Capital Amaravati's Construction Work To Restart Soon, As The Andhra Government Prioritises Resumption Of Projects

The Andhra Pradesh government is prioritising the resumption of construction for the state capital, Amaravati. A team of engineers from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) will be brought in to evaluate the structural integrity of various unfinished buildings in the area.

Construction in Amaravati, which includes apartments for legislators, officers, NGOs, bungalows for principal secretaries and secretaries, and judicial complex buildings, was halted due to policy changes by the previous administration. These abandoned sites have since become overgrown, with exposed steel reinforcements suffering damage from prolonged exposure to the elements. Recently, the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) undertook jungle clearance efforts to prepare for further work.

Seventeen projects in Amaravati's capital region, originally estimated at a cost of Rs 9,617.21 crore, have seen their costs rise to Rs 1,958.37 crore. The physical progress of these projects varies significantly, ranging from 6 percent to 80 percent completion. So far, Rs 1,531.37 crore has been spent on construction.

Several key projects remain in limbo. The AP Legislative Assembly Complex, with a budget of Rs 555.00 crore, has not yet begun. Apartments for legislators and officers, with an initial budget of Rs 700 crore, are 80 percent complete. The construction of apartments for NGOs, budgeted at Rs 1,355.39 crore, is 62 percent complete. Government officials' apartments (Type I, II, and Group D), with a budget of Rs 975.34 crore, are 66 percent complete.

Bungalows for principal secretaries and secretaries, estimated at Rs 274.50 crore, are 28.5 percent complete. Ministerial and judicial bungalows, with a budget of Rs 235.50 crore, are 27.3 percent complete. The Judicial Complex - Phase I, costing Rs 115.33 crore, is 95 percent complete, while Phase II, budgeted at Rs 64.00 crore, is 85 percent complete.

The Advocates Block, with a budget of Rs 23.15 crore, is only 5 percent complete. The Amaravati CRDA Project Office - Phase I and Phase II, with budgets of Rs 30 crore and Rs 39 crore respectively, are each 77 percent complete. The AP High Court, budgeted at Rs 860.00 crore, is 13 percent complete. The GAD Tower, with a budget of Rs 662.00 crore, is 19 percent complete. The Amaravati Government Complex, with a budget of Rs 1,556 crore, is 6 percent complete. Amaravati Towers 1 & 2, with a budget of Rs 1,107.00 crore, are 18 percent complete, while Towers 3 & 4, budgeted at Rs 934 crore, are 20 percent complete.

The "Happy Nest" Project in Amaravati, spread over 14.46 acres in Nelapadu village, includes 12 towers with 1,200 flats. Initiated in December 2018 with an estimated cost of Rs 720.5 crore and a two-year execution period, the project aimed for a profit of Rs 57.37 crore. However, only 25 percent of the work was completed before the contract with Shapoorji Pallonji and Co was terminated. Flat owners have filed 83 petitions with RERA, and 177 customers have canceled their bookings and requested refunds. The project cost has now risen to Rs 885 crore.

Urban Development Minister Ponguru Narayana announced that the Andhra Pradesh government would collaborate with IIT Chennai to ensure the foundation strength of Amaravati's iconic buildings, while IIT Hyderabad will assess the strength of buildings intended for public representatives, officers, and employees. "We will proceed with construction based on the reports from the IITs," he stated.