Amaravati: From mythology to reality

Touted to be modelled after Singapore, Amaravati is projected as a city that would be rich in greenery, industrialisation and energy-efficient buildings.

The foundation stone for Andhra Pradesh's new capital Amaravati will be laid today. Pitched as a world-class riverfront capital city, Amaravati will be an energy-efficient and green city with concentration on industrial hubs. Here is a look at the layout plans of the new capital and its rich history:

A world class city in the making

1. »Core capital area is spread across 16.9 sq.km
2. » Amaravati will cater to a population of 11.5 million
3. » To create 3.3 million jobs by 2035
4. » Open and green spaces to cover 40% of capital area
5. » Mega city will be linked to seven regional centres which in turn will become industrial hubs

Public waterfrontReligious tourist circuit Metro rail networkDowntown roadBike and walkwaysInternal road networkBus rapid transitCollector roads

Mobility and Accessibility
30 km	250 km	12 km	7 km
300 km	1000 km	15 km	53 km

>World-class Andhra Pradesh capital is the aim: Chandrababu Naidu

In a wide-ranging interview with The Hindu, the Chief Minister spoke of his passion for the State’s new capital, the foundation ceremony of which he is organising on a grand scale tomorrow.

>Big Plans for the new capital

Amaravathi, the capital for Andhra Pradesh after bifurcation, is to be a fabulous riverfront city modelled on Singapore. But quite a few hurdles loom ahead

>Amaravati: A financial and business hub

The seed capital plan for the new capital Amaravati, unveiled by the Singapore agencies, projects the core capital region more as a hub of financial and business activities than a place to live in.

>Foundation for Amaravati: in pictures

Preparations are on in full swing at Uddandarayunipalem village in Guntur district for getting the venue for foundation stone laying ceremony of Amaravati Seed Capital.

Fact files

• Hoary past: In Indian mythology, Amaravati is the capital of the celestial beings. Historically, it was the capital of Satavahanas, the first great Andhra kings who ruled from the 2nd century BCE to the 3rd century CE after the downfall of the Maurya Empire. Located in Guntur district on the banks of Krishna river,it is also known as Punyakshetra or Amareswaram
• Rich in Culture: The city’s heritage includes the famous Amareswara temple (dedicated to Lord Siva, present in the form of a 15-foot-tall, white-marble Siva lingam), Mahachaitya (The Great Stupa, built around the 2nd century, with intricate carvings that depict the life and teachings of Lord Buddha) and Buddhist sculptures and slabs with Buddhist inscriptions.
• Mega project: Preliminary proposals were to construct 20-storeyed towers to house families of about 15,000 to 20,000 employees. The cost of mega project is estimated at about Rs.2,600 crore. Of this 80 per cent would be the share of HUDCO and State government would bear 20 per cent.
• Heritage development: Amaravathi is among 12 cities selected for implementation of the Heritage Development and Augmentation Yojana in the first phase.
• Joint capital: Hyderabad will remain the joint capital of AP and Telangana for 10 more years till Amaravati is ready. The design suggests that the proposed greenfield capital will have an extensive road network, covering over 1,000 kms
• Tourism: With Amaravati being a key constituent in the Buddhist circuit, a 250-km religious tourism circuit has been incorporated into the core capital region.

>Migrant workers’ expectations

>Influence of Singapore

>A unique capital, says Krishna Rao

>Is Vijayawada the poor cousin ?

Timeline: A long road to Amaravati

• March 14, 2014: The date of June 2 is set for the formal bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh into Telangana and residuary Andhra Pradesh states.
• June 8: Chandrababu Naidu takes office as chief minister of residuary Andhra Pradesh.
• July 22: The State Government says new capital will be between Vijayawada and Guntur.
• Oct. 30: Agriculture Minister P. Pulla Rao says the new capital will built upon 30,000 acres of land across 17 villages -- 14 in Tullur mandal and three in Managalgiri mandal. Land will be acquired through land pooling and landowners would be persuaded. The old Vijayawada-Guntur-Tenali-Mangalagiri Urban Development Authority would be abolished and a new Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) would be constituted.
• Dec. 8: Chief Minister unveils the land pooling policy and compensation package for land owners. Patta holders in dryland areas will get a fully developed residential plot of 1,000 sq. yards and a commercial plot of 200 sq. yards. For assigned land owners: 800 sq. yards residential and 100 sq. yards commercial. In the jareeb lands close to the river banks, patta owners are to get 1,000 sq. yards residential and 300 sq. yards commercial. Assigned land owners here would get 800 sq. yards residential and 200 sq. yards commercial. In addition, dryland owners would get Rs. 30,000 a year as annuity for 10 years to compensate for the loss of agricultural income with a Rs. 3,000 increase per year. For jareeb farmers: annuity of Rs 50,000 per year with a Rs. 5,000 increase every year.
• Dec. 31: Government notifies an area covering 7068 sq. km as the broader AP Capital Region and 122 sq. km as the Capital City region. The AP Capital Region Development Authority Act, 2014 comes into force.
• Jan. 3, 2015: Municipal Administration Minister P. Narayana releases gazette notification for the Land Pooling Scheme (LPS) at Nelapadu village.
• FEB. 27: Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu announces enhanced package for jareeb farmers in river front villages: 1000 sq. yard residential plots plus 450 sq. yard commercial plot per each acre surrendered. Similar enhanced package extended to farmers in the semi-urban villages of Navuluru, Yerrabalem, Undavalli, Penumaka and Bethapudi. government also annuity of Rs 30000 per year to farmers in upland areas and Rs.50,000 per year to jareeb farmers even if they have less than an acre.
• March 5: Jana Sena party chief Pawan Kalyan warns of an indefinite fast if the Government tries to forcibly acquire land from farmers. Visiting Undavalli, he says he has no problem if farmers give their land voluntarily. “But I will fight if I come to know that your land is being taken away forcibly.”
• April 1: Cabinet approves Amaravati as the name of the new capital. It’s named after the mythological City of the Gods.
• May 26: Singapore’s Second Minister for Trade and Industry S. Iswaran hands over master plan for Amaravati. He calls it the People’s Capital and says it will be a “very liveable city”. He says the plan envisages use of green spaces and natural assets with emphasis on public transport.
• June 7: Chandrababu Naidu performs the bhoomi puja for Amaravati. Announces his resolve to develop it into an economic hub to beat even Singapore.
• July 21: The government of Singapore presents a master plan for the seed capital area (SCA) of Amaravati. The plan defines the exact locations of the legislative and administrative buildings and the downtown area. The seed capital is spread over an area of 16.9 sq. km., enveloping three villages: Lingayapalem, Tallayapalem and Uddandarayapalem. The seed capital is planned for three lakh residents.
• Aug. 24: Jana Sena Chief Pawan Kalyan visits riverfront villages again to meet farmers who are protesting that their lands are being acquired through coercion.
• Aug. 27: YSR Congress chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy declares that all farmers will get their land back if his party is voted to power. “The TDP Government is not going to last long. It will be shortly bundled out and thrown into the Bay of Bengal,” he says.
• Oct. 11: National Green Tribunal (NGT) asks State Government not to proceed with work in the capital area until the Amaravati project gets environmental clearance. But the State Government says the NGT’s concerns will not be an impediment to the foundation stone ceremony on Oct. 22.
• Oct. 17: Preparations to celebrate the Amaravati foundation ceremony gather speed.
• Oct. 18: Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu meets Telangana CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao to invite him to the ceremony.
• Oct. 21: All set for the Amaravati foundation ceremony at Uddandarayunipallem on Oct. 22.