Work on capital at Vizag already in offing?

It was only on Tuesday during the closing hours of winter session of the Andhra Pradesh state assembly that chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy came out with a sensational proposal of creating three capitals for the state – executive capital at Visakhapatnam, legislative capital at Amaravati and judicial capital at Kurnool.

But very few people, even in the ruling YSR Congress party, were aware that Jagan had taken the decision on shifting the administrative capital to Visakhapatnam long ago and the appointment of expert committee to suggest the capital is just a formality.

According to highly placed sources, the work on creating administrative set-up in Visakhapatnam has already started and the places where the official and residential complexes are going to come up have already been identified in and around the port city.

Sources said a huge chunk of 2,000 acres of government land has already been identified for constructing the Secretariat and other administrative buildings for various heads of departments.

Since the construction of the administrative buildings will take some time, the government has identified a huge commercial building of two and lakh square feet size belonging to a big business tycoon from Vijayawada. 

Till recently, this building was occupied by a software company which has vacated it now. The government has negotiated with the business tycoon for taking over the building and use it temporarily for the administrative offices.

Some more buildings belonging to Andhra University which are not being used also would be used for official purposes. Paradesipuram is going to be key place of activity.

A spacious building located in a three-acre land on the bay side near Bheemunipatnam will be the official residence-cum-camp office of the chief minister.

A suitable place is being searched for Governor’s residence. For the time being, the government’s circuit house will be spruced up as Raj Bhavan.

Visakhpatnam already has road and rail connectivity, besides a big airport. However, the proposed international airport at Bhogapuram will be used for improving the air connectivity.

Sources said the Jagan government is planning to complete the entire exercise of shifting the administrative capital to Visakhapatnam within next three months, not later than April.