The visit of the Capital Citation Committee (K. Sivaramakrishnan Committee) to the temple city on Wednesday, seeking representations for the potential location of capital zones, passed off smoothly with fervent appeals from participants for making Tirupati the capital and decentralised development across the State.
Members of political parties, non-governmental organisations and individuals highlighted the importance of Tirupati and the region’s strengths.
They vouched for the overall development of the State, laying stress on decentralisation across the various districts.
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While Congress representatives cited the proximity of the temple city to metropolitan cities like Bangalore and Chennai, members of the BJP urged the committee members to set up a capital without causing inconvenience to people, especially those of Rayalaseema, who had been subjected to gross injustice in the past.
Centre for Rayalaseema Studies (CRS) president Bhuman advised policy makers not to cite non-availability of water resources and government lands as a reason for not setting up the capital. Reiterating Mr. Bhuman’s view, Prof. Krishna Mohan Reddy of Sri Venkateswara University (SVU) maintained that developing a capital on the lines of Hyderabad would cause another movement for a separate State.
Members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the YSRC termed the exercise of the committee an “eyewash”.
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They alleged that the State government had already finalised the region, and that it was evident from halting land registration at some places. Some questioned as to why the committee was not established before bifurcation, as Andhra Pradesh was the first State to be divided without a capital city.
Andhra Pradesh Abhivruddhi Porata Samithi (AAPS) president N. Raja Reddy and secretary T. Venkateswarlu demanded that Tirupati be made the capital or at least the second capital.
Connectivity
Meanwhile, panel member Aromar Revi maintained that providing connectivity between regional hubs like Tirupati and Vijayawada would usher in development. “Many areas are reeling under drought-like condition, while water supply is important in development,” he said. The panel felt that the feeling of being historically neglected was palpable among the people of Rayalaseema.
Earlier, district officials apprised the committee of existing infrastructure facilities through topographic and satellite images. Besides seeking representations for the capital, the committee also kept track of the special development challenges of the regions.