Govt sets up panel to select Seemandhra capital

A five-member committee set up by the Union Home Ministry to recommend the location of a new capital for the residuary State of Andhra Pradesh will be headed by former Union Urban Development Secretary K. Sivaramakrishnan.

Among the others appointed as members of the expert committee are former School of Planning and Architecture dean K.T. Ravindran, National Institute of Urban Affairs director Jagan Shah, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy director Rathin Roy and Indian Institute for Human Settlements (Bengaluru) director Aromar Revi.

The terms of reference for the committee, which has to submit its recommendation by August 31, include evaluation of various alternatives for the setting up of the capital of the new State through field visits, consultations with all the stakeholders, including the Centre and the incumbent Andhra Pradesh government. The committee will conduct a feasibility study, taking into account judicious sharing of resources between the two States and basic infrastructural availability, including road, rail and air connectivity.

While making the recommendation, the committee will consider other essential aspects such as ensuring minimum possible population displacement, their habitation and sources of income.

Apart from ensuring minimum expenditure on infrastructural development, the committee will also conduct vulnerability assessment of various locations in terms of natural calamities.

Hyderabad will remain the joint Capital of both the States for ten years, during which the new Capital and its infrastructure will be developed.