The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N Chandrababu Naidu, today performed the Bhoomi Pooja for the new capital city at Tallayapalem in Guntur district about 280 km from here.

The auspicious event, where a symbolic stone (Boduraayi) was laid, was performed by priests in the presence of Cabinet colleagues and special invitees at 8.49 am.

Tallayapalem is located on the banks of river Krishna, about 15 km from Vijayawada.

The State Government is in the process of pooling 34,000 acres of land for the capital city spread over 29 revenue villages.

The AP Capital Region Development Authority is overseeing the land pooling process for the capital city to be named after historic Buddhist site Amaravati.

The Chief Minister, his wife Bhuvaneshwari and son Nara Lokesh, performed the pooja amidst Vedic chants.

The Singapore Government and some of its agencies have provided master plan for the Capital and the Seed Capital plan, where Raj Bhavan, Secretariat, Assembly, High Court etc, would come up, is expected by mid-July.

While the Capital region would encompass 7,425 sq.km, the Seed Capital area would be spread over 217 sq.km.

The Centre has thus far sanctioned Rs 1,500 crore for the capital city infrastructure.

The construction work is likely to begin in Dasara later this year.

The Bhoomi Pooja was performed after the Election Commission gave its nod for the function as the model code of conduct is now underway for the elections to the Council.

The Government has described the project as the People's Capital City.

Financial, tourism hub

Speaking after performing the Bhoomi Pooja, Chandrababu Naidu said his Government would seek to transform the new capital city into a financial and tourism hub attracting global investors.

He said that the flood waters at Kondaveeti Vaagu would be tapped and a number of tourism projects developed to attract visitors.

Naidu thanked the farmers for coming forward to part with their land to achieve the goal of setting up a new capital.

He said that Andhra Pradesh was divided for political gains causing irreparable loss to the State, which is left without a capital and is fund starved. However, he said this adversity needs to be converted into an opportunity to build a world-class People’s Capital City.

Nirmala Seetharaman, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, said, “The Centre would extend all necessary support to develop the Capital and described today as a golden letter day.”

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