Visakhapatnam will be the new Andhra Pradesh capital: CM Jagan Reddy

Visakhapatnam, a port and industrial city brimming with cosmopolitan culture has been in the news ever since Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government announced that it would be the new capital of the state, indicating plans to develop Amaravati – on the banks of the Krishna river – as the capital city have been scrapped. The announcement of Visakhapatnam, a new capital for Andhra comes nine years after the state of Telangana was carved out of its territory and given Hyderabad as its capital.

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More About This Development:

At the International Diplomatic Alliance meet in Delhi CM Jagan urged investors to ‘visit Visakhapatnam  and see how easy it is do to business in the state of Andhra Pradesh‘.

In March last year, the Andhra Pradesh High Court had ruled against the proposal to establish three capitals in the state and directed the YSRC government to develop Amaravati as the state capital as envisaged. The Court had also in its verdict on March 3, 2022 said the state Legislature lacked competence to make any legislation for shifting, bifurcating or trifurcating the capital.

The state government has filed a petition in the Supreme Court, challenging the High Court order.

A Rich History of Visakhapatnam:

• According to Vizag port website, the city, which is home to the headquarters of Eastern Naval Command had trade relations with the Middle East and Rome during ancient times and in 1682 it became a settlement of a branch of East India Company.
• The Visakhapatnam Port was formally inaugurated by Lord Willingdon, the then Viceroy and Governor General of India on December 19, 1933.
• The city shot into limelight after the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi laid foundation stone for a Steel Plant which was dedicated to the nation by former PM PV Narasimha Rao in 1992 after the facility started production.

Significance of This Development:

According to a study by Andhra University, the population of Vizag will grow to 30 lakh by 2035 from 23.5 lakh in 2021. Visakhapatnam has necessary infrastructure like international airport, road and port connectivity which is important for the capital city.

The announcement that Visakhapatnam, nicknamed “City of Destiny,” would be the new state capital, has elicited mixed response from different sections of people in the city.

Former chairman of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI) Visakhapatnam chamber G.V Satyanarayana hailed Jagan’s announcement. The real estate industry will have a good future once the capital is established in Visakhapatnam.

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