Andhra Pradesh DGP tours Vizag to identify government lands for three capital plan

Amid the three capitals row in Andhra Pradesh, the state's Director General of Police (DGP), Gautam Sawang on Sunday denied to comment on the shifting of the capital, but said they are prepared if the decision is finalised. While speaking to reporters he said, "I cannot say when the capital will be shifted but we are prepared."

Sawang was on a two-day tour of Vishakhapatnam to identify government lands for the police departments and others including the future needs of the development of the state.

He said the government has allocated 385 acres of land in Jagannadhapuram village under Chandaka panchayats in Anandapuram Mandal, about 28 km from Visakhapatnam city for setting up of police academy and headquarters.

"As the allocated land was not enough for a full-fledged headquarters, some more land was sought from the government. Several more lands were also inspected during the last two days," he added.

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The visit by the DGP to inspect lands in Vishakhapatnam comes in the light of the state government's effort to build three capitals instead of depending on the existing capital Amravati. The state Assembly had earlier passed the 'Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill 2020' which proposes to have a legislative capital at Amaravati, executive capital and Raj Bhavan at Visakhapatnam and judicial capital at Kurnool. This would mean that the Secretariat would be situated in Visakhapatnam, High Court in Kurnool and State Assembly at Amaravati.

Protests against decentralisation

Several protests were held in Amravati to rollback the decision of the state government. The lawyers, farmers and other residents of Amravati held protests against decentralising the capital to two other locations.

The protests against the decision of the state government have now turned global as over 1 lakh Telugu NRIs from the USA, UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and other places held a virtual rally on Saturday, urging Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy to not go ahead with his 3-capital plan. Former CM and TDP Chief Chandrababu Naidu has urged Reddy to reevaluate his decision decentralising Amravati, pointing out that farmers under Amaravati Joint Action Committee (JAC) have been agitating against this move and 66 of them have lost their lives due to this protest.

(With ANI inputs)

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