The Andhra Pradesh government has started clearing out the overgrown vegetation in the capital city of Amaravati abandoned by the previous YSRCP government even before chief minister-designate N Chandrababu Naidu’s oath ceremony could take place indicating the priority set by the new government for its revival.
Naidu is scheduled to be sworn-in as chief minister on 12 June in the presence of a host of VIPs, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who are expected to attend the ceremony.
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Newly-appointed chief secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad on Sunday inspected Uddandarayunipalem village where Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone in October, 2015. He was accompanied by the AP Capital Region Development Area (APCRDA) commissioner Vivek Yadav.
The chief secretary said, “Yesterday, chief minister (designate) garu reviewed the situation in order to immediately start work in the area under the CRDA.”
He went on to add that the initial work of jungle clearance would start at 25 places identified by the administration and around 94 JCBs are being put to work to expedite clearing out the vegetation. Work had come to a halt in the past five years after YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy came to power.
Reddy had abandoned the capital city project citing lack of funds and instead promised three separate capitals in each region of the state. He had intended to set up the executive capital in Visakhapatnam and had even promised to hold his oath ceremony at the port city. However, after TDP with its alliance swept the polls, Naidu decided to expedite the construction work at Amaravati as he had promised earlier.
“In the first stage, we will take up clearance work, and then we will review the status of each of the work and we will take further action after the swearing in,” said the chief secretary.
He listed out priority areas such as CRDA project office, water treatment plant, multi storied apartments for MP, MLA, All-India Service officers and quarters of Group D staff, Secretariat, high court and a judicial complex where clearing out the vegetation and other initial work will be taken up.
Since he had held the post of secretary of Municipal Department when Amaravati was conceived, Prasad is familiar with the task in hand. The new chief minister also has a huge challenge before him as he will have to arrange for funds for taking up further work in the capital city.
AP has been teetering at the brink of financial bankruptcy after the bifurcation of the state. However, with Naidu at the helm of national politics, thanks to BJP’s reduced numbers, the Centre is likely to be more generous with funds this time than it was during his previous tenure as chief minister.
