A Singapore-Andhra Pradesh team unveiled the Master Plan for the country’s newest capital city, Amaravathi, on Monday. The Plan, presented to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu by a team led by S Iswaran, Minister, Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Trade and Industry of Singapore, will guide Amaravathi’s development up to 2050. The delivery of the Master Plan marks the second milestone in the three-stage plan of the MoU signed between International Enterprise, Singapore, and the Infrastructure Corporation of Andhra Pradesh. The first stage, the Capital Region Plan, was completed and handed over to the Andhra Pradesh government on March 30. ‘PEOPLE’S CAPITAL’ The new capital of Andhra Pradesh is projected to be not only the seat of power but also an environment-friendly city, with dozens of parks and gardens, including a Brahmasthanam — a huge open space in the middle of the city — rain-harvesting facilities, separate lanes for non-motorised transport, waterways, and fast transport facilities to link it to other parts of the state. It will aim to be a sustainable city with a vibrant economy and adequate infrastructure for delivering reliable electricity and water and managing solid waste and sewerage. “Amaravathi will be the ‘People’s Capital’, and the Master Plan provides for affordable housing, easy access to amenities such as schools, healthcare services, markets and shopping malls, libraries and a university,” Naidu said. CONNECTED CITY Designed to be a commercial hub and catalyst for IT-enabled services and the pharma industry, the city has a designated Central Business District, commercial zones, as well as industrial parks. The entire region links by road and rail to all parts of the state, and a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in the city can eventually be upgraded to a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system. Residents will have non-motorised transport choices including an extensive network of walkways, cycle tracks and local waterways. BY THE KRISHNA The city will seek to utilise the value of its unique location by the majestic Krishna river, preserving much of the existing greenery and waterways, while introducing new parks, gardens and recreational facilities such as a cricket stadium. Amaravathi will possess a distinctive riverfront with lush open spaces. Innovative approaches are envisaged to turn reservoirs, stormwater detention ponds and canals into places of public enjoyment even as they perform the critical functions of storing water and controlling flooding.
