PM Modi to launch Chandrababu Naidu's dream project Amaravati's reconstruction works on May 2

Amaravati, barely 20km away Vijayawada, was envisaged as the dream capital by Naidu and his Telugu Desam Party.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch Amaravati reconstruction works worth Rs 43,000 crore on May 2, said Andhra Pradesh Municipal Minister P Narayana on Wednesday.

Reviewing the arrangements being made for the PM's visit, the minister exuded confidence that the greenfield capital city will be built in three years.

"The prime minister will launch works (Amaravati reconstruction) worth Rs 43,000 crore. The PM will relaunch Amaravati," said Narayana in an official release.

According to Narayana, the PM is expected to arrive at around 3.25 pm  on May 2.

He said 90 per cent of the preparations for the prime minister's visit have been done, and the rest will be completed by Wednesday.

The minister said that the masterplan for Amaravati was crafted with 365 km of trunk roads and 1,500 of layout roads.

Though Rs 41,000 crore work started earlier, along with the payment of Rs 5,000 crore worth bills prior to 2019, Narayana alleged that the erstwhile YSRCP government did not close the previous TDP government's contractors' agreements.

He accused the previous YSRCP government of bringing in reverse tendering and judicial reviews to derail Amaravati.

Narayana said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu interacted with farmers from 29 villages in Amaravati for a couple of hours on Monday to personally invite them for the greenfield capital works relaunch ceremony.

Moreover, he highlighted that the farmers requested the CM to bring Parliamentary legislation on Amaravati for legitimacy. Narayana noted that the CM directed officials to consider this request.

According to Hindustan Times,  ahead of PM Modi's visit,  the city has transformed into a hub of activity. Heavy machinery, including hundreds of earth movers, is being used to clear the thick overgrowth that has taken over residential and commercial plots during the hiatus.

“Three years down the line, you will see a remarkable change. Amaravati will turn into a dream capital city and nobody can ever raise the question – what is the capital of Andhra Pradesh – again,”  Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority additional commissioner Naveen Mallarapu told HT.

Amaravati, barely 20km away Vijayawada, was envisaged as the dream capital by Naidu and his Telugu Desam Party. Spread over 217 square kilometres, Amaravati had taken shape in 2015. However, its development had come to a halt in 2019 after YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party won the assembly polls.

The Centre recently released over Rs 4,200 crore to Andhra Pradesh for the project, after receiving $205 million from the World Bank. A senior official told PTI that the funds were part of a larger financial package for the capital's first phase.

The World Bank and Asian Development Bank have each pledged $800 million, amounting to $1.6 billion or Rs 13,600 crore. According to PTI, the Centre will contribute the remaining Rs 1,400 crore, taking the total for phase one to Rs 15,000 crore. According to World Bank documents, the project officially began on January 22. The first disbursement reportedly came in March.