VIJAYAWADA: In an interesting development, the state govt is contemplating to request the Centre to explore the possibility of making Amaravati as the capital city of Andhra Pradesh through amendment of the AP Reorganisation Act.
In the absence of the statutory status, farmers and realtors of Amaravati region have been gripped with anxiety about the fate of the capital city in the future. The previous YSRCP regime's ploy with three capital cities and subsequent court cases has brought life to a standstill in Amaravati for about five years.
Surprisingly, due to apprehensions among several quarters, the enthusiasm has not fully returned to the capital city even after Chandrababu Naidu returned to power. In fact, the bankers were also reportedly hesitant to grant loans to private projects in the capital city area.
The farmers of the capital city expressed their apprehensions with the notice of chief minister Chandrababu Naidu during a meeting held late on Monday night and requested the chief minister to influence Prime Minister Narendra Modi to amend the Act.
Responding positively, chief minister Chandrababu Naidu promised to get a statutory status for Amaravati as state's capital city through a separate legislation in the parliament. He explained that it could not be done in the past as Hyderabad remained the common capital for AP and Telangana till 2024.
"Since the common capital term has expired, I think we can raise a request with the Prime Minister on the issue. Amaravati should be declared as single capital city of the state," said Naidu.
Although, the chief minister has been asserting that Amaravati will remain as the sole capital city, the govt has so far not considered going for a legislation in the parliament and insulate its future till the farmers raised the issue. Sources said that the state govt thought of putting an end to the issue through a verdict from the Supreme Court in the ongoing litigation over the capital city.
With farmers demanding a legislation, the chief minister promised to look into the issue by amending the AP Reorganisation Act. Curiously, the Centre filed an affidavit in the AP high court saying it has no role in the issue of the capital city when the previous YSRCP regime wanted to go for three capitals.
It had also made it clear that selection of the capital city is purely state govt's prerogative. This stand created further confusion among the investors, farmers and realtors.
In fact, representatives of real-estate bodies-Credai and Naredco have also raised similar concerns during their meetings with municipal administration minister Narayana.
They explained that the market is not witnessing the expected traction due to apprehensions among the customers on the status of the capital city. "Chief minister promised to look into the issue of getting statutory status to Amaravati," said Narayana.
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