Amaravati marks new beginning as CM Chandrababu opens CRDA headquarters

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday inaugurated the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) office building in Amaravati, signaling a renewed push for the development of the greenfield capital city and reaffirming his commitment to the farmers who contributed land for the project.

Addressing the farmers during the inauguration, Naidu emphasized the fundamental importance of land for building a capital. “For anything we need land. We do not build a capital in the sky; we cannot build without land,” he said, acknowledging the critical role of 29,881 farmers from 29 villages, many from Dalit communities, who contributed 34,281 acres. Overall, the state has pooled 54,000 acres for Amaravati’s development.

The Chief Minister credited the farmers for guiding the project when he was uncertain about the way forward. “Any project we undertook has never failed because of their support,” he noted, adding that the CRDA building’s inauguration is only the beginning, with government and private buildings expected to come up in the future.

Naidu recalled Hyderabad’s development to highlight Amaravati’s potential. “Hyderabad had abundant government land during its formation, yet the Cyberabad area remained underdeveloped during the Nizam era. I took all that land and developed it brick by brick. I have that experience,” he said, reflecting on his earlier tenure as CM of undivided Andhra Pradesh.

The new CRDA headquarters will act as the central hub for Amaravati’s development, housing the CRDA, Amaravati Development Corporation Ltd. (ADCL), and all wings of the municipal department. The office will coordinate infrastructure projects, land pooling, regulatory approvals, and civic amenities, ensuring that Amaravati grows as a self-financing, sustainable, and inclusive city.

The CRDA is tasked exclusively with the Amaravati Capital Region, covering parts of Guntur, Krishna and Eluru districts, while other urban centers in Andhra Pradesh are managed by their respective municipal corporations and urban development authorities. The authority’s work includes urban planning, land management, infrastructure development, project approvals, and municipal governance.

The CRDA is led by a Chairman, usually a senior IAS officer, supported by vice-chairmen and divisional heads overseeing planning, engineering, finance, and administration. It functions under the Municipal Administration & Urban Development (MA&UD) Department, with major policy and funding decisions coordinated with the Chief Minister’s office and state ministries.

Highlighting Amaravati’s financial model, Naidu said the project is being developed without spending money from the state exchequer. “I did not spend even Re 1 from government funds in Hyderabad. Buildings were developed with smart planning, and tax revenues automatically increased,” he noted. Earlier, he had stated that Amaravati requires Rs 77,249 crore, of which Rs 31,000 crore has been secured from the World Bank, HUDCO, and KfW, while additional funds are being mobilized.

The Chief Minister underlined that halting the project at its current stage would reduce Amaravati to a small city. He reiterated the strategic importance of development, noting that India is poised to become the number one economy by 2047, with Andhra Pradesh acting as a key growth engine.

The inauguration was attended by the farmers who participated in the land pooling scheme, reflecting their crucial role in the city’s creation. The CRDA building marks the first major administrative shift to Amaravati since the restart of Amaravati 2.0 following the TDP-led NDA government’s formation in June 2024. With the office now in place, Amaravati’s development is expected to see faster project execution, improved coordination, and enhanced engagement with stakeholders, laying the foundation for a modern, sustainable capital city.