VIJAYAWADA: Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, president of the YSR Congress Party and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, has vigorously maintained his opposition to the current capital location of Amaravati. On Thursday, during a press conference, he referred to the decision to construct the capital in Amaravati as an “insane move,” asserting that the region's geographical features, notably its positioning in the Krishna river basin, make it unsuitable for such an important infrastructure.

Reddy explained, “If one were to build a capital in this area, the best thing is not to build it in Amaravati as it lacks necessary infrastructure like electricity, roads, and essential services.” His comments arrive as the Central Government prepares to introduce a Constitutional amendment bill to grant statutory status to Amaravati, designating it as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh.

Citing environmental risks and potential legal complications, Reddy critiqued the initiative, insisting that constructing structures in a river basin is fundamentally flawed. He argued the necessity for the Supreme Court to examine the implications of such construction. Reddy proposed an alternative, stating that development could be better situated between Vijayawada and Guntur, away from vulnerable ecological zones.

Furthermore, he raised concerns regarding the financial viability of the Amaravati project, highlighting that the previous administration under N Chandrababu Naidu had proposed acquiring a staggering 50,000 acres of land, with anticipated expenses reaching Rs 1 lakh crore for infrastructure development. He claimed the selection of land was influenced by questionable interests, as well as the lack of fiscal support being evident in the underdevelopment of Amaravati's first phase.

Reddy's firm stance extended to opposing the accumulation of additional land for further phases of Amaravati's development, calling the costs associated with it “insane.” He pointed out that the overall land requirement could surge to one lakh acres with the estimated cost amplifying to Rs 2 lakh crore. With farmers facing distress and without visible progress on the project, Reddy aims to spotlight these challenges as part of his broader critique of the current capital’s contentious future.