Centre sets up expert panel to select new capital for successor state of Andhra Pradesh
25 Apr 2014
The centre has constituted an expert committee to study the various alternatives regarding the new capital for the successor state of Andhra Pradesh and make appropriate recommendations pursuant to Section 6 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
The expert committee, headed by retired IAS officer and research professor and chairman of CPR K C Siva Ramakrishnan, includes director of Delhi's National Institute of Public Finance and Policy Rathin Roy, director of Bengaluru's Indian Institute for Human Settlements Aromar Revi, director of New Delhi's National Institute of Urban Affairs Jagan Shah and former dean of New Delhi's School of Planning and Architecture K T Ravindran as its members.
The committee has been asked to study various alternatives for locating the new capital of the successor state of Andhra Pradesh and evaluate their comparative suitability based on available data, site visits and consultations with the stakeholders, central government and the existing government of Andhra Pradesh and the successor State of Andhra Pradesh and submit its report latest by 31 August 2014.
The committee will evaluate possible alternatives and make appropriate recommendations based on the following:
- Availability of sufficient land, water and other essential natural resources with due regard to the possibility of de-reservation of degraded forest land;
- Conduct an assessment of the potential for planned growth for the estimated population with appropriate zoning regulations as well as the feasibility of accommodating large structures to house the Raj Bhawan, state legislature (assembly and council), secretariat, high court, office buildings, guest houses, residential quarters and physical infrastructure, including stadia, conference halls, convention centres, hotels, hospitals, schools, colleges, educational and training institutions, libraries, museums, theatres, places of recreation and tourism, parks and markets etc;
- Potential for connectivity by rail, road and air with various districts of the successor state of Andhra Pradesh and the present common capital of Hyderabad and other major cities of the region as well as the possibility to develop rapid mass transit systems within the city; and
- Assess the potential for developing a vibrant economic, social and cultural infrastructure for a symbiotic growth with the other important cities in the region.
The committee while making its recommendations will consider allied issues such as:
- The least possible dislocation to existing agriculture systems as well as ensure minimum resettlement of people and their habitations
- Preservation of local ecology and natural features including water bodies
- Promoting environmentally sustainable growth coupled with measures for pollution mitigation, including solid and liquid waste management
- Vulnerability assessment from natural disasters like floods, cyclones and earthquakes
- Assess the scope for minimising the cost of construction and acquisition of land and
- Ascertain the availability of raw materials, skilled and unskilled labour etc. required for the construction of a new capital.
Stakeholders, including members of public and organisations, have been asked to make suggestions which is specific to the issues mentioned in the terms of reference of the committee to the committee by e-mail to: feedback.expcomt@mha.gov.in or in writing to Centre-State Division, Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India, 5th Floor, NDCC –II Building, Jaisingh Road, New Delhi 110 001 latest by 7 May 2014.
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