In a significant move for the development of Andhra Pradesh's capital city, Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana has announced the government's commitment to continue the Land Pooling Scheme (LPS). The scheme is crucial for securing land for the upcoming infrastructure projects in Amaravati.
Phase-II Underway, Phase-III on the Horizon
Addressing the media in Vijayawada on Wednesday, Minister Narayana revealed that the action plan for the next phase of LPS will be unveiled after the completion of the ongoing Phase-II, which was launched just two days prior. The government has already issued orders for pooling 16,666 acres under Phase-II. This land is specifically earmarked for critical projects including the new railway track, a modern railway station, the Inner Ring Road (IRR), and a comprehensive sports city.
Narayana indicated that the land requirements for Amaravati are expanding. Additional land will be needed for the proposed international airport and smart industries, which may necessitate a Phase-III of the Land Pooling Scheme. "Additional land will be required for the proposed international airport and smart industries, which might prompt us to go for phase-III of LPS," the minister stated.
Vision for an Eco-Friendly Capital
The minister reiterated the government's vision to develop Amaravati as an attractive and sustainable capital. A core part of this plan is dedicating 30% of the city's area as blue and green zones under the 217 sq km master plan. This commitment to ecology will be reflected in extensive beautification and landscaping works across trunk roads, LPS zones, central dividers, and reservoirs.
The recreational blueprint for the capital is ambitious and includes:
- Amusement parks, eco-resorts, and musical fountains.
- A snow world and numerous public parks.
- Landscaping along 640 km of trunk roads, 450 km of medians, and 133 km of buffer zones.
Specific large-scale projects include a 190-acre public recreation park at Shakamuru, a 200-acre biodiversity park at Kuragallu, and parks at Malkapuram (21 acres) and Anantavaram (31 acres). Furthermore, 1,602 acres of LPS areas will see the development of smaller parks ranging from 1 to 10 acres. Green initiatives are also planned for the Krishnayapalem and Neerukonda reservoirs.
Focus on Farmer Registrations and Infrastructure
On the ground, the government is actively contacting farmers who contributed land under the LPS to complete the registration of their allotted plots. Official data shows that out of 69,421 plots allotted to 29,233 farmers, registrations for 7,743 plots belonging to 2,168 farmers are still pending. Another 295 'Lanka' plots for 157 farmers also await registration. Survey works and boundary marking are in progress for the remaining approximately 719 acres of plots yet to be allotted.
Minister Narayana confirmed that physical works on several recreational facilities are scheduled to commence from the end of January. These include a 30-acre amusement park at Shakamuru, boating docks, adventure facilities, and eco-resorts with convention centres. Concurrently, basic infrastructure works worth ₹900 crore are underway in villages across the capital region. A special cell will be set up in the CRDA office to specifically address and resolve issues faced by farmers who participated in the land pooling scheme.
