The previous YSR Congress party government in Andhra Pradesh, led by former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, had completely abandoned the Amaravati capital city project to promote his controversial idea of establishing three capitals for the state.
During the five-year period, the Amaravati capital region was entirely neglected. Constructions that were nearing completion were left unfinished, while roads suffered severe damage.
This neglect allowed unscrupulous elements to dig up the roads indiscriminately and loot soil and construction materials, including gravel, pipes, and sand. Many roads were left incomplete and abandoned.
After the Telugu Desam Party-led coalition, headed by N. Chandrababu Naidu, returned to power in June last year, he announced the restoration of the Amaravati capital city project.
Explaining how the project had been destroyed during Jagan’s regime, Naidu said that an investigation would be ordered into the theft of construction materials, and heavy penalties would be imposed on those who dug up roads and sold soil and gravel.
However, a year later, field reports indicate that the digging of roads and smuggling of soil continue unabated in the Amaravati capital region. This illegal activity persists even after the new coalition government took charge.
According to these reports, miscreants are illegally excavating and transporting soil from plots allocated to farmers who had given up their lands for Amaravati’s construction, profiting from this unauthorized activity.
Whenever such incidents are exposed, authorities register cases and seize lorries, but allegations persist that the police have failed to establish strong surveillance to prevent further offenses. Farmers are demanding stringent action against those responsible.
One such incident occurred on Sunday near Krishnayapalem village in Mangalagiri mandal of Guntur district.
Locals spotted individuals illegally excavating soil from commercial plots adjacent to the E-9 road and intervened. The illegal operators fled, abandoning an excavator at the site.
According to farmers from Krishnayapalem, the smuggling operation was being carried out stealthily at night, with nearly 100 tipper lorries full of soil already transported from the area.
Farmers expressed outrage, pointing out that the soil mafia has operated unchecked in the capital region for the past five years. They condemned the continued looting of plots allocated to farmers even under the current coalition government.
They also accused local police and CRDA (Capital Region Development Authority) officials of turning a blind eye to complaints and delaying action.
Farmers are now appealing to Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana to intervene and take strict action against the so-called “capital soil mafia.”
