Singapore of Andhra Pradesh: Amaravati

Amaravati City, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh is deemed to be perfection personified. Meticulous planning, superb design and immaculate implementation of the paperwork aim to transform the looks of the 2000 years old city famous for Amareshwara Shrine which is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

How did Amaravati City come into the limelight?

On January 20, 2020, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly passed AP Decentralization and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill 2020 which gave the state the authority to make 3 capitals in the state. It was decided that the executive capital would be Vishakhapatnam; legislative capital in Amaravati and judicial centre would be in Kurnool. Vijayawada-Guntur-Tenali-Mangalagiri Urban Development Authority will monitor the progress of the development of the capital cities.

With the passing of the bill, the state would be divided into different zones and development boards. Zonal planning would be done accordingly so that funds reach to all the spheres and don’t remain allocated to a particular area.

Amaravati Metropolitan Region Development Area is planned to be constituted under the AP Metropolitan Region and Urban Development Authorities Act, 2016.

Geography of Amaravati City

Amaravati, the planned city is being built in Guntur district which lies on the banks of River Krishna. Amaravati has a historical connection as it has been ruled by Mauryas, Pallavas, Cholas, Kakityas and many more.

However, it was the vision of 13th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Nara Chandrababu Naidu to see Amaravati develop and foster in terms of infrastructure and facilities. Uddaandarayunipalem is the place where the foundation stone of the city was laid down in 2015.

Major Developments in Amaravati City

Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority issued Amravati Bond through which Rs 2000 crore was raised and it was decided to use the money for the infrastructure developments in the capital city.

Foster & Partners, one of the world’s most expensive architects have been roped in to design the city and develop it on the lines of any international city worth being looked up to. The highlights of the project undertaken by them are:

• According to the city’s master plan, there are 9 grids in which the city is divided and administrative block, state buildings, residential areas and justice city area are a part of these grids.
• Administrative City will be spread across 900 acres. Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council which constitute Legislative Complex will be spread on 160 acres. Area dedicated for Blue - Green concept is 140 acres.
• Justice City is envisioned to be a tribute to Dr. BR Ambedkar, the Father of Indian Constitution and shall be located in the south of the city.
• High Court Complex, Secretariat and State Assembly are the structures which shall stand tall amongst the others and their presence shall be felt across the city owing to their immaculate design.
• It is decided to keep around 50% area for parks and greenery and 10% for water bodies to maintain the ecological balance. 
• To reduce the pollution levels, only motorized vehicles which are energy efficient like electric buses, pods, rentable taxis and cycles shall be allowed to move in the city. This shall help to bring down the carbon levels in the city.
• Irrigation canals are planned to be upgraded to provide for the recreational areas along the banks.
• Renewable energy will be used by the buildings across the city.
• For the efficient and speedy execution of the project, Amaravati will have a dozen ring-fenced entities which will be created under Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority.
• For taking care of the infrastructure and maintenance, various separate authorities like Amaravati Development Fund, Amaravati Growth Corridor Company Limited, Amaravati Building Construction Company Limited and Amaravati Industrial shall be created.

Phased Growth

Since the plan is ambitious and there is a lot to be achieved, it is proposed that the development shall happen in 3 phases:

1. During Phase 1 which will take around 10 years the basic infrastructure will be developed which shall act as a base for the sustainability of other projects.
2. During Phase 2 which will take another 10 years, emphasis will be on modernization and urbanization.
3. During Phase 3 which will take 15 years, efforts shall be made to realize the vision statements thought of by the proposers.

It has been proposed to segregate the land in the following manner:

• 9860 hectares for park and gardens
• 8060 hectares for the residential area
• 7745 hectares for industrial use
• 4815 hectares for water bodies 
• 1300 hectares for civic facilities

Planned growth of Amaravati, the capital city of Andhra Pradesh will lead to better job opportunities and enhanced quality of life, thus making it the Singapore of Andhra Pradesh.