Amaravati, April 13, 2025 – Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu reignited a long-dormant vision Saturday, launching the Rs 65,000 crore Amaravati capital city project at Uddandarayunipalem with a call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the April 20 groundbreaking. Stalled for six years under YSRCP’s YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who trashed it as a “realtor scam,” this greenfield metropolis—envisioned to eclipse Hyderabad—signals the TDP-BJP alliance’s bold bet to redefine Andhra’s future, aiming for a 2029 finish line (Hindustan Times).
Naidu’s masterplan, unveiled amid 5,000 cheering locals, carves 29,794 acres into a futuristic hub: 30% lush greenery, 25% affordable housing, and 45% for offices, courts, and an AI-powered Assembly building (The Indian Express). “Amaravati’s back—global city, local soul,” Naidu told The Hindu, projecting a seismic 3.4 lakh jobs and Rs 1.5 lakh crore GDP boost by 2035 (APCRDA). Phase 1, costing Rs 48,000 crore, lays trunk roads, canals, and power grids—Modi’s nod unlocks Rs 15,000 crore from Delhi, a nod to TDP’s 16 Lok Sabha seats (Times of India).
The project’s roots trace to 2014, when Andhra’s bifurcation left it without a capital. Naidu, then CM, pitched Amaravati as a Singapore-style beacon—farmers gave 33,000 acres under a land-pooling scheme, dreaming of urban riches. Jagan’s 2019 halt—pushing three capitals instead—left those farmers jobless, their plots fallow. “He betrayed us,” said farmer Venkatesh Rao, now back in Naidu’s camp—90% of 29,000 donors are (The Economic Times). Jagan’s YSRCP, down to 11 seats in 2024, still snipes: “It’s a land grab for Naidu’s cronies” (The Hindu). X posts clash—“Amaravati’s our pride!” vs. “Farmers will get dust” (post:4).
Singapore’s 2018 blueprint, now tweaked for net-zero, drives the vibe—solar farms, e-transit, and 5G-ready zones aim to lure tech giants (Business Standard). Phase 1’s 1,400 km of roads and 10 iconic buildings, like a 250-meter Assembly tower, scream ambition. Yet, costs raise eyebrows—Rs 65,000 crore dwarfs Hyderabad’s HITEC City build (India Today). “It’s a gamble—debt’s at 33% of GSDP,” an analyst told The Economic Times. Naidu counters with PPPs—Adani and GMR are circling—plus Rs 1 lakh crore in private bids (Mint).
For Andhra, it’s personal—Hyderabad’s loss stung, and Amaravati’s 1.5 million projected residents by 2035 could flip the script (APCRDA). Modi’s April 20 visit, post his 2015 foundation stone, adds muscle—BJP’s eyeing south leverage. But shadows loom—Jagan’s cadre, land disputes, and a 2024 flood that swamped plans (The Indian Express). With 2026 polls far off, Naidu’s got runway—can he deliver a global capital, or will Amaravati’s dream sink under its own heft?
