While Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has announced that the capital will be built in three years and Amaravati will be developed as a future city, the YSRCP warned against spending all borrowed money in Amravati and an additional amount of thousands of crores to overcome floods threats.
Former Minister and YSRCP leader Shailajanath cautioned that the coalition government should remember that Andhra is not just Amaravati, but North Andhra and Rayalaseema are also part of the state. He said that it is not appropriate to bring all the debts and put them in Amaravati, and that this is definitely a threat to the development of backward areas.
He also cautioned that the capital region of Amaravati is at risk of flooding from the Krishna river. If there is no real fear, why are five lift irrigation schemes being built at a cost of about Rs. 1100 crore?, he asked. He alleged that banks have warned that if those 5 lift schemes are not taken up, they will not be able to provide loans for the construction of Amaravati.
Moreover, he accused the government of spending Rs. 20 crore per kilometer on national highways all over the country, while in the capital Amaravati, a total of Rs. 59 crore is being spent on a kilometer of road. He alleged the fact that all the contracts for those works are being awarded to them through nomination method without tenders.
Shailajanath recalled that seven years ago, Amaravati was advertised with graphics like iconic towers, sky gardens, seaplanes, and a hanging bridge over the river. He said that after five years, no other structures were seen in Amaravati except the temporary High Court, Secretariat, and Assembly. He deplored that 34,000 acres of land collected from farmers for Amaravati were left fallow.
He said that Chandrababu Naidu, who had invested Rs. 1.50 lakh crore in 11 months, has not implemented a single welfare scheme. He expressed concern over abnormal increase in the estimated cost of Amaravati from Rs 44,000 crore to Rs 77,000 crore.