Capital selection panel heads for Vizag

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, May 8, 2014:  With polling coming to an end, the focus has shifted towards the hunt for new capital for the successor state of Andhra Pradesh. Many groups, especially youngsters were seen busy sending their opinions and aspirations about the new capital city to the expert committee appointed by the union home ministry. 

The members of the expert committee headed by former Secretary of Union Urban Development Ministry, KC Siva Ramakrishnan, will be visiting Vizag, on Friday for the first hand assessment. The members will also visit Rajahmundry and Vijayawada on the following days.

Wednesday was the last day to submit views on new capital city to the high level expert committee headed by former Secretary of Union Urban Development Ministry, KC Siva Ramakrishnan, appointed by union home ministry to identify new capital, which has to submit its report by August 31. 

The committee will study various alternatives for locating the new capital of the successor state and make appropriate recommendations in pursuant to section 6 of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014,

The other members of the committee are Aromar Revi, director, Indian Institute for Human Settlements, Rathin Roy, director, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, K T  Ravindran, former dean, School of Planning and Architecture and Jagan Shah, director, National Institute of Urban Affairs.

 “Prior to the arrival of the British and even during the British regime, India always had two capitals. After the departure of the British, Delhi was established as a sole capital of the country. Dr B  R  Ambedkar in his ‘Thoughts On Linguistic States’ had outlined the reasons that commanded the need for a second capital in south India,” said said Suresh Raju, of Vaada Foundation who wrote to the committee.

He further said that the five crore people of Seemandhra were displeased at the manner in which the separation was made. “Now that Andhra Pradesh has been separated and viability of the various districts as probable new capital for Andhra Pradesh is being considered, I would like to suggest that the proposal of the visionary Dr  B  R Ambedkar be implemented. Since the government of India is investing in setting up a new capital, the Shiva Ramakrishnan Committee should identify a place that also fulfils all the relevant criteria so as to be the second capital of India,” he added.

There are also competing demands from various parts of the successor state. There are various groups and leaders from across the new state who are demanding their area be made capital city.  So far, Vizag, Guntur, Vijayawada, Ongole, Kurnool and Tirupati have been demanded as the new capitals.

“The most obvious choice, why Vizag should be capital of new state as it can be operational or functional in the shortest time.  Vizag is the largest city in new state and only city with high national and international connectivity. Strategically located with excellent international and domestic market connectivity by road, rail, air and sea. Power, water and land are abundantly available.” said Vizag Development Council (VDC), convenor, O Naresh Kumar, who also wrote to the expert committee.