Naidu vows to build world-class capital city for AP

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today promised to build a vibrant and world-class capital city as he performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the new seat of Government near here, a year after the state was bifurcated.
Naidu performed the 'Bhoomi Puja' (ground-breaking ceremony) for building the state capital at a village near the banks of river Krishna.
The TDP leader once again found fault with the way the entire bifurcation issue was handled.
"The state bifurcation was done without a rationale. It was a division that was done for selfish gains and not in any public interest. I had worked hard to develop Hyderabad as a great city (during his previous stint as CM).

"It is now an opportunity (to build a grand new city), though it is a crisis in reality (not having own capital city). If we can see an opportunity even in a crisis, we can achieve anything in the world," Naidu said.
He was addressing a public meeting after the 'Bhoomi Puja' at Mandadam village for the capital city, named Amaravati, located on the banks of Krishna in the Vijayawda- Guntur region.

"Some people mocked at me. But, I said the capital I am going to build is not just an administrative capital. We are talking about Singapore today. Singapore people said your Amaravati would be better than even Singapore. I felt happy," the Chief Minister said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be invited for the grand foundation laying ceremony to be held on Vijaya Dasami in October, said Naidu, whose party is in alliance with BJP.
Noting that the site chosen for developing the state capital is endowed with vast water resources, he said the proposed city would emerge as a hub of economic activity, education and tourism.
The capital, for which the Singapore Government has prepared master plans, would have wide road networks and be connected to ports through waterways, he said.
He recalled Modi, during his election campaign, had spoken about helping Andhra in developing a grand capital.

Showering praise on farmers and local residents who handed over their land for building the capital city as part of the state Government's "land pooling" policy, he said promises made to them will be fulfilled.
The farm labourers in the region would be imparted skill development to make them employable, he said.
Naidu criticised the previous UPA Government for dividing Andhra Pradesh without clarifying where the residuary state's capital should be located.