By SNV Sudhir
A study conducted by, Delhi based Innovative Transport
Solutions (iTrans), an urban transport consultancy, formerly an incubation unit
in the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi), in association with a
local NGO Vaada Foundation found that these two cities have much better
existing infrastructure and have the potential to take in more growth over the
future. iTrans has experts from IIT
Delhi.
Vizag, Vijayawada, Guntur, Kurnool and Ongole were assessed
by the group for three months and studied the aspects of - existing population
and city area, presence of a thriving economy, and regional connectivity i.e.
air, rail and road connectivity.
The existing city area of Kurnool
and Ongole is very less and hence creating the new capital is like creating a new city altogether,
which is not a good choice, said the report. As per the excerpts of the report,
which was prepared by Vaada Foundation, accessed by this newspaper, it involves
huge land acquisition and investment requirements from the centre if Ongole or Kurnool is
considered.
Interestingly between Vizag and Vijayawada ,
even though the former has better existing infrastructure and economy, Vijayawada is a city with
good connectivity to all the Seemandhra districts including Rayalaseema, said
the report. The report suggested and recommended Vijayawada as a best choice for capital as it
has access to two national highways, better rail connectivity.
Barring better air connectivity, Vizag, which is almost on
the eastern corner of the state scored less on rail and road connectivity to
other districts in Seemandhra. The distance from far off areas like Srikakulam,
Chittoor, Anantapur and Kurnool
districts to Vijayawada-Guntur is around 450 km to 500 km. And need to
develop infrastructure from the scratch has deprived Ongole and out from the
race.
“Presence of a thriving economy is very important because
the experience of creating new cities like Gandhinagar, Mohali and Naya Raipur
is not very encouraging. It is observed that the development in these cities
continues to happen in the nearby old city which has some base development in
place. Cities grow organically over a period of time and they can’t be
manufactured instantly,” observed Vaada Foundation founder, P Suresh Raju.
The study was recently submitted to the Group of Minister
(GoM), appointed by the union government to look into the process of Andhra
Pradesh bifurcation.
Vizag and Vijayawada
have the required area within the city limits to build the new infrastructure
needed for the capital. Vijayawada and Guntur are both part of
the Vijayawada-Guntur-Tenali-Mangalagiri Urban Development Authority (VGTMUDA)
which has a total of 706 sq. km.
Between Vizag and Vijayawada ,
even though Visakhapatnam has better existing
infrastructure and economy, Vijayawada
is a city with good connectivity to all the Seemandhra districts including
Rayalaseema.
Based on this criterion the study suggested that Vijayawada should be made
as the capital for the new state being formed. In case the existing area is
deemed to be insufficient the VGTMUDA jurisdiction shall be taken up for the
capital. “It is to be noted however that
various other factors like physical feasibility etc. have not been considered
as a part of this study,” added Raju.
Earlier the same group submitted another report to the
GoM stating that the Seemandhra
government will have to spend at least Rs 2.5 lakh crore to develop a capital
city with proper infrastructure.
The earlier report said that a minimum long-term investment
of Rs 2.5 lakh crore would have to be made for the new city .
The most important requirement would be extensive transport
facilities like an international airport, road transport and connectivity to
all towns and cities of the state.
Other important infrastructure requirements would be
power transmission and distribution grids, backup supply facilities,
underground sewerage and water supply lines and solid waste management
facilities.
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