Panel rules out single big capital

Hyderabad: The Sivaramakrishnan Co-mmittee that studied three approaches for capital city has given certain suggestions and conclusions in its 187 page final report submitted on Friday. It negated a single large capital city as a feasible option available to Andhra Pradesh for  now.

The three suggestions include a Greenfield location in which a single city/super city be created,  or develop existing cities, or  distributed develop-ment. The committee recommended the following actions to be taken by AP.

Although it suggested a Greenfield location as a capital city, the committee is not in favour of creating a capital city for Andhra at this stage. However, if the AP government wants to pursue this option, it must carry out a careful search for locations where suitably large parcels of government land may be available.

The committee supports the general approach of the AP government. However, it suggested that a proper assessment of infrastructure needs and environmental impact be carried out before taking up expansion of the existing cities. Ad hoc and hurried change of locations of government offices may prove to be inappropriate and wasteful.

With regard to distributed development, it suggested  proper inventory be made of various government offices presently located in Hyderabad. There should also be an inventory of  firms listed in the 9th Schedule of AP Re-organisation Act which comprises 89 items. The locations proposed for education facilities mentioned in the 13th Schedule of the AP Act to be firmed up, the panel said.

Whether for expansion of existing cities or distributed development, the AP government will require land at multiple locations across the state. The Committee has been informed that in all districts government land up to 25 hectares may be available within 5 to 10 kms of district headquarters. However, the assignment of these lands to landless people in recent years may pose a problem. The Committee urged the AP government to undertake an urgent review of these locations to  study  alternatives for a new capital for Andhra Pradesh  by paying compensation to landless people which may be less expensive than fresh land acquisition.

With regard  to institutions of iconic and constitutional importance such as the Raj Bhavan, the Legislature and the High Court, the AP Government should use the window of time available to it under the AP Reorganisation Act whereby Hyderabad will be available as a common capital for ten years. The Committee suggested  that AP government should consult various constitutional entities and agreement about the location and  securing the land. The Committee also suggested the Town Planning department should be pursued for more locations in the State before a choice can be made.

The Committee  suggested  that in view of the urgency, the AP Government can look at  possibilities of suitable locations for  a limited number of offices to be shifted to the peripheries and beyond  VGTM.