The Andhra Pradesh government has officially kickstarted the second phase of its ambitious Land Pooling Scheme (LPS) for the capital city of Amaravati. This move comes just days after receiving the crucial cabinet nod, setting the process in motion for the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) to begin pooling a significant 6,666.57 acres of land.
Breaking Down the Land Acquisition Plan
The CRDA has been formally tasked with the responsibility of taking over all types of land, including patta (titled) and assigned lands, spread across seven key villages. This step is pivotal for the planned expansion of the capital city area. The breakdown of land to be pooled in this phase is substantial and targeted.
The authority will pool approximately 1,965 acres in Vaikunthapuram, 1,018 acres in Peddamadduru, and 1,879 acres within Yendrayi village. Additionally, 46 acres of assigned land in the Amaravati mandal of Palnadu district are included in this phase.
The acquisition extends to Thulluru mandal, where the CRDA will take over 2,603 acres of patta land and 51 acres of assigned land in Karlapudi and Lemalle villages. In Harischandrapuram, the plan covers 1,448.09 acres of patta land and 2.29 acres of assigned land. A major chunk comes from Pedaparimi, with 5,886.18 acres of patta land slated for pooling.
The Big Picture: Total Acreage and Strategic Importance
When tallied up, the second phase of LPS aims to bring a total of 16,562.52 acres of patta land and 104.01 acres of assigned land under the government's control for capital development. This phase also encompasses 3,828.30 acres of existing government land.
This phase is widely seen as a critical step towards revitalising and accelerating the development of Amaravati. Interestingly, the initial proposal was to pool around 20,494 acres in this second phase. However, the plan was streamlined, and the target was trimmed to the current figure of approximately 16,552 acres. Government sources indicate that a subsequent round of land pooling is likely after the completion of this phase to acquire the remaining balance of about 4,000 acres.
Amaravati's Growing Footprint
The state government's land bank for the capital region is set for a major boost. During the first phase of LPS, about 33,000 acres were acquired from farmers. While most farmers participated, a few dozen held out, leading the government to recently decide on acquiring around 2,000 acres by enforcing the Land Acquisition Act.
With the government already having secured rights over nearly 20,000 acres of assigned land, land owned by religious institutions, and government and forest land, the total land under its control in the capital region currently stands at nearly 55,000 acres.
The successful execution of this second phase will add another 16,500 acres to the state's kitty. This expansion means the capital city's installations and infrastructure are projected to eventually spread over a vast area of nearly 65,000 to 70,000 acres, solidifying Amaravati's footprint as a major administrative and urban centre.
