Amaravati, Aug 12 (IANS) Work on 74 projects in the greenfield Andhra Pradesh capital Amaravati has commenced, while tenders have been issued for works worth Rs 50,552 crore, officials said on Tuesday.

The Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) has proposed works worth Rs 81,317 crore.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday reviewed the progress of the capital construction, land allocations to various agencies, and other pending matters with officials from the CRDA and the EDC.

Municipal Administration Minister P. Narayana, municipal authorities, CRDA, EDC officials, and representatives from the contracting firms engaged in capital works were present at the meeting.

The Chief Minister directed officials to ensure that the construction of the Amaravati capital is completed in a record time. He emphasised that work should be completed six months ahead of schedule.

Reiterating his vision of developing Amaravati into the world’s best liveable city, he reviewed the progress of infrastructure development in LPS layouts, as well as the construction of residences for ministers, MLAs, officials, employees, and judges; road networks; utility ducts; trunk infrastructure; and flood-control measures.

CM Naidu instructed the contractors to execute these projects in a faster mode without compromising the standards of quality.

The Chief Minister emphasised that progress in the capital should be visible to the public. He committed to conducting monthly reviews of capital construction. He made it clear that, should timelines slip, responsibility would lie with both the contractors and officials concerned. Additionally, he announced that work will be monitored in real time and urged projects to proceed in “autopilot mode”.

Regarding returnable plots, the Chief Minister called for measures that would not inconvenience farmers. He stressed the need to address farmers’ concerns without impacting the master plan.

Responding to this, Minister Narayana assured that the issue will be assessed and resolved within a week.

Contractors also informed the Chief Minister that materials such as iron and other supplies brought during the previous government were pilfered, and sand stockpiles meant for construction were removed by past administrators. The Chief Minister directed officials from the Mining Department to replenish the sand.

The Chief Minister instructed that approvals be expedited for agencies intending to construct offices in Amaravati. He urged quick land allocation to institutions such as BITS Pilani, XLRI, and others. He directed continuous monitoring of development progress by the 72 organisations that have received land in the capital region. He stated that mere allocation of land does not complete the capital’s development—investments and ventures need to follow.

He emphasised that a capital city isn’t complete with just building developments; substantial economic activity must accompany it. Only once construction is finished and visibility is established will the investors come in, he said, leading to economic vitality. This, in turn, will create job and livelihood opportunities for youth, making Amaravati a truly liveable city.

He called for creating an ecosystem centred on the knowledge economy and startups in the capital. He also urged inviting India’s top 10 real estate companies to undertake projects in the region. To transform the capital into a green energy corridor, he advocated promoting EV vehicles. He instructed officials to monitor and display air quality across Seed Capital, Capital City, and Capital Area regions.

–IANS

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