV and UJF are talking about Uttarandhra and people must notice that even outsiders are supporting the demand for a separate railway zone for us”, Dr. Rahman said.
Every party was responsible for the backwardness of Uttarandhra for concentrating everything in Hyderabad, he said and tendered an apology to the people for not taking up the cause of the region as much as he should.
Visakhapatnam met all requirements to be made capital since it was connected by sea, air, train and road and was already having many industries, major hospitals, universities and other major institutions. The argument of it being in a corner would not hold water in the present day of world being considered a global village, said Dr. Rahman. Also capital cities which were also port cities showed tremendous development all over the world. The 20,000 acres of land adjacent to the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, which is still under Central government control, could be used to build an ultra-modern capital with all departments at one place. People must also demand setting up of an IIT, Central University, tribal university, maritime university, an all-India institution on the lines of AIIMS, separate railway zone, metro rail, international airport and other major facilities. A university on the lines of Aligarh Muslim University could also be established here.
