HYDERABAD: Justifying his government’s decision to procure 30,000 acres of agricultural land for the construction of the new capital city near Vijayawada/Guntur, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said in order to create infrastructure for the construction of a world-class capital city, that much land was needed.
While replying to the Motion of Thanks to Governor’s address in the Assembly on Wednesday, Naidu said, “When Mumbai is built on 1.49 lakh acres of land, Delhi on 3.6 lakh acres, Chennai on 1.05 lakh acres, Bengaluru on 1.83 lakh acres, Hyderabad on 1.54 lakh acres and Jaipur on 1 lakh acres, then why the hue and cry when we are collecting 30,000 acres for the capital city of AP”, he asked.
Stating that some political leaders are criticising him for taking lands from farmers for the new capital, Naidu said, “I can build a new capital on the government land available at some other place. But, this would not have any social life and other activities.
When Shamshabad airport was built on 5,000 acres, how would you expect me to build a capital on such a small extent of land?” According to him, so as to construct a capital city with international standards, the State government needs all kinds of infrastructure and facilities. This could be done only when the capital is built on a large area.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured me of all help to build a world-class capital,” he said.
Coming down heavily on YSRC chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy, Naidu said though farmers are coming forward to voluntarily give their lands for the new capital, Jagan for political gain was misleading them.
“A few people are criticising us for acquiring lands from the farmers for the capital. They want us to build the capital in the forest. They want to create hurdles in the construction of the new capital,” he alleged.