Seemandhra capital to cost Rs 2.5 lakh crore!

Hyderabad, Aug 2: A new capital city for Seemandhra, one of the two states formed after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, will require a whopping Rs 2.5 lakh crore (USD 41.2 billion) to be built.

According to sources, the new capital will be an entirely new city located close to an existing city and it will be developed on the lines of planned capital cities like Naya Raipur (Chhattisgarh), Bhubaneswar (Odisha) and Gandhinagar (Gujarat).

Experts from IIT-Delhi and the city-based Vaada Foundation, who have been studying the requirements for developing a capital city in this region even before the decision for the bifurcation was announced, have said that a minimum long-term investment of Rs 2.5 lakh crore will be made for the fresh capital of Seemandhra after Hyderabad went to the newly formed state of Telangana. As of now, the Charminar City will serve as a joint capital.

Infrastructure requirement for the new capital includes good connectivity, both in terms of air and road.

Stressing the point, founder of Vaada, Foundation P Suresh Raju, aid,:"Urban transport, including trains and buses, is extremely important. Non-motorised transport is also important."

Other important infrastructure requirements will include, among others, power transmission and distribution grids, back-up supply facilities, underground sewerage and water supply lines, solid waste management facilities.

The study report will be submitted to the Centre's committee, which will be formed to deal with the bifurcation issue.

Last year, a comprehensive transportation study commissioned by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority had stated that Hyderabad will need about Rs 5,000 crore each year to improve its transportation system.

OneIndia News