Legal hurdles to AP's three-capital plan

The implementation of grandiose plan by the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led Government in Andhra Pradesh for trifurcation of State capital may take some more time as the AP High Court has put off the hearing on a batch of petitions filed by farmers, political activists and others against formation of executive capital at Visakhapatnam, judicial capital in Kurnool and legislative capital at Amaravati to November 15.

Though Governor Biswa Bhushan Harichandan had cleared the AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020 and AP Capital Region Development Authority (Repeal) Bill, 2020 on July 31, 2020, the implementation is facing problems due to legal hurdles. Following a plea by Supreme Court lawyer Shyam Diwan, the counsel for most of the petitioners, to consider their inability to attend the hearing due to Covid-19 pandemic and the talk of outbreak of third wave in September/October, a bench of High Court comprising three judges, adjourned the proceedings to November 15.

In all likelihood, the shifting of Secretariat, Chief Minister's Office and Raj Bhavan along with head offices of several key departments will not be possible during 2021 calendar year.

"The capital talk has led to an increase in demand for vacant sites and houses in Visakhapatnam. There is a lot of demand for affordable apartments to cater to the needs of employees on the city outskirts like Madhurawada, Kommadi, Paradesipalem, Pendurthi to Anandapuram. We hope the realty business will pick up further once executive capital becomes fully operational," Credai Visakhapatnam zone chairman B Srinivasa Rao told Bizz Buzz on Tuesday. Commenting on the postponement of hearing to November 15, Minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development Botcha Satyanarayana criticised the counsels for seeking adjournment. "We are committed to forming three capitals for administrative convenience and balanced equitable development."

Top officials and Ministers made several rounds of visits to Visakhapatnam to identify prospective government lands for construction of buildings required for their offices. The government, on the directive of the Chief Minister has prioritised the implementation of various projects coming up in and around Visakhapatnam including the Bhogapuram International Airport being built by GMR Group, Metro and Tram Rail Project at a cost of over Rs 20,000 crore and Rs 1,000-crore Beach Corridor connecting the city with Bhogapuram, a distance of 40 km.