A mega airport for Amaravathi: Outrage over plan

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s ambitious plan to acquire an additional 30,000 to 40,000 acres of land for the development of Amaravati, the state’s capital city, has triggered widespread outrage.

He announced his plan for expanding infrastructure projects including an international airport.

Proposed Mega City and Mega Airport

Following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, Amaravati was declared the new capital of the state. Strategically located between Vijayawada and Guntur, the region already has an operational airport in Gannavaram. However, former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu envisions a larger, world-class airport within the capital region itself.

The Amaravati capital city project is still in its early stages, with major infrastructure yet to be developed—a process expected to take several years. So far, the government has secured over 34,000 acres of land from farmers. Now, plans are underway to acquire an additional 40,000 acres. Between 2014 and 2019, 34,241 acres were pooled from 29,881 farmers under a land pooling scheme.

Naidu’s vision

Naidu’s ambitious vision for Amaravati includes transforming it into a sustainable, world-class city with key infrastructure such as an Outer Ring Road, a modern railway station, and interlinking of rivers. This development is supported by a ₹26,000-crore loan from multilateral funding agencies.

Minister for Municipal Administration P. Narayana has indicated plans to integrate Vijayawada, Guntur, and Amaravati into a single mega city. He emphasized that such a city would require a state-of-the-art international airport to match its global aspirations.

Outrage

However, the proposal has met with fierce resistance. The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), led by former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, has accused Naidu of turning Amaravati into a “real estate venture” to benefit TDP affiliates and private entities. YSRCP leaders claim that only 2,000 to 3,000 acres are needed for core government infrastructure, while the remaining land is being sold to IT companies, hotels, and educational institutions, prioritizing profits over public welfare.

Farmers, particularly small landholders, are at the forefront of the protests. Many who surrendered land under the Land Pooling Scheme (LPS) during Naidu’s earlier tenure (2014-2019) feel shortchanged, as promised residential and commercial plots have either not materialized or failed to deliver expected economic benefits.