Six cities in race for new capital
Hyderabad: The search for the new capital city of residuary Andhra Pradesh has begun with the Sivaramakrishnan committee, appointed by the Centre for the purpose, visited Visakhapatnam to undertake an assessment on the ground.
The committee would tour Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, Tirupati, Ongole and Kurnool to examine the facilities and resources available in those cities that would make them suitable for establishing the capital city.
The committee would tour these cities till May 14 and would submit a report to the Union government. On Saturday, the committee would go round Visakhapatnam city and examine the facilities there.
The Centre has ordained through the Andhra Pradesh Reorgnisation Act, 2014 that a new capital city should be established for residual Andhra Pradesh in one year's time.
It has appointed Sivaramakrishnan committee to select the city that is suitable to establish the State headquarters like Assembly, Secretariat and other heads of the department offices. Committee was asked to find out whether the cities have required qualifications.
It has to check the cities in consideration for needed qualifications for a State capital, availability of resources and the region, where it has to be established.
They would focus on the availability of land, underground water, connectivity with national highways to reach capital cities of other States, condition of the railway lines, availability of airports and other issues of the capital city.
The Centre asked the committee to submit the report within six months from the Appointed Day i.e June 2. However, various districts of Seemandhra region are vying for the capital city.
The north Andhra leaders have been rooting for Visakhapatnam to be made the capital, Sarakar districts for Vijayawada, South Andhra for Ongole and Rayalaseema for Tirupati, Kadapa or Kurnool.
The committee would examine these demands and would note the favorable and negative conditions of these cities and would recommend the most suitable place.
News Posted: 10 May, 2014
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