GN Rao, who headed the panel on Andhra Pradesh capital, said the panel has recommended that the capital be located north of Visakhapatnam city, away from the coast.

Addressing a press conference in the wake reports in a section of media that the panel noted ‘shortcomings’ in making the port town as administrative capital, he said: “Visakhapatnam is most cosmopolitan city in the State with infrastructure,” and hence was a suitable location for the new administrative capital.

The panel had not recommended the beach or coast area of the city, he said adding that “the building could come up towards the north in the Vizianagaram direction about 50 km from sea coast and city.’’

The panel was fully in support of administrative decentralisation to reduce regional disparities in the State, he added.

When asked on the challenges such as coastal erosion and recurring cyclones, he quipped: “Neither you nor I are responsible for erosion which is a common phenomenon on the sea coast. Cyclones are everywhere including Hyderabad..’’

The panel had experts from different parts of the country and made a deep analysis before coming with recommendations, Rao said.