The expert panel constituted by Andhra Pradesh government to review the development plans on state capital Amaravati has sought public opinion. The five-member committee, comprising urban planning experts, on Monday said people can send their opinion or suggestions through letter or email.
The panel, headed by retired IAS officer G. Nageswara Rao, will receive the opinions and suggestions from people by November 12. The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government had last month constituted the panel, which also has Mahaveer, Professor of Planning, School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi; Anjali Mohan, Urban and Regional Planner; Shivananda Swamy, CEPT, Ahmedabad; K. T. Ravindran, retired professor, Delhi School of Architecture; and K. V. Arunachalam, retired Chief Urban Planner, Chennai, as its members. Municipal Administration Minister Botsa Satyanarayana had said last week that the government will decide after receipt of the expert committee”s report whether to go ahead with the development of Amaravati as the state capital or look for another location.
He said the government would take a stand after the expert committee submits its report in six weeks. The minister had stated that the panel will visit various regions in the state and elicit people’s opinion on the capital city. The committee will take into account the conditions in various regions and submit its report in six weeks. “The government will proceed based on the committee’s report,” he had said. Uncertainty continued over future of Amaravati ever since YSRCP came to power in May. The idea of new capital city was the brainchild of former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
However, Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy accused his predecessor of resorting to insider trading while selecting Amaravati to build the state capital to benefit his relatives and those close to him. YSRCP also alleged that Naidu went ahead with the development of Amaravati despite a committee advising the government against it due to floods threat. In June, the World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) withdrew from Amaravati project. Both the financial institutions together were to pump in $500 million into the project.
