Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh government is looking at acquiring 75,000 to one lakh acres under ‘land pooling’ system, and not 12,500 acres as announced earlier, to build its world class capital city.
“We are seeking more land for the capital city with the aim of developing social infrastructure. The government has no intention of making commercial gains with the land given by farmers,” municipal administration minister and state advisory committee on capital city chairman Dr P. Narayana said.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has said that there should be simultaneous development of social infrastructure like educational institutions, hospitals, entertainment centres, malls, banks, commercial complexes along with Assembly and Secretariat among other important office and administrative buildings.
The government will construct high-rise buildings if the land parcel is less and change the design and plans in case more land is surrendered by landlords.
“The district collectors of Krishna and Guntur held talks with 2,000 farmers and 80 per cent of them are willing to surrender their land. but want land pooling policy to be announced,” the AP minister said.
The Narayana committee will study land pooling methods adopted in Noida, Navi Mumbai, Delhi and Pune among other cities before finalising the AP land pooling policy.
It has already toured and studied land pooling system implemented in Chandigarh and its extension city, Gandhinagar and Gift city, and Naya Raipur where farmers were given land share between 25 per cent to 40 per cent.
The land acquisition will be completed between six months to a year. The first phase of the capital city will be completed within three years from the date of completion of land pooling.
Meanwhile, the state government has decided to seek entire funding for the new capital from the Central government.
Saying this on Tuesday, municipal administration minister P. Narayana said that not much government lands are available in and around Vijayawada.
The district collectors of Krishna and Guntur said over 10,000 acres of government is available, but it contains water bodies, roads, forests.
Hence, the AP government has decided that the best option to get land is under pooling system from the landlords, said Mr P. Narayana.
Dr Narayana said the state governments of Gujarat and Punjab have acquired additional land under pooling system and are constructing extended city with focus on social infrastructure.
“It is better to acquire as much land as possible now only under pooling system, rather than going for it 15 years to 20 years after the capital city is built,” he said.
