Taking to social media platform X, Naidu expressed his pride in reviving the “people’s capital” and thanked the farmers who protested to keep the dream of Amaravati alive. “Our farmer sisters and brothers stood strong against every brutality unleashed,” he wrote, celebrating the renewed efforts to rebuild Amaravati “brick by brick, heart by heart.”
The work on the G7 building in Rayapudi, originally launched in 2017 at a cost of Rs 160 crore during Naidu’s earlier term as chief minister, was abruptly halted in 2019 after the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) came to power. The YSRCP government proposed the controversial three-capital plan, which included Visakhapatnam, Kurnool, and Amaravati, effectively putting Amaravati’s development on hold.
Now, following the landslide victory of Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in June 2024, the Amaravati project is back on track. The Chief Minister has committed to completing the development of the greenfield capital city within three years, at an estimated cost of Rs 52,000 crore.
Amaravati’s Revival and Vision for the Future
Naidu also outlined plans to develop Visakhapatnam as a financial hub and establish a High Court Bench in Kurnool, reinforcing his commitment to balanced regional development.
He criticized the previous YSRCP government for halting Amaravati’s development due to “vindictive politics,” accusing it of ruining the hard work accomplished between 2014 and 2019. During his earlier tenure, Naidu’s government pooled 34,241 acres of land from 29,881 farmers and acquired 4,300 acres of additional land for the capital city project. He claimed that the land pool, totaling 15,167 acres of government land, was the largest of its kind globally.
“The YSRCP wasted all the efforts we made in that period,” Naidu said, adding that investor confidence has been restored under the new NDA government. He noted that institutions like the World Bank and other lending agencies are now showing renewed interest in supporting the Amaravati project.
Naidu refuted the claims made by the previous administration that Amaravati would cost Rs 1 lakh crore, maintaining that the project will be self-financing. He reaffirmed his Vision 2047 for the state’s long-term development and took a swipe at his critics, remarking, “The ‘420s’ can’t understand my vision.”
The relaunch of Amaravati’s development marks a significant milestone for Naidu, whose vision for the capital city has long been central to his political agenda. With a clear timeline and renewed energy, Amaravati is once again poised to become the administrative heart of Andhra Pradesh.
